Gonyosoma oxycephalum (H. Boie

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 162-163

Gonyosoma oxycephalum (H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827)— Native.

Coluber Oxycephalus H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827: 537. Holotype: RMNH.RENA.677, by original designation. Type locality: “ Java ”, Indonesia.

Red-tailed Racer

( Figure 18G )

Singapore records.

Gonyosoma oxycephalum — Ģnther, 1858b: 122.—Taylor, 1965: 713.—F.L.K. Lim & M.T.-M. Lee, 1989: 117.—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 53.—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 105.— David & Vogel, 1996: 92.—R. Subaraj, 1996: 101.— Manthey & Grossmann, 1997: 355.—Chan-ard et al., 1999: 33.— Iskandar & Colijn, 2001: 64.— Fry et al., 2003b: 2050.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 103, 161.—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2008: 265.— Das, 2010: 280.—L.L. Grismer, 2011a: 199.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 273.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 103, 161.— Das, 2012a: 42.—Schulz, 2013: 129.—Wallach et al., 2014: 315.—Chan-ard et al., 2015: 167.— Dieckmann et al., 2015: 32.— Groenewoud & I.S. Law, 2015: 50 (“western area of Mandai”).—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2016: 183 (Pulau Tekong).—M.F.C. Ng et al., 2016: 42 (Lower Peirce Reservoir; Venus Loop [WNP]).— Khew & Yokohari, 2017: 11.— de Lang, 2017: 153.— Das, 2018: 52.—M.M.Q. Tan, 2018: 55 (MacRitchie Forest).—S. Ng, 2019: 153 (Thomson Nature Park).—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 163, 181 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).— Charlton, 2020: 169.—White, 2020: 106 (Bukit Drive [BTNR]).

Coluber oxycephalus —Sclater, 1891a: 33.— Boulenger, 1894: 56.— Flower, 1896: 883.— Flower, 1899: 668.—Ridley, 1899: 208.— de Rooij, 1917: 104.

Gonyosoma oxycephala —Sworder, 1923: 64.—K. Lim, 1990a: 7 (Sime Road Forest).—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 55, 145.—K.K.P. Lim & Subharaj, 1992: 6.—K.K.P. Lim, 1994b: 214, 331.—R. Subaraj et al., 1995: 2 (Sime Forest).—K. Lim, 1995: 15 (Executive Golf Course; North View Hut [BTNR]).—P.K.L. Ng et al., 1995: 117.—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 381 (Jungle Fall & Seraya Valleys [BTNR]; Nee Soon Range [NSSF]; Rifle Range Forest).—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 146.

Coluber floweri —F. Werner, 1925: 55.— Smith, 1928: 497.

Elaphe oxycephala — Smith, 1930: 50.— Smith, 1943: 530.— de Haas, 1950: 549.

Goniosoma [sic] oxycephala —F.L.K. Lim, 1991: 53.

Remarks. The first occurrence of G. oxycephalum in Singapore was based on two specimens at NHMUK from Hardwicke’s collection that was first reported by Ģnther (1858b). Sclater (1891a) reported a specimen collected by Davison deposited at ZSI that went unnoticed by subsequent authors ( Flower 1896, 1899; Sworder 1923). Flower (1899b) also reported a specimen he collected in October 1897. Gonyosoma oxycephalum occurs in a green and orange colour morph ( Baker & Lim 2012). The orange morph was first discovered from a specimen collected by Hainkes in Singapore, and Werner (1925) described it as a new species, Coluber floweri ( Table 1 ). Three years later, Smith (1928) recognised it as a colour variety of G. oxycephalum , but only synonymised the two species two years later (Smith 1930). The next reported observation after Werner (1925) occurs 65 years later ( Table 2 ) when one was found at SRF ( Lim 1990a). After Teo & Rajathurai (1997) reported six sightings from their surveys, there has only been eight reported observations of G. oxycephalum . The first is an image of an orange morph individual published in Baker & Lim (2012) that was taken in PT in August 2006 ( Lim et al. 2016). The next seven occurred more recently and include one seen coiled in a tree at Mandai on 14 March 2015 that appeared to have a food bolus ( Groenewoud & Law 2015), one mobbed by monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis ) at LPF on 5 July 2015 and one being mobbed by squirrels ( Callosciurus notatus and Sundasciurus tenuis ) at WNP on 6 March 2016 (Ng et al. 2016), one seen eating a Callosciurus notatus at MacRitchie on August 2017 (Tan 2018), one seen at TNP on November 2019 (Ng 2019), two recorded during the BTNR surveys (Teo & Thomas 2019), and on 21 May 2020 two were seen mating at BTNR ( Cheong 2020). The individual shown in Figure 18G was photographed at BTNR on 3 August 2011 (A. Figueroa pers. obs.).

Occurrence. Restricted to CNR and surrounding Nature Parks and forests. Uncommon.

Singapore conservation status. Vulnerable.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2012].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. ( Singapore no locality) : BMNH 1964.1563 – 1564 (no date); Lower Peirce Reservoir : ZRC.2.5621 (01-Jan-2003); Island Club Road [ SICC] : ZRC.2.6325 (16-Jan-2007); Nee Soon Executive Golf Course [= Mandai Executive Golf Course] : ZRC.2.6297 (15-Nov-1995), Old Upper Thomson Road : ZRC.2.7006 (18-Jan-2013); Rifle Range Road : ZRC.2.6105 (02-Nov-2004); Upper Peirce Reservoir Road : ZRC.2.6139 (22-Jul-2005); Woodlands : ZRC.2.2427 (05-Mar-1904) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. ( Singapore no locality): NMW-23423 [holotype of Coluber floweri ] .

Singapore localities. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Lower Peirce Reservoir—Mandai (not specified)—Mandai Executive Golf Course—Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Old Upper Thomson Road—Pulau Tekong—Rifle Range Forest—Rifle Range Road—Sime Road Forest—Thomson Nature Park—Upper Peirce Reservoir Road—Windsor Nature Park—Woodlands.

Genus Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 (1 species)

Lygophis (Liopeltis) Fitzinger, 1843: 26 (type species: Herpetodryas tricolor Schlegel, 1837 , by original designation; gender masculine).

Figures

FIGURE 18. A) Boiga cynodon, B) Boiga drapiezii, C) Boiga jaspidea, D) Boiga melanota, E) Coelognathus flavolineatus, F) Gongylosoma baliodeira, G) Gonyosoma oxycephalum, and H) Liopeltis tricolor. Photographs by: Alex Figueroa [A, D, G], Kelvin K.P. Lim [B, C, H], Norman T.-L. Lim [E], and Nick Baker [F].