A new species of Boiga (Serpentes: Colubridae) from the Southern Western Ghats of India with a molecular phylogeny and expanded characterisation of related species

Abstract

We conducted a molecular phylogenetic study on the Boiga ceylonensis group from the Western Ghats of India, building on a recent morphology-based study. Our analysis supports previous work in elucidating the phylogenetic position of B. nuchalis and B. beddomei s. str. (of Matheran, Western Ghats) as clustering closely with B. ceylonensis, while B. flaviviridis clustered with the Sri Lankan taxon close to B. ranawanei. Additionally, our phylogenetic study revealed the presence of an undescribed taxon in the Southern Western Ghats, more closely related to B. ceylonensis than to any other sampled taxon, including sympatric congeners. This new taxon is described here as a new species Boiga whitakeri sp. nov. from the Devar Malai–Anaimalai hill complex. Based on molecular and morphometric studies, we expand the description of the recently described B. thackerayi as inhabiting almost the entire stretch of the Western Ghats. We also complement the diagnoses of B. nuchalis and B. flaviviridis, and determine the phylogenetic position of B. thackerayi with molecular data.

On the taxonomic validity of Boiga whitakeri Ganesh et al., 2021 with new insights on Boiga dightoni (Boulenger, 1894) (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae)

“…Prior to this, Ganesh et al (2020) clarified the status of B. ceylonensis and B. beddomei based on morphological data and restricted these taxa to Sri Lanka and India, respectively. Ganesh et al (2020) speculated that Indian records of B. ceylonensis might actually repre sent B. thackerayi, which was confirmed subsequently by analysis of molecular data from across the species' range (Ganesh et al 2021). Ganesh et al (2021) also provided molecular data for the holotype of Boiga whitakeri and all previously unsam pled species of the genus Boiga from across peninsular In dia, except B. dightoni.…”

“…Ganesh et al (2020) speculated that Indian records of B. ceylonensis might actually repre sent B. thackerayi, which was confirmed subsequently by analysis of molecular data from across the species' range (Ganesh et al 2021). Ganesh et al (2021) also provided molecular data for the holotype of Boiga whitakeri and all previously unsam pled species of the genus Boiga from across peninsular In dia, except B. dightoni. Boiga dightoni was originally de scribed based on a single female specimen collected from "Pirmed" (now Peermed, Kerala state, India) (Boulenger 1894) and appears to be a rarely encountered snake.…”

“…Of these, eight species viz., Boiga beddomei (Wall, 1909), B. dightoni (Boulenger, 1894), B. thackerayi Giri et al, 2019, B. whitakeri Ganesh et al, 2021, B. forsteni (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854, B. flavivi ridis Vogel & Ganesh, 2013, B. nuchalis (Günther, 1875 and B. trigonata (Schneider, 1802) are found in the West ern Ghats of peninsular India. Boiga beddomei, B. dightoni, B. thackerayi and B. whitakeri are endemic to the Western Ghats (Ganesh et al 2021). Among these, Boiga whitakeri is the most recently described species, based on two specimens from the southern Western Ghats (Ganesh et al 2021).…”

“…Boiga beddomei, B. dightoni, B. thackerayi and B. whitakeri are endemic to the Western Ghats (Ganesh et al 2021). Among these, Boiga whitakeri is the most recently described species, based on two specimens from the southern Western Ghats (Ganesh et al 2021). Prior to this, Ganesh et al (2020) clarified the status of B. ceylonensis and B. beddomei based on morphological data and restricted these taxa to Sri Lanka and India, respectively.…”

Reptilian assemblages in the wetlands of Amboli hill complex, northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India during the monsoon season

“…Reptiles were photographed using a DSLR camera (Canon 600D); identification characters were based on consultation of standard literature (Daniel 2002;Das 2008;Whitaker & Captain 2008). For nomenclature, we followed Khandekar et al ( 2021), effecting other nomenclatural updates from recent publications (Ganesh et al 2020(Ganesh et al , 2021Mallik et al 2020Mallik et al , 2021Deepak et al 2021;Gowande et al 2021). Jaccard's similarity index of species richness between wetlands was calculated using PAST software (Hammer et al 2001).…”