<documentID-CLB-Dataset="83510"ID-DOI="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e84516"ID-GBIF-Dataset="dc582891-1697-4a2b-878c-f5b3c0327037"ID-Pensoft-Pub="2625-8498-72-433"ID-Pensoft-UUID="257AA52675F45F79A9960A25A9C39668"ID-ZooBank="3001932D04B64A2AAB254FFF3FF96E30"ModsDocID="2625-8498-72-433"checkinTime="1656404867800"checkinUser="pensoft"docAuthor="Yeung, Ho Yuen, Lau, Michael W. N. & Yang, Jian-Huan"docDate="2022"docId="5DB6C563C9C851E4A1FDD68E5FBF1FC1"docLanguage="en"docName="VertZool 72: 433-444"docOrigin="Vertebrate Zoology 72"docPubDate="2022-06-27"docSource="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e84516"docTitle="Calamaria arcana Yeung & Lau & Yang 2022, sp. nov."docType="treatment"docUuid="CFCB3C7F-842E-4D6D-A11F-C77189B11224"docUuidSource="ZooBank"docVersion="5"id="257AA52675F45F79A9960A25A9C39668"lastPageNumber="433"masterDocId="257AA52675F45F79A9960A25A9C39668"masterDocTitle="A new species of Calamaria (Squamata: Colubridae) from Guangdong Province, southern China"masterLastPageNumber="444"masterPageNumber="433"pageNumber="433"updateTime="1732858539943"updateUser="ExternalLinkService">
<mods:titleid="E1D57E6E99AFE06946C66952EA149CFE">A new species of Calamaria (Squamata: Colubridae) from Guangdong Province, southern China</mods:title>
<mods:affiliationid="2B2DE31191573AC45D6B5FBC745F82EA">Kadoorie Conservation China, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, PR China</mods:affiliation>
<mods:affiliationid="88DAAB7E65D889A658ED994509A2922E">Kadoorie Conservation China, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, PR China</mods:affiliation>
<taxonomicNameid="E6990A5FD89B353700A68C07F27864A3"LSID="https://zoobank.org/CFCB3C7F-842E-4D6D-A11F-C77189B11224"authority="Yeung & Lau & Yang, 2022"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"higherTaxonomySource="treatment-meta"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana"status="sp. nov.">Calamaria arcana</taxonomicName>
<figureCitationid="CC37EB4EA1313CD5C0D33FD4225DB3B1"captionStart="Figure 2"captionStartId="F2"captionText="Figure 2. Holotype of Calamaria arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611) in life: A dorsolateral view B ventral view C lateral view of left side of head. Photographs by Michael W. N. Lau."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure2"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706621"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Figs 2</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="88B741433C62A620DC4C1908E1AA7350"captionStart="Figure 3"captionStartId="F3"captionText="Figure 3. Head of the holotype of Calamaria arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611): A right side B left side C dorsal view D ventral view."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure3"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706622"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">, 3</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="29D2B4AFB805D7E0FEB9E61A7036A27D"captionStart="Figure 4"captionStartId="F4"captionText="Figure 4. Holotype of Calamaria arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611): A dorsal view B ventral view."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure4"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706623"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">, 4</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="733D298FA12D3154E3747CCF8BAA693E"captionStart="Figure 5"captionStartId="F5"captionText="Figure 5. Comparative characters of the head shape and body coloration of Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis, C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure5"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706624"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">, 5G-I</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="B64D3FE86FA4F026CDBB427A38F280C7"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">, 6G-I</figureCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="7EF708D4FAD2BEEF7879926201185209"authority="Yeung & Lau & Yang, 2022"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"higherTaxonomySource="treatment-meta"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria pavimentata"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="pavimentata"status="sp. nov.">Calamaria pavimentata</taxonomicName>
<bibRefCitationid="74EEA90F5643E1EBFD71A5B94C7BA9BC"author="Johns, GC"journalOrPublisher="Molecular Biology and Evolution,"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"refId="B9"refString="Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (2003) Report of a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment at Nanling National Nature Reserve, Northwest Guangdong, China, June-July 2000, South China Forest Biodiversity Survey Report Series: No. 29.KFBG, Hong Kong SAR, 33 pp."year="1998">Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (2003)</bibRefCitation>
