Redescriptions of the type specimens of synonymous nominal taxa of sea snakes (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophis, Laticauda) at the Zoological Survey of India.

We redescribe and illustrate the type specimens of ten taxa of sea snakes of the genera Hydrophis Latreille in Sonnini Latreille, 1801 and Laticauda Laurenti, 1768 in the collections of the Zoological Survey of India. The specimens comprise holotypes and syntypes of ten synonymous nominal taxa that represent seven valid nominal taxa. We here clarify that one specimen ZSI 8278 is a syntype of Hydrophis dayanus Stoliczka, 1872, not holotype as previously stated. In one case, four holotypes of four nominal taxa are synonyms of the same taxonHydrophis cyanocinctus Daudin, 1803. Many of these type specimens are herein first depicted in photographs in a publication.

A contribution to the systematics of Salea anamallayana (Beddome, 1878) and S. horsfieldii Gray, 1845 (Squamata: Agamidae: Draconinae).

Salea anamallayana (Beddome, 1878) and S. horsfieldii Gray, 1845 are two endemic montane forest dwelling draconine agamid lizards from the Western Ghats (India). The original descriptions of these two species were brief and apart from their inclusion in general faunal works, they have never been the focus of a rigorous taxonomic study. In this paper we provide a detailed redescription of the types of those two species. We also reconfirm the status of the subjective synonyms of those two species. We conducted a test of niche conservatism and on the basis of the results of this analysis, we demonstrate that in spite of occurring in apparently analogous habitats, the niche of the two species have diverged significantly. We also provide notes on the distribution and natural history of S. anamallayana and S. horsfieldii.

A study on Ptyas doriae (Boulenger, 1888) with comments on the status of Ptyas hamptoni (Boulenger, 1900) (Squamata: Colubridae: Colubrinae).

Ptyas doriae is a rare snake in northeastern India, Myanmar and southern China. The original description and subsequent accounts of this species were all very brief. We studied most of the available specimens of this species and on this basis we provide a detailed redescription of the species. We give an account of intrapopulational variation in scalation characters and colouration and we also report on a previously undescribed colour morph from Manipur, India. We have examined the holotype of Ptyas hamptoni and found that characters used to distinguish it from P. doriae are inadequate and therefore we herein synonymize the former with the latter species. We also predict the potential distribution of P. doriae by using Maximum Entropy modeling.

Description of a new species of genus Trachischium with a redescription of Trachischium fuscum (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae).

We describe a new species, Trachischium sushantai sp. nov., from Jammu, India. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: -a single nasal, a singleprefrontal, a single post-ocular, 13 rows of dorsal scales at mid-body, 152 ventrals, 23 pairs of subcaudals and those on anterior half of tail as long as wide and regular hexagon or rhomboid shaped, uniformly dark brown dorsum and brown subcaudals, edged incream or yellow posteriorly. The new species closely resembles T. fuscum. We also provide a redescription of T. fuscum and comments on its subjective synonyms.

Taxonomy of two endemic Indian skinks, Eutropis bibronii (Gray, 1838)and E. nagarjunensis (Sharma, 1969) (Reptilia: Scincidae), including redescriptions of their types.

Tiliqua bibronii was described by J.E. Gray in December, 1838 based on two syntypes (MNHN-RA 2940, 7076), but the details for locality was missing. These syntypes are currently housed at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France (MNHN-RA). The same species (based on the same type specimens) was described by A.M.C. Duméril & G. Bibron in November, 1839 nearly one year after Gray's publication. As such, Gray's publication must therefore be given priority. Another species, Euprepis trilineatus, from Madras, Tamil Nadu, India, was described by Gray in 1846, and it is morphologically similar to E. bibronii. Later, Boulenger (1885) synonymised it with E. bibronii. Eutropis bibronii has subsequently been recorded from other parts of India and Sri Lanka by various authors. Many years later, a closely related species, Mabuya nagarjuni (sic) Sharma, 1969, was described from Andhra Pradesh, India, based on two specimens (a holotype and a paratype) housed at the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata (ZSI). Here we make a correction for the species epithet as "nagarjunensis" which should be a toponym, not a patronym. Among the skink collections at the Natural History Museum, London (BMNH), ZSI, and MNHN-RA we found E. bibronii specimens collected from various locations in India, but we were unable to find any specimens from Sri Lanka. Based on morphological evidence, E. bibronii represents a single, fairly widespread, species which has to be considered endemic to India. Although, recent phylogenetic studies reveal a distinct genetic divergence between E. bibronii and E. nagarjunensis, both species are morphologically very similar to each other. Here, we examine the morphology of E. nagarjunensis based on the ZSI specimens. A comprehensive comparison between the syntypes of E. bibronii and Euprepis trilineatus confirms that the latter nomen is a junior synonym of the former. The original description of E. bibronii is extremely concise and lacks most of the important diagnostic characters, so here we provide a comprehensive redescription of the species based on the examination of its syntypes.

Taxonomy and natural history of Eutropis beddomei (Jerdon, 1870) (Reptilia: Scincidae), including a redescription of the holotype.

Euprepes beddomei was described by Jerdon (1870) from "Mysore" (Karnataka State, India). Simultaneously, Euprepes (Tiliqua) septemlineatus, which is morphologically similar to E. beddomei, was described by Blanford (1870) based on a single specimen collected from the Ganga River Valley, Southeast Berar, Madhya Pradesh, India. Smith (1935) synonymised the latter species (published in September, 1870) with Euprepes beddomei which in turn was published earlier (March, 1870). Jerdon's publication should therefore be given priority. A comprehensive comparison between the holotypes of the above two species confirms that E. septemlineatus is a junior synonym of E. beddomei. Based on morphological characters, Eutropis beddomei is here clearly identified and can be considered a widespread species in India and Sri Lanka. The original description of E. beddomei is very short and lacks a description containing most of the important diagnostic characters; hence, we hereby provide a comprehensive description of the species based on the examination of its holotype.