Coelognathus philippinus ( Griffin, 1909a )

Leviton, Alan E., Siler, Cameron D., Weinell, Jeffrey L. & Brown, Rafe M., 2018, Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (14), pp. 399-568 : 434

Coelognathus philippinus ( Griffin, 1909a)

Palawan Rat Snake

Coluber erythrurus, Boettger, 1895:3 , 5 (Calamian Ids.); 1898:54 (part: Culion).

Elaphe erythrura, Griffin, 1909:597 (Palawan).

Elaphe philippina Griffin, 1909:597 ; 1911:260 (Palawan).— Taylor, 1922a:159 (part: Balabac, Busuanga, Palawan [Iwahig, Taytay]).

Elaphe erythrura philippina, Leviton, 1963c:382 , 385 (Busuanga, Culion, Palawan); 1979:113.— Gaulke, 1994b:140; 1996:50, fig. 3; 1999:278.

Coelognathus philippinus, Helfenberger 2001:52 .— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:170.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Iwahig , Palawan Id., Philippines. Lectotype: CAS 62143 , designated by Leviton (1979:114).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (ENDEMIC) ( Map 10D [p. 121]).— Palawan Archipelago (Balabac, Busuanga, Calamian Ids. [Calauit], Culion, Palawan), Sulu Archipelago (Bongao, Sanga-Sanga, Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi).

REMARKS.— For a long time, this species was considered a subspecies of Coelognathus (formerly Elaphe ) erythrurus but more recently Helfenberger (2001) demonstrated its distinctness from C. erythrurus that justifies its recognition as a separate and only distantly related species.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— The conservation status of Coelognathus philippinus has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List [2016] ver. 3.1, but IUCN notes that it is listed in the Catalogue of Life.