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FIGURE 4 in A new species of the genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from Tay Nguyen Plateau, Central Vietnam
No full textFIGURE 4. Dorsal (A), ventral (B), and dorso-lateral (C) views of male holotype of Microhyla aurantiventris. sp. nov. in preservative. Scale bar equals to 5 mm. Photos by L.T. Nguyen.Published as part of Nguyen, Luan Thanh, Poyarkov, Nikolay A., Nguyen, Tiep Tan, Nguyen, Tam Ai, Tran, Vy Huu, Gorin, Vladislav A., Murphy, Robert W. & Nguyen, Sang Ngoc, 2019, A new species of the genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from Tay Nguyen Plateau, Central Vietnam, pp. 549-580 in Zootaxa 4543 (4) on page 563, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4543.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/261803
Beth Nguyen: 47th Annual ODU Literary Festival
No full textBeth Nguyen is the author of the recent memoir Owner of a Lonely Heart, which was a New York Times Editors’ Choice Pick, as well as the memoir Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, and two novels. She has received an American Book Award and a PEN/Jerard Award and her work has appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Time, and Best American Essays. She teaches at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she also directs the MFA Program in Creative Writing
Solar adoption and the decisive role of the feed-in tariff policy
No full textAvailable online 20 April 2023Abstract not availableLuan Thanh Nguyen, Shyama Ratnasiri, Liam Wagner, Dan The Nguyen, Nicholas Rohd
Sphenomorphus yersini Nguyen & Nguyen & Nguyen & Orlov & Murphy 2018, sp. nov.
No full textSphenomorphus yersini sp. nov. (Figs. 1–4) Holotype. ITBCZ 5685, adult male, collected from Hon Ba NR., Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam; coordinates 12°8’13”N, 108°57’39”E; elevation 1162 m a.s.l. by L.T. Nguyen, V.D.H. Nguyen, and S.N. Nguyen on 16 October 2016 (Fig. 1). Paratypes. Two specimens, also collected from Hon Ba NR by L.T. Nguyen, V.D.H. Nguyen, and S.N. Nguyen: ITBCZ 5686, adult female (Fig. 2C&D), and ITBCZ 5684, adult male (Figs. 2A&B and 3), collected on 14 October 2016, coordinates 12°8’22”N, 108°58’06”E; elevation 932 m a.s.l. Referred specimen. HBA 44 (released, Fig. 4), adult female, collected on 19 October 2016, coordinates 12°8’22”N, 108°58’06”E; elevation 932 m a.s.l. Diagnosis. Sphenomorphus yersini sp. nov. is distinguished from all of its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: size in adults (SVL) up to 56 mm; TaL/SVL ratio 1.81; toes reach to fingers when limbs adpressed; 32–34 smooth midbody scale rows; 61–69 paravertebral scales; 58–67 ventral scale rows; 112 subcaudal scales; four, rarely five, supraoculars; prefrontals in broad contact with one another; two loreal scales; tympanum deeply sunk; smooth lamellae beneath Finger IV and Toe IV 10–12 and 18 –20, respectively; two enlarged precloacal scales; hemipenis smooth, deeply forked, asymmetrical with a long lobe and another short; black and interruptive dorsolateral line; lateral side and lower part of head, neck, and tail orange to red in male. Description of holotype. Adult male; head small and elongate (HW/HL = 0.7); SVL 54 mm; tail long (TaL/ SVL = 1.81), 98 mm in length; lower eyelid scaly; tympanum deeply sunk with a prominent oblique edge; limbs pentadactyl, toes reach to fingers when limbs adpressed. Head scalation smooth; rostral convex, distinctly visible from above, in broad contact with frontonasal, which is broader than long; no supranasals; prefrontals in broad contact with one another; 5 supraoculars on left side and 4 on right side; a pair of frontoparietals, shorter than frontal; frontal narrowing posteriorly, longer than wide, bordered laterally by first two supraoculars, anteriorly by prefrontals, and posteriorly by frontoparietals; frontoparietals in contact with the second to fifth supraoculars on left side and the second to fourth supraoculars on right side; parietals in contact posteriorly, behind the interparietal; no nuchal; 7 supralabials on both sides, the fifth and sixth below the eye; 2 loreals, posterior loreal larger than anterior; nostril in center of nasal, which is in contact with the first supralabial, rostral, anterior