Oligodon lungshenensis Zheng & Huang 1978

Oligodon lungshenensis Zheng & Huang in Huang, Zheng and Fang 1978 Figs 9, 10, 11, 12, Suppl. material 1: table S 4 Vernacular name. Longsheng Kukri Snake / 龙胜小头蛇 (Pinyin: Lo ́ ng She ̀ ng Xia ̌ o To ́ u She ́) Synonymy. Oligodon guizhouensis – Li in Wu, Li, Xu, Dong and Liu (1979): 104. Partial chresonymy. Oligodon ornatus (in part) – Zhao et al. (1986: 157); Zhao and Yang (1997: 238 –239); Zhao (2002: 171); Li et al. (2020); Wu et al. (2023); Lee et al. (2024). Type material. Holotype. • FNU 64099 (or NHMG 64099; see notes about holotype) (immature male), collector and collection date unknown. Type locality: Longsheng County, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Paratype. • NHMG 64100 (immature male), sharing the same collection data as the holotype, deposited in the NHMG. Notes about holotype. In the original description, Huang et al. (1978) explicitly stated the holotype was deposited in Fujian Normal University and the paratype in the Natural History Museum of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (NHMG). However, both specimens were assigned NHMG catalogue numbers (Huang et al. 1978: 92). We made inquiries to the relevant institutions. At present, no archival records of O. lungshenensis or O. ornatus collected during the 20 th century are retained in the collections of FNU; therefore, the holotype of O. lungshenensis was most likely lost. Specimens examined (N = 11). China. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. • QHU R 2024050 (Field NO. LFR 2024180; adult male), from Guilin City (approx. 25.275°N, 110.296°E), collected on 20 October 2024 by Y. H. Xu; • SYS r 001529 (adult male), from Pinggui District, Hezhou Prefecture (24.293°N, 111.556°E, 345 m asl.), collected on 16 July 2016 by the team of Y. Y. Wang. Guizhou Province. • CIB F.201109039 (Field NO. TH 1962; adult male), from Leigongshan, Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao, and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (approx. 26.37°N, 108.16°E), collected on 24 September 2011 by the team of J. P. Jiang; • CIB 9963 (adult male), collected in August 1976, share the same locality as CIB F.201109039; • ANU ZR 24115 (adult female), from Fangxiang Town, Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao, and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (26.4192°N, 108.2367°E, 1098 m asl.), collected in August 2024 by T. R. Zhang; • QHU R 2025048 (Field NO. LFR 2025226; adult female), collected on 26 September 2025 by the team of L. F. Peng, shares the same locality as ANU ZR 24115. Hunan Province. • QHU R 2024048 (Field NO. LFR 2024098; adult male), from Yongzhou City (approx. 26.45°N, 111.39°E), collected on 10 July 2024 by the team of L. F. Peng; • QHU R 2025057 (Field NO. LFR 2025109; adult male), collected on 09 June 2025 by the team of L. F. Peng, shares the same locality as QHU R 2024048; • ANU ZR 24103 (adult female) and • ANU ZR 240104 (adult male), from Longshan Forest Park, Lianyuan City, Loudi City (27.5033°N, 111.7465°E, 1046 m asl.), collected in 2024 by T. R. Zhang; • QHU R 2025049 (Field NO. LFR 2025227; adult male), from Longshan forest park, Lianyuan City, Loudi City (27.5033°N, 111.7465°E, 1046 m asl.), collected on 12 September 2025 by the team of L. F. Peng. Other reported specimens (N = 24). China. Chongqing Municipality. • CTS 20090624 (adult female), from Shuishi Township, Qianjiang District (29.2348°N, 108.6873°E; 1000 m asl.), collected on 24 June 2009 by Zhishen Fei, reported by Luo et al. (2010). • KIZ YPX 18635, sex and collection data unknown, from Qianjiang District (approx. 