A new moth-preying alpine pit viper species from Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (Viperidae, Crotalinae)

Abstract

Abstract. The Sanjiangyuan region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot of alpine mammals but a barren area in terms of amphibians and reptiles. Here, we describe a new pit viper species, Gloydius rubromaculatus sp. n. Shi, Li and Liu, 2017 that was discovered in this region, with a brief taxonomic revision of the genus Gloydius. The new species can be distinguished from the other congeneric species by the following characteristics: cardinal crossbands on the back, indistinct canthus rostralis, glossy dorsal scales, colubrid-like oval head shape, irregular small black spots on the head scales, black eyes and high altitude distribution (3300-4770 m above sea level). The mitochondrial phylogenetic reconstruction supported the validity of the new species and furthermore reaffirms that G. intermedius changdaoensis, G. halys cognatus, G. h. caraganus and G. h. stejnegeri should be elevated as full species. Gloydius rubromaculatus sp. n. was found to be insectivorous: preying on moths (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Sideridis sp.) in the wild. This unusual diet may be one of the key factors to the survival of this species in such a harsh alpine environment.

Evolutionary history and postglacial colonization of an Asian pit viper (Gloydius halys caucasicus) into Transcaucasia revealed by phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses

“…intermedius complex (clade F in Shi et al . 18 ) indicate that the distances vary from 1.0–5.4% (Fig. S1 and the blue cells in Table S3), which conforms to the results of Shi et al .…”

“…We calculated genetic distances among the taxa of the complex (clade F in Shi et al . 18 ) along with the four lineages for G . caucasicus in northern Iran, using an evenly-matched length of sequences from our mtDNA dataset.…”

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus Gloydius (Squamata, Viperidae, Crotalinae), with description of two new alpine species from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

“…They are quite common and have radiated into various habitats. At present, more than 20 species mainly belonging to three species groups (i.e., the G. blomhoffii complex, G. intermedius-halys complex, and G. strauchi complex) are recognized Zhao 2006;Shi et al 2017Shi et al , 2018. Within Gloydius, most species having 21 rows of mid-body dorsal scales and three palatine teeth have been attributed to many subspecies of G. strauchi (Bedriaga, 1912).…”

“…monticola (Werner, 1922)) and several new species have been described from across the range of the complex (e.g., G. rubromaculatus, G. angusticeps, and G. huangi;Xu et al 2012;Shi et al 2017;Shi et al 2018;Wang et al 2019).…”

“…Given that the Gloydius strauchi complex is widely distributed in western China (Zhao et al1998;Zhao 1999Zhao , 2006, some of the specimens from previous studies are now attributable to the recently elevated species described above. The distribution of G. strauchi sensu stricto has been restricted to western Sichuan by recent molecular and morphological studies Barabanov 1999, 2000;Shi et al 2017Shi et al , 2018. With respect to Tibet, older records of the G. strauchi complex refer to at least two different species, G. rubromaculatus from Jiangda (Shi et al 2017(Shi et al , 2018 and G. huangi from Chamdo (Wang et al 2019).…”