loreal, and frontonasal; 8 supraciliaries, first largest; 1 anterior temporal, in contact with sixth and seventh supralabials; 2 secondary temporals, lower temporal overlapping upper one and in contact with seventh supralabial, upper temporal larger, in contact with parietal; lower eyelid scaly, 2 scales in center larger than scales in posterior and anterior areas; 6 infralabials, first pair medially in contact with each other; 1 anterior and 2 postmentals. Dorsal scales smooth, not larger than lateral and ventral scales; 34 midbody scale rows; 61 paravertebral scales; ventral scales smooth, in 60 rows; 112 subcaudal scales, slightly enlarged posteriorly; 11 and 20 smooth lamellae beneath finger IV and toe IV, respectively; 2 enlarged precloacal scales. Hemipenes. Each hemipenis deeply forked and asymmetrical with two smooth lobes. In fully everted position, the inner lobe is shorter and the outer lobe is much longer. Clear sulcus spermaticus starts from the base, divides into two branches at the fork and extends to the tips of the two lobes; body of the long lobe forming regular transversal shallow grooves and ending with terminal papillae. Short lobe obtuse, not forming regular transversal shallow grooves (Fig. 1F). Coloration. In life, overall dorsal coloration black (Hex #000000) to dark brown (Hex #654321) with two interrupted copper (Hex # B87333) dorsal lines in margins of dorsum extending from neck to base of tail; black and interrupted lateral lines under the copper ones; dorsum with irregular black spots; lateral side and lower part of head, neck, and tail orange (Hex #FF6600) to red (Hex #FE2712); venter from chest to tail base yellow (Hex #FFD300) to cream (Hex # FFFDD 0); upper side of limbs black with bright dots. Lateral margins of supralabials and infralabials with black blotches. Free margin of upper eyelid orange and the margin of lower eyelid yellow (Hex #FFD300). Eyes black. In preservation, color fades; orange and yellow disappear; overall dorsal coloration black with two interrupted brighter lines in margins of dorsum extending from neck to base of tail; venter zebra white (Hex #F5F5F5). Variation. Table 2 summarizes variation in size and scalation of the holotype, paratypes, and referred specimen. Supraoculars four in all specimens except for the left side of the holotype which bears 5 scales. Midbody scale rows vary from 32 to 34. Paravertebral and ventral scale rows range from 61 to 69 and from 58 to 67, respectively. Hemipenes of the second paratype ITBCZ 5684 (Fig. 3) similar to those of the holotype in being deeply forked and asymmetrical. Natural history. All specimens were collected at night and under rotting leaf layer in evergreen forest (Fig. 5), elevations 932 m and 1162 m a.s.l., between 19:00–23:30. However, the species was observed being active in the daytime and it may be diurnal. Sphenomorphus yersini sp. nov. was observed to be sympatric with other congener, S. indicus. Sexual dimorphism. Males are larger than females (SVL 56 mm vs. 52 mm, n=4) and have orange (Hex #FF6600) or red (Hex #FE2712) color on lateral sides and lower part of head, neck, and tail. The color on the lateral side in females faded to yellow (Hex #FFD300) or brown (Hex #964B00) with bright spots; lower part of head, limbs, and tail white (Hex #FFFFFF) to zebra white (Hex #F5F5F5); venter from neck to vent yellow (Hex #FCE883). Distribution. The new species is currently known only from Hon Ba NR, Khanh Hoa Province, southern Vietnam (Fig. 5). Etymology. We name this new species in honor of the famous physician and bacteriologist, Alexandre Yersin (1863–1943), who discovered the bacterium responsible for bubonic plague. Hon Ba NR associates with the name of Alexandre Yersin who built a research station on the top of the mountain and worked there. Currently, the research station has been reconstructed and opened to visitors. We recommend Yersin’s Forest Skink as the common name of this new species. Comparisons. Sphenomorphus yersini sp. nov. differs from its congeners in Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, and southern China [Yunnan]) as follows: from S. anomalopus (Boulenger) by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 70 mm), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 38) and