29.53°N, 108.77°E), reported by Wu et al. (2023). Guizhou Province. • ZMU 7600060 (adult male), the holotype of O. guizhouensis, from Yongle Town, Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao, and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (26.2257°N, 108.2211°E; 630 m asl.); • ZMU 770272 (adult male), • ZMU 770273 (adult male), • ZMU 770275 (adult male), • ZMU 750159 (adult female), • ZMU 770274 (adult female), and • ZMU 770271 (adult female), from Chishui City, Zunyi City (approx. 28.36°N, 105.78°E); and • ZMU 7610418 (adult female), • ZMU 7610419 (juvenile female), • ZMU 7610421 (juvenile female), and • ZMU 770364 (juvenile female), from Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (approx. 26.37°N, 108.16°E), all of which are designated as paratypes of O. guizhouensis. These 11 specimens were reported by Wu et al. (1979). • TRU U R 201107001 (adult female), from Fodingshan Nature Reserve, Shiqian County, Tongren City (27.3371°N, 108.1601°E; 619 m asl.), collected on 07 July 2011, reported by Ran et al. (2012). Hubei Province. • XDSNR 0011 (adult male), from Xingdoushan Nature Reserve, Enshi City (30.067°N, 109.233°E; 1179 m asl.), collected on 12 August 2022, reported by Dong et al. (2023). Hunan Province. • CWNU unnumbered (adult male), from Mangshan National Nature Reserve, Chenzhou City (24.967°N, 112.867°E, 1000 m asl.), collected July 2008, reported by Yuan et al. (2010). • HNNU 920897 (adult female), from Shimen County, Changde City (approx. 29.58°N, 111.38°E); • HNNU 810732 (adult female), • HNNU 810731 (juvenile male), • HNNU 590046 (juvenile male) from Dayong, Zhangjiajie City (approx. 29.12°N, 110.48°E); • HNNU 590014 (adult female), from Jiangyong County, Yongzhou City (approx. 25.27°N, 111.34°E); • HNNU 590046 (adult female), from Cili County, Zhangjiajie City (approx. 29.43°N, 111.13°E). These 6 specimens were reported by Shen et al. (2014). • HS 11016 (now ANU HS 11016), sex and collection data unknown, from Yongzhou City (approx. 26.45°N, 111.39°E), reported by Li et al. (2020). Sichuan Province. • YBU 240279 (adult female), from Xianlong Village, Xiantan Town, Hejiang County, Luzhou City (106.2758°N, 28.6517°E; 696 m asl.), collected 22 June 2023, reported by Liu et al. (2025). Literature data from reported specimens are mentioned in the description. For electronic records, refer to Suppl. material 1. Revised diagnosis. A medium sized Oligodon, tail moderately long (TailLR 0.106 –0.147; in males 0.114 –0.147; in females 0.106 –0.133). Dorsal scales in 15–15 – 15 rows, all smooth, no reductions. Ventral scales 163–186, no dimorphism (163–185 in males, and 167–186 in females), no keeling. Cloacal plate divided. Subcaudals 31–40 (31–40 in males, 31–35 in females), paired. Total body scales 198–218 (198–215 in males, 201–218 in females). Subcaudal ratio 0.142 –0.188, no dimorphism (in males 0.148 –0.188, in females 0.142 –0.172). Maxillary teeth 8, posterior three teeth slightly enlarged and blade-like. Internasals absent, fused with prefrontals. Loreal absent, preocular 1, presubocular absent, postoculars 2 (rarely 1), temporals 2 + 2 (rarely 2 + 