The Travancore vine snake (Ahaetulla travancorica), is a species of tree snake endemic to the southern Western Ghats of India.[1][2][3]
| Travancore vine snake | |
|---|---|
| |
| From Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Ahaetulla |
| Species: | A. travancorica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ahaetulla travancorica Mallik, Srikanthan, Pal, Princia D'Souza, Shanker & Ganesh, 2020
| |
Taxonomy edit
It was formerly considered conspecific with A. dispar (which is now considered to have a more northerly distribution in the Western Ghats), but a 2020 study found it to represent a new species.[1]
Geographic range edit
This species is endemic to the Agasthyamalai Hills of the southern Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The specimen that the species was described from originates from a single locality in Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary. The Shencottah Gap north of the Agasthyamalais separates it from its closest relative, A. dispar.[1]
Habitat edit
This species is found in high-elevation shola forests in the Western Ghats above 1000 msl.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Mallik, Ashok Kumar; Srikanthan, Achyuthan N.; Pal, Saunak P.; D’souza, Princia Margaret; Shanker, Kartik; Ganesh, Sumaithangi Rajagopalan (6 November 2020). "Disentangling vines: a study of morphological crypsis and genetic divergence in vine snakes (Squamata: Colubridae: Ahaetulla) with the description of five new species from Peninsular India". Zootaxa. 4874 (1): zootaxa.4874.1.1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4874.1.1. PMID 33311335. S2CID 228823754.
- ^ Staff Reporter (14 November 2020). "New species of vine snakes discovered". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ "The discovery of five new species of vine snakes in India". phys.org. Retrieved 26 November 2020.