more lamellae beneath toe IV (18–20 vs. 14); from S. bacboensis by having one (vs. two) anterior temporal, more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 30–32), and more supralabials (7 vs. 6); from S. cameronicus Smith by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 70 mm) and fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 38); from S. cophias Boulenger by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 37 mm), more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 24), more lamellae under fourth toe (18–20 vs. 9) and prefrontals in broad contact (vs. separated); from S. cryptotis by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 58–79 mm), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 36–39) and tympanum deeply sunk (vs. superficial); from S. grandisonae Taylor by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 30 mm), one (vs. two) anterior temporal, more supralabials (7 vs. 6) and lamellae under toe IV (18–20 vs. 12), and adpressed limbs overlapping (vs. failing to touch); from S. helenae Cochran by having more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 30), prefrontals in broad contact (vs. separated), and presence of an interrupted (vs. uninterrupted) lateral stripe; from S. incognitus by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 80–103 mm), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 36–40), and one (vs. two) anterior temporal; from S. indicus by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 90 mm), prefrontals in broad contact (vs. separated), and asymmetrical and deeply forked hemipenis (vs. symmetrical); from S. lineopunctulatus Taylor by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 84 mm), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 38), fewer paravertebral scale rows (61–69 vs. 76), and prefrontals in broad contact (vs. separated); from S. maculatus by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 62 mm), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 38–42), and prefrontals in broad contact (vs. separated); from S. malayanum by having fewer ventral scales (32–34 vs. 74), fewer paravertebral scales (61–69 vs. 76–80), more lamellae under fourth toe (18–20 vs. 15), and deeply sunk (vs. shallow) tympanum; from S. mimicus by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 36 mm), more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 30) and more lamellae under fourth toe (18–20 vs. 16); from S. orientale (Shreve) by having more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 24–26) and fewer paravertebral scale rows (61– 69 vs. 69–71); and from S. praesignis (Boulenger) by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 109 mm) and more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 28). Sphenomorphus yersini sp. nov. differs from S. sanctus (Duméril & Bibron) by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 40–45 mm), fewer paravertebral scales (61–69 vs. 71), fewer supraoculars (4[5] vs. 5), and fewer lamellae under toe IV (18–20 vs. 26–27); from S. scotophilus (Boulenger) by having more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 28–31), fewer supraoculars (4 vs. 5), and fewer lamellae under fourth toe (18–20 vs. 22–23); from S. senja Grismer & Quah by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 60–65 mm), fewer paravertebral scales (61–69 vs. 72–73), fewer ventral scale rows (60–67 vs. 68), one (vs. two) anterior temporal, more lamellae under toe IV (18–20 vs. 13–17) and prefrontals in broad contact with each other (vs. narrow in contact or slightly separated); from S. sheai by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 35 mm), more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 20), more paravertebral scales (61–69 vs. 53), more supralabials (7 vs. 6), more lamellae under fourth toe (18–20 vs. 6), and adpressed limbs overlapping (vs. separated); from S. shelfordi (Boulenger 1900) by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 67 mm), fewer lamellae under toe IV (18–20 vs. 28–29) and the absence of nuchals (vs. presence of a single pair of nuchals); from S. stellatus by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 80 mm), more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 24) and absence (vs. presence) of two