<bibRefCitationid="61D1BC38A28C619359AD2E1C852DCC86"author="Li, ZC"journalOrPublisher="Guangdong Science and Technology Press, Guangzhou"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"refId="B17"refString="Li, ZC, Xiao, Z, Liu, SR, 2011. Amphibians and reptiles of Guangdong. Guangdong Science and Technology Press, Guangzhou"title="Amphibians and reptiles of Guangdong."year="2011">Li et al. (2011)</bibRefCitation>
<figureCitationid="01886816E97DCB60EE720440A8BD03A9"captionStart="Figure 2"captionStartId="F2"captionText="Figure 2. Holotype of Calamaria arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611) in life: A dorsolateral view B ventral view C lateral view of left side of head. Photographs by Michael W. N. Lau."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure2"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706621"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">2</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="78ECD4F9F3800EDB079F88B79860AA6D"captionStart="Figure 3"captionStartId="F3"captionText="Figure 3. Head of the holotype of Calamaria arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611): A right side B left side C dorsal view D ventral view."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure3"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706622"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">3</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="CB06312DD63FE7580FAB1D265963B9A8"captionStart="Figure 5"captionStartId="F5"captionText="Figure 5. Comparative characters of the head shape and body coloration of Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis, C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure5"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706624"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">5G-I</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="E10F24816330AD61F3CA33F9A9868652"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">6G-I</figureCitation>
), male, Mt. Dadongshan, Nanling National Nature Reserve, Lianzhou County, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province, China (中国广东南岭国家级自然保护区大东山管理站). The specimen was found at between the hydroelectric station near Dadongshan Management Station (
<taxonomicNameid="508F3FC5AB7DA67888578B7B16BFF7B1"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">Calamaria arcana</taxonomicName>
. It refers to the fact that this species is difficult to find with only a single specimen discovered during our long term survey in southern China. For common name we suggested as "Lingnan reed snake" in English and "Ling Nan Liang Tou She (
) region where the new species is found. Lingnan is a geographic area referring to the lands in the south of the Nanling Mountains, covering the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, as well as northern Vietnam.
<taxonomicNameid="CDFD1D6409D2AB35AD7A70DC4C7FEECE"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
by its molecular phylogenetic position and the following morphological characters: dorsal scales in 13 rows throughout body, possessing elongate, cylindrical bodies, along with internasals and prefrontals fused, four supralabials and five infralabials (
<bibRefCitationid="6D3BB8759F65FA19F128321CC2AA3D14"author="Inger, RF"journalOrPublisher="Fieldiana Zoology"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"pagination="1 - 304"refId="B6"refString="Inger, RF, Marx, H, 1965. The systematics and evolution of the Oriental colubrid snakes of the genus Calamaria. Fieldiana Zoology 49: 1 - 304"title="The systematics and evolution of the Oriental colubrid snakes of the genus Calamaria."volume="49"year="1965">Inger and Marx 1965</bibRefCitation>
<bibRefCitationid="00991BE9CAFD2C7A3FD11F7BB9507910"DOI="https://doi.org/10.3105/1881-1019-27.2.71"author="Ziegler, T"journalOrPublisher="Current Herpetology"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"pagination="71 - 80"refId="B36"refString="Ziegler, T, Nguyen, VS, Nguyen, QT, 2008. A new reed snake of the genus Calamaria Boie (Squamata: Colubridae) from Vietnam. Current Herpetology 27 (2): 71 - 80, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3105/1881-1019-27.2.71"title="A new reed snake of the genus Calamaria Boie (Squamata: Colubridae) from Vietnam."url="https://doi.org/10.3105/1881-1019-27.2.71"volume="27"year="2008">Ziegler et al. 2008</bibRefCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="E72C85EBDE13B22F8575729E3BF78D1E"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
by the combination of the following characters: (1) ten modified maxillary teeth; (2) four supralabials, second and third supralabials entering orbit; (3) preocular present; (4) mental not touching anterior chin shields; (5) six scales and shields surrounding the paraparietal; (6) 170 ventral scales; (7) 22 paired subcaudals; (8) tail not gradually tapering, abruptly tapering at the tip; (9) dorsal scales reduced to five rows above last subcaudal at tail; (10) dorsum of body and tail brownish; (11) dark collar on nuchal region absent; (12) two outermost dorsal scale rows light yellow with upper margins partly dark pigmented; (13) ventral scales immaculate, without dark outermost corners and pigmentation anteriorly; and (14) absence of distinct dark longitudinal line or scattered spots on the underside of tail.
