Oreocryptophis porphyraceus (Cantor, 1839)

Hakim, Jonathan, Trageser, Scott J., Ghose, Animesh, Rashid, Sheikh Muhammad Abdur & Rahman, Shahriar Caesar, 2020, Amphibians and reptiles from Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh, Check List 16 (5), pp. 1239-1268 : 1260

Oreocryptophis porphyraceus (Cantor, 1839)

Material examined. BANGLADESH • 1 adult; Sylhet Division, Moulvibazar District, Kamalganj Upazila, LNP, Srimangal-Bhanugach Road near Fulbari Tea Estate ; 24°19.92′N, 091°47.88′E; 3Aug.2011;photovoucherZRC ( IMG) 3.367 .

Identification. Oreocryptophis porphyraceus is an unmistakable reddish-brown (one specimen) or tan (one specimen) snake with broad, dark-reddish crossbands lined with black, two thin, black dorsolateral stripes on the rear portion of the body, and a black postocular stripe on each side of the head split by a narrow, black line on the top of the head ( Whitaker and Captain 2008).

Taxonomic notes. This species was reported by us for the first time from Bangladesh ( Nature Quest 2012), but without any associated specimen record. Here we provide the first vouchered record, which is 110 km northwest of the nearest reported locality in Vensang, Mizoram ( Harit 2016). This record, at 50 m above sea level, is the first time that O. porphyraceus has been found at an elevation below 1,000 m ( Whitaker and Captain 2008; Harit 2016).

Habitat. This beautiful snake was found twice during the late monsoon, once in the roadkill survey and once in an opportunistic collection after it had been killed by a human. Both specimens were found in mature forest.