enlarged, broader than long, vertebral scale rows; from S. sungaicolus Sumarli, Grismer, Wood, Ahmad, Rizal, Ismail, Izam, Ahmad & Linkem by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 67–90 mm), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 39–44), fewer paravertebral scales (61–69 vs. 72–81) and fewer ventral scale rows (32–34 vs. 74–86); from S. tarsus (Smith) by having a smaller size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 90–92 mm) and two loreals (vs. three); from S. tetradactylus by having more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 20), absence (vs. presence) of external ear opening, and forelimb with five digits (vs. four digits); from S. tonkinensis by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 mm vs. 36–49 mm), TaL/ SVL ratio 1.80 (vs. 1.32), and one (vs. two) anterior temporal; from S. tridigitus by having a larger size (SVL 50– 56 vs. 35), more midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 20), absence (vs. presence) of external ear opening and forelimb with five digits (vs. three digits); and from S. tritaeniatus by having a larger size (SVL 50–56 vs. 47), fewer midbody scale rows (32–34 vs. 38) and paravertebral scales (61–69 vs. 81), more lamellae under toe IV (18–20 vs. 15) and one anterior temporal (vs. two). Sphenomorphus yersini sp. nov. is similar to S. buenloicus in many aspects (size, midbody scale rows, number of anterior temporals, lamellae under fourth toe, etc.). However, the new species can be distinguished from S. buenloicus by having a relatively longer tail (TaL/SVL ratio 1.8 vs. 1.2), usually more ventral scale rows (58–67 vs. 55–58) and deeply forked hemipenis with two asymmetrical lobes and the outer lobe is much longer than the inner one (vs. hemipenis forked at the middle point of its length with two developing lobes and the outer lobe is slightly longer than the inner one [Figs. 6 & 7]).Published as part of Nguyen, Sang Ngoc, Nguyen, Luan Thanh, Nguyen, Vu Dang Hoang, Orlov, Nikolai L. & Murphy, Robert W., 2018, A new skink of the genus Sphenomorphus Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Hon Ba Nature Reserve, southern Vietnam, pp. 313-326 in Zootaxa 4438 (2) on pages 315-323, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4438.2.6, http://zenodo.org/record/129477
Oligodon culaochamensis Nguyen, Nguyen, Nguyen, Phan, Jiang & Murphy, 2017, sp. nov.
No full textOligodon culaochamensis sp. nov. (Figs. 2–5) Holotype. ITBCZ 5646, adult male, collected from Hon Lao, Cu Lao Cham Islands, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam; coordinates 15°56’38”N, 108°30’44”E; elevation 41 m a.s.l. by L.T. Nguyen, V.D.H. Nguyen, and S.N. Nguyen on 27 July 2016. Paratypes. Five specimens, also collected from Hon Lao, Cu Lao Cham Islands. ITBCZ 5618, adult females, collected on 21 July 2016, coordinates 15°56’27”N, 108°31’13”E; elevation 106 m a.s.l.; ITBCZ 5631, adult male, collected on 24 June 2016, coordinates 15°56’40”N, 108°30’44”E; elevation 68 m a.s.l. by L.T. Nguyen, V.D.H. Nguyen, and S.N. Nguyen; ITBCZ 5655–6, two adult females, and ITBCZ 5658, a juvenile, collected in 2012 by L.T. Nguyen and H.T. Phan. (Figs. 4 & 5) Diagnosis. Oligodon culaochamensis sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) medium size in adults (TL ± 582 mm); (2) 17 or 19 dorsal scale rows at neck and midbody and 15 or 17 rows before vent; (3) LaL/TL ratio 0.218–0.219 in males, 0.166–0.169 in females; (4) ventrals 167–169 in males and 179–182 in females; (5) subcaudals 63–66 in males and 51–52 in females; (6) presubocular present; (7) 8 supralabials, fourth and fifth entering orbit; (9) 9–10 maxillary teeth, posterior three enlarged; (10) nasal divided; (11) temporal streak absent; (12) long and deeply forked hemipenes, extending to 20th subcaudal, without spines and papillae but with a prominent diagonal ridge, oblique flounces and distal calyces; (13) cloacal plate undivided; (14) 10–11+3–4 dorsal blotches; and (15) vertebral stripe on tail and anterior part of body. Description of holotype. Adult male; head small and elongate (HW/HL = 0.579), faintly distinct from neck; body rather slender; SVL 424 mm; tail quite long (TaL/TL = 0.219), 119 mm in length; eye small with round pupil, eye diameter equal to distance between eye