1). Temporolabial scale present. Supralabials 6 (rarely 5), 3 rd – 4 th in contact with the eye (rarely 2 nd – 3 rd in contact). Infralabials 6–7 (rarely 5), first 1–4 in contact with anterior chin shields (rarely 1–3). Dorsal surface light brown or grayish brown with a broad brown paravertebral stripe and a narrower lateral stripe on either side of body, both extending from nape to tail. Middorsal line between paravertebral stripes, same color as remaining body. A total of 9–14 irregular dorsal bands present (7–11 on body, and 1–3 on tail), some specimens exhibiting secondary bands or spots concentrated along the middorsal or paravertebral regions. Median portions of each band brown, edges normally dark brown or black. Head markings include ocular bar, temporal bar, and nuchal chevron. Ventral surface white with lateral series of black alternating rectangular blotches on ventral scales and a broad red midventral stripe in life. Hemipenis unilobed, simple sulcus spermaticus, spines gradually decreasing in size by midpoint of organ, and absent on distal one-fifth of organ and apical surface. Description and variation. The main morphological characteristics of O. lungshenensis are summarized in Suppl. material 1: table S 4, based on newly examined specimens in this study (N = 11) and previous reports by Huang et al. (1978), Wu et al. (1979), Zhao et al. (1986), Yuan et al. (2010), Luo et al. (2010), Ran et al. (2012), Dong et al. (2023), and Liu et al. (2025) (N = 17). Body slender, subcylindrical. Head oblong, slightly distinct from neck. Snout elongate, narrowing in width in dorsal profile, slightly truncate in lateral profile. Eyes moderate relative to head, pupil round. Nostrils small, subelliptical, pointed laterally. Tail short to moderate, tapering gradually to sharp pointed tip. Largest specimen an adult female (ANU ZR 24115) measuring 612 mm SVL and 79 mm TailL. Largest male (uncatalogued specimen reported by Zhao et al. 1986) 550 mm SVL, 95 mm TailL. Head measurements (N = 11 unless noted otherwise) as follows: HeadL 12.8–17.3 mm (N = 12), HeadW 8.0– 10.9 mm (N = 12), SnoutL 4.1–6.1, EyeD 2.0– 3.1 mm, IOD 5.5–6.7 mm (N = 10), IND 3.6–4.9 mm, FrontalL 3.9–5.9 mm, FrontalW 3.5–5.1 mm. TailLR 0.106 –0.147 (x ̅ = 0.126 ± 0.012; N = 28), in males 0.114 –0.147 (x ̅ = 0.132 ± 0.012; N = 14), in females 0.106 –0.133 (x ̅ = 0.120 ± 0.009; N = 14), sexual dimorphism present (Student’s t-test P = 0.00468). HeadW / HeadL 0.52–0.76 (N = 12), SnoutL / HeadL 0.27–0.41 (N = 11), EyeD / SnoutL 0.36–0.51 (N = 11), EyeD / HeadL 0.13–0.21 (N = 11), FrontalL / FrontalW 1.02–1.30 (N = 11). Body scalation. Dorsal scales in 15–15 – 15 rows, all smooth with no reductions. Ventral scales 163–186 (x ̅ = 171.0 ± 5.3; N = 28), in males 163–185 (x ̅ = 169.7 ± 5.0; N = 14), in females 167–186 (x ̅ = 172.4 ± 5.5; N = 14), no keeling. Cloacal plate divided. Subcaudal scales 31–40 (x ̅ = 34.0 ± 2.5; N = 28), in males 31–40 (x ̅ = 34.8 ± 2.9; N = 14), in females 31–35 (x ̅ = 32.6 ± 1.4; N = 14), paired. Total body scales 198–218 (x ̅ = 206.4 ± 5.5; N = 28), in males 198–215 (x ̅ = 205.9 ± 5.1; N = 14), in females 201–218 (x ̅ = 207.1 ± 5.9; N = 14). Subcaudal ratio 0.142 –0.188 (x ̅ = 0.163 ± 0.011; N = 28), in males 0.148 –0.188 (x ̅ = 0.169 ± 0.012; N = 14), in females 0.142 –0.172 (x ̅ = 0.157 ± 0.008; N = 14). Sexual dimorphism detected for subcaudal scales (Student’s t-