A new species of the Pareas monticola complex (Squamata: Serpentes: Pareidae) from Chin Mountains with additions to the Pareas fauna of Myanmar

ABSTRACT

A review of the taxonomic status of Pareas monticola (Himalaya slug snake) based on morphological and molecular data revealed a new species from Myanmar. Pareas victorianus sp. nov. Vogel, Nguyen and Poyarkov from the Nat Ma Taung National Park in western Chin State is suggested to be a sister species to P. monticola sensu stricto, and can be separated from the latter by the absence of preoculars, by the subocular separating the eye from the labials, by seven keeled dorsal scale rows at midbody, by a lower number of ventrals (164) and by a lower number of subcaudals (58). Another new population from the Hkakabo Razi National Park in the northernmost part of Kachin State was previously confused with P. monticola, but can be differentiated from the latter and from Pareas victorianus sp. nov. by the presence of preoculars, by the number of ventrals (182) and subcaudals (71), by the absence of dark postorbital stripes, and by the lateral and ventral surfaces of the head with dense brown dusting; we herein refer to this population as Pareas sp. pending further molecular data confirming its taxonomic status. We also confirm the occurrence of P. monticola sensu stricto in Myanmar based on specimens from Kachin State and Sagaing Division. Furthermore, we discuss the actual distribution, genetic differentiation and taxonomic problems of P. monticola species complex. Our work brings the total number of species recognised within the genus Pareas to 20, of which nine species occur in Myanmar. An updated key for the Pareas species of Myanmar is provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7591231C-475C-4F86-9376-BB48DA937D1A

KEYWORDS:

• Pareas victorianus sp. nov
• distribution
• taxonomy
• Chin
• Kachin
• Nat Ma Taung National Park
• Hkakabo Razi National Park

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Thai Van Nguyen (SVW) and Andrey N. Kuznetsov (JRVTTC) for supporting our study. We thank May Thu Chit, Parinya Pawangkhanant and Vladislav A. Gorin for support during fieldwork in Myanmar and assistance in the lab. We are also grateful to Liudmila B. Salamakha (Russia) for preparation of drawings for this paper; and Roman A. Nazarov, Sabira S. Idiatullina and Platon V. Yushchenko for support and assistance in the lab. Furthermore, we thank the following collection curators, who gave access to specimens under their care and helped us while we visited their respective institutions: Colin McCarthy and Patrick Campbell (BMNH); Jens Vindum and Alan Leviton (CAS); Yuezhao Wang, Xiaomao Zeng, Jiatang Li and Ermi Zhao (CIB); Alan Resetar (FMNH); Nicolas Vidal and Annemarie Ohler (MNHN); Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga (MNZU); Heinz Grillitsch, Silke Schweiger and Richard Gemel (NMW); Oliver Rödel and Frank Tillack (ZMB); Jakob Hallermann (ZMH); and Valentina F. Orlova and Roman A. Nazarov (ZMMU). Alan Leviton (CAS) is thanked for inviting GV to CAS. Ding Lee, Jiatang Li and Zening Chen are thanked for their support of the work of GV in China. The authors are grateful to Ian Dugdale for proofreading of the paper. The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments which improved the earlier draft of the manuscript.

Authors’ contributions

GV and TVN designed the study; GV, TZ and NAP collected data; NAP performed molecular analyses and provided materials and funds for analyses; GV and NAP examined morphology; NAP supervised the analyses; GV, TVN and NAP wrote the manuscript; GV and NAP revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation [Grant Number 19-14-00050] for molecular and phylogenetic analyses to NAP.