and nostril; snout quite pointed with a large oval nostril piercing the upper part of nasal. Head scalation. Rostral thick and curved on to upper snout surface, visible from above, pointed posteriorly, touching nasals, internasals and first supralabial on both sides; the portion of rostral visible from above shorter than its distance from frontal; supralabials 8/8, the 4th and 5th bordering eye; 1/1 loreal; 1/1 presubocular; 1/1 preocular; 2/2 postoculars; nasal divided vertically; 2+2/2+2 temporals, anterior ones elongated; prefrontal wider than long and larger than internasal; frontal large and hexagonal, longer than wide; parietals larger than frontals, bordered laterally by the upper temporals and anteriorly by frontal, supraoculars and postoculars; 9/9 infralabials, first pair medially in contact with each other, first four in contact with anterior chin shield, the 5th largest and touching posterior chin shield; two pairs of gular scales between posterior chin shield and first ventral. Body scalation. Dorsal scales smooth, in 17–17–15 rows; scale row reductions from 17 to 16 at ventral 135 and from 16 to 15 at ventral 141; vertebral scales similar to other dorsal scales in size and shape; ventrals 167; cloacal plate entire; subcaudals 63, all paired; terminal caudal scale forming a pointed cap. Dentition. Maxillary teeth 9, curved posteriorly, smaller and shorter anteriorly; posterior three being enlarged (Fig. 2); palatine and pterygoid teeth developed and slightly curved posteriorly. Hemipenis. Hemipenis long with two twisted lobes, deeply forked at the level of 6th SC and tip of each organ reaching the SC 20 (Fig. 3), without spines and papillae; each lobe with numerous smooth, small and oblique folds, which a deep diagonal groove interrupts; folds form smooth hexagonal calyces at the distal part of the organ (Fig. 3); prominent diagonal ridge starting from in front of the forked point and extending to near the tip; diagonal ridge easily visible when pressing the tail base to evert the hemipenis (Fig. 3, top); surface of the ridge with calyces changes directly from the oblique folds; hemipenes becoming twisted in everted condition when water injected inside. Coloration. In life, overall dorsal coloration brown to pinkish brown with 10 darker blotches on body and 3 on tail. Body blotches about 3–4 dorsal scales wide. Numerous scattered dorsal black spots confined to edges of the scales. Edge of each scale and intervening skin pink. Bright vertebral strip on anterior part of body and tail. A dark brown band from eye to eye through preoculars, supraoculars, frontal, prefrontals and internasals, continues over the 4th and 5th supralabials ending at lower part of the 6th supralabial. Head with another dark brown arrow-shaped marking, apex pointing forward and reaching the posterior part of frontal, backwards obliquely crossing neck and nearly reaching the 6th and 7th ventrals. Temporal streak absent. Snout, lateral and lower parts of head white. Ventral color cream to pink or reddish with black rectangular blotches. Ventral surface of tail white with black spots. Iris black and round; remaining part of the eye somewhat bicolor diagonally; anterior part with uniform color streak, posterior part mainly bright yellow. In alcohol, color becoming paler, but the pattern remains; iris white; venter cream to white with black blotches and dots, pink or reddish color disappears. Variation. Table 1 summarizes variation in size and scalation of the holotype and five paratypes. In life, paratype ITBCZ 5618 has a pink edge on each dorsal scale and the intervening skin, as occurs in the holotype. In comparison, the edge of each dorsal scale and the intervening skin of paratype ITBCZ 5631 is white and its dorsal coloration is grey. Color in life of the other paratypes was not recorded. ITBCZ 5618 has a vertebral stripe not only on tail and anterior part of body but also on posterior part of body (Fig. 5 A). The juvenile paratype (ITBCZ 5658, Fig. 5 D) is similar to the adults in coloration and patterned. The ventral surface of the tails of two paratypes (ITBCZ 5618 and ITBCZ 5656) are white without grey spots. The most variable character is the number of dorsal scale rows. The paratype (ITBCZ 5655) has 17–19–17 dorsal scale rows, increasing