Rhabdophis himalayanus (Günther, 1864)

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 : 1256

Rhabdophis himalayanus (Günther, 1864)

Figure 8B

Material examined. BANGLADESH • 1 adult; Sylhet Division, Moulvibazar District, Kamalganj Upazila , LNP ,

former Dhaka-Sylhet highway bisecting the park; 24° 20.0′N, 091°48.0′E; 08 Jul. 2011; photo voucher ZRC ( IMG) 2.154.

Identification. This keelback is a medium-sized snake typical of the genus Rhabdophis . With keeled dorsal scales, 19 midbody scale rows, eight supralabials ( IV and V contacting orbit), a single preocular, three postoculars, 159–162 ventrals, 88–89 paired subcaudals, a black subocular stripe, and grey dorsal color with dual offset rows of pale dorsolateral spots, specimens from LNP keyed out to R. himalayanus ( Das 2010) . Specimens found in the park were atypical in having a lightly speckled rather than a black mottled venter and a dull orange, black-edged spot on top of the neck rather than the more typical yellow black-edged collar. These characteristics of the LNP specimens match those from Assam listed as “ Rhabdophis sp. ” by Das et al. (2009) and the JUHG 0205 record from LNP mentioned by Mahony et al. (2009). Rahman and Ahmed (2012a) assigned these to R. himalayanus , with unusual color, and considered them to represent a moderate range extension.

Taxonomic notes. The presence of the species in LNP was published as a new Bangladesh country record ( Rahman and Ahmed 2012a).

Habitat. One of the more common snakes in LNP, it was mainly associated with degraded and mature forest but could also be found at habitat edges near tea plantation, paddy fields and village habitat.