from 17 to 18 at VS 16 and to 19 at VS 33, reducing from 19 to 18 at VS 102 and to 17 at VS 106. The paratype (ITBCZ 5656) has 19–19–17 dorsal scale rows, the first and second reductions occur at VS 105 and 110, respectively. The paratype (ITBCZ 5631) has 18–17–15 dorsal scale rows, reducing from 18 to 17 at VS 18, increasing from 17 to 18 at VS 40, from 18 to 19 at VS 42, reducing from 19 to 18 at VS 78, from 18 to 17 at VS 82, from 17 to 16 at VS 153 and from 16 to 15 at 158, and increasing from 15 to 16 near the vent at VS 162. The paratype (ITBCZ 5618) has 17–19–17 dorsal scale rows, increasing from 17 to 18 at VS 22 and to 19 at VS 24, reducing from 19 to 18 at VS 103 and to 17 at VS 105. Hemipenis of the second male (paratype ITBCZ 5631, Fig. 4) is similar to that of the holotype. It also extends to SC 20 and twisted, but deeply forked at the level of 7th SC. Natural history. All specimens were collected at night and on the ground in dry primary forests or plantations, usually near the bank of small streams. The stomach of the holotype contained two soft shell eggs (size 15 mm x 7 mm). These eggs probably belong to a snake or lizard. Sexual dimorphism. Males have longer tails than females (male TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.166–0.169), a larger size (maximal SVL = 544 mm vs. 383 mm), more subcaudals (SC 63–66 vs. 51–52) but fewer ventrals (VS 167–169 vs. 179–182). Distribution. The new species is currently known only from Cu Lao Cham Islands, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam. Etymology. The specific epithet culaochamensis is derived from Cu Lao Cham Islands, where the new species was discovered. Comparisons. Based on hemipenal morphology (deeply forked, no papillae, no spines), O. culaochamensis sp. nov. is a member of the O. cyclurus group as defined and mentioned in previous publication (Smith 1943, David et al. 2008a, 2008b; Green et al. 2010; Neang et al. 2012; Nguyen et al. 2016). Therefore, the new species differs from all congeners within the Oligodon taeniatus group (David et al. 2008b; Neang et al. 2012; Nguyen et al. 2016), which includes O. barroni (Smith), O. deuvei David, Vogel & Rooijen, O. moricei David, Vogel & Rooijen, O. mouhoti (Boulenger), O. pseudotaeniatus David, Vogel & Rooijen, and O. taeniatus (Günther), because they have obvious papillae on hemipenes, except for O. moricei in which males remain unknown; from all congeners within the O. cinereus group (David et al. 2008a, 2012; Green et al. 2010; Neang et al. 2012; Vassilieva 2015; Nguyen et al. 2016), which includes O. albocinctus (Cantor), O. cinereus (Günther), O. inornatus (Boulenger), O. joynsoni (Smith), O. maculatus (Taylor), O. melanozonatus Wall, O. nagao David, Nguyen, Nguyen, Jiang, Chen, Teynie & Ziegler, O. splendidus (Günther) and O. woodmasoni (Sclater), because they do not have forked hemipenis, except for O. melanozonatus, in which the hemipenis remains unknown; from all congeners within the O. dorsalis group (Smith 1943, Vassilieva 2015; Nguyen et al. 2016), which includes O. catenatus (Blyth), O. dorsalis (Gray & Hardwicke), O. eberhardti Pellegrin, O. erythrogaster Boulenger, O. hamptoni Boulenger, O. lacroixi Angel & Bourret, and O. mcdougalli Wall, because they have unforked or slightly forked hemipenis, except for O. lacroixi, in which the hemipenis is unknown; from all congeners within the O. torquatus group (Green et al. 2010, Smith 1943, Vassilieva 2015; Nguyen et al. 2016), which includes O. cruentatus (Günther), O. planiceps (Boulenger), O. theobaldi (Günther), and O. torquatus (Boulenger), because they have unforked hemipenis with papillae. The new species can be distinguished from O. moricei, which is known from a female only, by having dorsal blotches (vs. absent), longer tail (TaL/TL = 0.166–0.169 vs 0.113), more subcaudals (51–52 vs 41), fewer maxillary teeth (9–10 vs. 12) and a presubocular (vs absent); from O. melanozonatus by having dorsal blotches (vs. cross-bars), a loreal (vs. absent), a single cloacal plate (vs. divided), more supralabials (8 vs. 6), and more subcaudals (51–66 vs. 42–45); and from O. lacroixi by having an entire cloacal plate (vs. divided), more scale rows at midbody (17–19 vs. 15), more supralabials (8 vs. 5) and a loreal (vs. absent). Oligodon culaochamensis sp. nov. differs from other congeners in the Indochinese region (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, and southern China [Yunnan]), except for those of the O. cyclurus group, as follows: from O. annamensis Leviton by having more dorsal scale rows (17–19 at neck and midbody and 15 before vent vs. 13–13–13), more supralabials (8 vs. 6), more maxillary teeth (9–10 vs. 8) and by dorsal color pattern (blotches vs. cross-bars); from O. arenarius by having deeply forked hemipenis (vs. unforked), a larger size (582 mm vs. 389 mm), more maxillary teeth (9–10 vs. 6–8) and more ventrals (167–183 vs. 131–144); from O. booliati Leong & Grismer by having more supralabials (8 vs. 6 or 7), more ventrals (167–182 vs. 143–153) and dorsal color pattern (blotches vs. cross-bars); from O. jintakunei Pauwels, Wallach, David & Chanhome by having more dorsal scale rows at midbody (17–19 vs. 15), fewer ventrals (167–182 vs. 189), entire cloacal plate (vs. divided) and dorsal pattern (blotches vs. cross-bars) (Pauwels et al. 2002; Vassilieva 2015); from O. octolineatus (Schneider) by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 780 mm), more supralabials (8 vs. 6), the 4th and 5th supralabials entering the eye (vs. SL 3rd and 4th) and dorsal color pattern (blotches vs. broad stripes); from O. purpurascens (Schlegel) by having a smaller size (TL 582 mm vs. 790 mm), portion of rostral visible from above much shorter (vs. as long as) than its distance from the frontal, dorsal color pattern (blotches vs. transverse bands or cross-bars) and the absence of temporal streak (vs. presence); and from O. vertebralis Günther by having more supralabials (8 vs. 7), SL 4th and 5th entering the eye (vs. SL 3rd and 4th), more dorsal scale rows at midbody (17–19 vs. 15), and an entire cloacal plate (vs. divided). Oligodon culaochamensis sp. nov. differs from all other congeners within the O. cyclurus group by the combination of the following characters: maximum size, TaL/TL ratio, ventrals, subcaudals, maxillary teeth, length and shape of hemipenis, dorsal pattern and temporal streak (see Table 2). The new species is different from O. condaoensis by having a longer tail in males (TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.129–0.132) and females (0.166–0.169 vs 0.126), more subcaudals in males (63–66 vs. 37) and females (51–52 vs. 33–34), more anterior temporal (2 vs. 1), a presubocular (vs. absent), fewer maxillary teeth (9–10 vs. 11–13), different hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 13–14, presence of oblique folds and diagonal ridge vs. absent) and different dorsal color pattern (blotches vs. uniform or faint tripe); from O. cattienensis by having a longer tail in males (TaL/ TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.110–0.130) and females (0.166–0.169 vs 0.110), more ventrals in females (179–182 vs. 168), more subcaudals in males (63–66 vs. 32–36) and females (51–52 vs. 32), fewer maxillary teeth (9–10 vs. 11– 12), fewer number of dorsal blotches (10–11+3–4 vs. 24–33+5), different head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak) and different hemipenis shape (deeply forked vs. forked near the tip); from O. cyclurus (Cantor) by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 710 mm), longer tail in males (TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.127–0.156) and females (0.166–0.169 vs 0.107–0.138), more ventrals in females (179–182 vs. 168–172), more subcaudals in males (63–66 vs. 37–43) and females (51–52 vs. 30–44), a longer hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 15–18), different dorsal pattern (presence [vs. absence] of vertebral stripe on tail and anterior part of body) and different head pattern 2008a, Neang et al. 2012, Nguyen et al. 2016, Pope 1935, Smith 1943, Vassilieva et al. 2013, Wall 1923 and examined specimens. See Material and Methods for abbreviations; *, values given species, not for males or females. (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); from O. fasciolatus (Günther) by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 807 mm), fewer dorsal scale rows at neck (17–19 vs. 21–23) and midbody (17–19 vs. 21), more subcaudals in males (63–66 vs. 43–61) and females (51–52 vs. 34–48), different dorsal pattern (presence [vs. absence] of vertebral stripe on tail and anterior part of body) and different head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); from O. formosanus (Günther) by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 942 mm), longer tail in males (TaL/ TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.165–0.195), more subcaudals in males (63–66 vs. 49–55) and females (51–52 vs. 43–48), different hemipenis length (LHSC = 20 vs. 15–18) and shape (short papillae absent [vs. present]), different dorsal pattern (blotches vs. reticulate) and different head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); from O. juglandifer (Wall) by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 853 mm), more supralabials (8 vs. 7) and the SL 4th and 5th entering the eye (vs. SL 3rd and 4th), different dorsal pattern (blotches vs. bands, presence [vs. absence] of dorsal stripe) and different head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); from O. kampucheaensis Neang, Grismer & Dattry by having a longer tail in males (TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.151), more dorsal scale rows at neck and midbody (17–19 vs. 15), more ventrals (167–169 vs. 165) and subcaudals (63–66 vs. 39) in males, a longer hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 11), different dorsal pattern (blotches vs. cross-bars, presence [vs. absence] of dorsal stripe) and different head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); from O. kheriensis Acharji & Ray by having a longer tail (TaL/TL = 0.166–0.219 vs. 0.121–0.161), fewer ventrals (167–182 vs. 196), more subcaudals (51–66 vs. 38–43), and different dorsal pattern (blotches vs. uniform and presence [vs. absence] of dorsal stripe); from O. macrurus (Angel) by having a shorter tail (TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.240), more ventrals (167–182 vs. 143–152), fewer subcaudals (51–66 vs. 76–83), a shorter hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 29), dorsal pattern (blotches vs. uniform and presence [vs. absence] of dorsal stripe) and head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); from O. ocellatus (Morice) by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 825 mm), a remarkably longer tail in both males (TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.112–0.141) and females (TaL/TL = 0.166–0.169 vs. 0.094– 0.114), more ventrals in males (167–169 vs. 156–165), more subcaudals in both males (63–66 vs. 32–44) and females (51–52 vs. 26–33), a longer hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 15–17), dorsal pattern (presence [vs. absence] of dorsal stripe), and head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak); and from O. saintgironsi by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 676 mm), fewer ventrals in females (179–182 vs. 184), more subcaudals in males (63–66 vs. 55–59), a shorter hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 27–28), hemipenis shape (oblique folds or flounces vs. large calyces throughout; presence [vs. absence] of diagonal ridge) and head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of temporal streak). Oligodon culaochamensis sp. nov. is similar to O. chinensis (Günther) in having hemipenis with oblique folds and a prominent diagonal ridge (Pope 1935; Smith 1943). However, the new species can be distinguished from O. chinensis by having a smaller size (582 mm vs. 729 mm), longer tail in males (TaL/TL = 0.218–0.219 vs. 0.187– 0.195), fewer ventrals in both males (167–169 vs. 175–184) and females (179–182 vs. 182–206), presubocular (vs. usually no presubocular), two anterior temporals (vs. usually one), remarkably longer hemipenis (LHSC = 20 vs. 12–14), dorsal pattern (blotches vs. cross-bars) and head pattern (absence [vs. presence] of interrupted temporal streak).Published as part of Nguyen, Sang Ngoc, Nguyen, Luan Thanh, Nguyen, Vu Dang Hoang, Phan, Hoa Thi, Jiang, Ke & Murphy, Robert W., 2017, A new species of the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Cu Lao Cham Islands, central Vietnam, pp. 333-346 in Zootaxa 4286 (3) on pages 335-343, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4286.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/82853
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