<taxonomicNameid="2BDCA238E43F1EF275D9341530009792"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
<taxonomicNameid="3245CD002CF6D1B401659F25A8D51AE0"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
<taxonomicNameid="BE94ACA2F7A4FD11198033DE6497E099"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
<paragraphid="0F6AA9658E6318E530FE416A8EA8F9F0"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Description of holotype.</paragraph>
<paragraphid="504CA10355E745F74ECA6A330DC0938D"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Male. Rostral wider than high (height 1.8 mm, width 2.2 mm), portion visible from above about equal to prefrontal suture; prefrontal shorter than frontal, not entering orbit, and touching first two supralabials; frontal hexagonal, about 2.2 times maximum width of supraocular; paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales; a single preocular present, higher than postocular; postocular one, higher than wide, not as high as eye diameter; eye diameter 1.4 mm, larger than eye-mouth distance 0.8 mm; distance from anterior corner of eye to nostril 1.9 mm and to the tip of snout 3.1 mm; pupil rounded; supralabials 4/4 (left/right, hereafter), second and third entering orbit, fourth longest, third about 0.9 times of second in length, first shorter than third and as wide as second; mental semicircular to triangular, not touching anterior chin shields; infralabials 5/5, first three touching anterior chin shields; first pair of chin shields meeting in midline, second pair touching anteriorly and separated posteriorly by first gular scales; three gulars in midline between second chin shields and first ventrals; dorsal scales in 13 rows throughout body, reducing to eight rows above 3rd subcaudal, to seven rows above 8th subcaudal, to six rows above 10th subcaudal, and to five rows above the last subcaudal on tail; ventral scales 170, subcaudals 22, divided, followed by a shield covering tail tip; anal scale single.</paragraph>
<paragraphid="20C4504F41A32B419DFF4A78C4D34494"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Head length 7.1 mm; head width 5.1 mm; SVL 281.5 mm; TaL 21.7 mm; TL 303.2 mm; body thickness about 5.8 to 6.4 mm; body thickness index at mid body 0.021; tail root 4.5 mm thick; tail not as thick as body, slightly tapering then abruptly tapering at tip; TaL/TL ratio 7.2%; maxillary teeth modified, 10/10.</paragraph>
<subSubSectionid="BFDD0CBBD00192E5BD3601FA4F577EC1"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"type="coloration of the holotype in life">
<paragraphid="093CF8632A5D821987A5676ECDA58122"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Coloration of the holotype in life.</paragraph>
<paragraphid="7632B907D5FCCFA7183223C94CE96A65"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Dorsal surface of body grey-brown above, somewhat iridescent; dark collar at nuchal region absent; indistinct light ring behind head present, nearly invisible; a narrow interrupted light ring at root of tail present, followed by few light spots on middle and tip of tail. Underside of head orangish-beige with black flecks on the infralabials; ventral scales of body and tail immaculate orangish-red, without dark pigmentation on outermost corners and anterior margins; underside of tail without dark longitudinal line or blotches.</paragraph>
<subSubSectionid="2C3942C0024FF72A8536CBB2BDB673A5"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"type="coloration in preservation">
<paragraphid="BEB7303CFEF454203E5DFBED0040CEFB"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Coloration in preservation.</paragraph>
<paragraphid="6B1CCA93871E7234EB7E6A13A4880B4B"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Color preserved in ethanol fade to caramel-brown above. Dorsal head and upper parts of supralabials brown, lower parts of supralabials light yellow; underside of head light yellow with brownish spots on the infralabials; presence of an indistinct narrow yellow ring about 5 scales wide on neck, nearly invisible; dorsum of body caramel-brown, with light flecks on each dorsal scale; two outermost dorsal scale rows light yellow with upper margins partly dark pigmented; a narrow interrupted light ring at root of tail, light spots on middle and tip of tail still visible; ventral scales of body and tail uniformly light yellowish-beige; underside of tail without dark median line or blotches.</paragraph>
<taxonomicNameid="14A65F1046C23EA510A82FFCC21301A0"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
from China and mainland Southeast Asia listed above. Unrelated taxa from the Greater Sunda Islands are omitted from comparisons for the sake of simplicity.
<taxonomicNameid="BCA5CF7358E5EF4217E6A87899E6E1DD"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
by having lower number of supralabials (four vs. five), and the pattern of supralabials shields touching the orbit (2nd and 3rd supralabials touching orbit vs. 3rd and 4th supralabials touching orbit). Additionally, these four species only occur south of the Isthmus of Kra in Peninsular Malaysia where is extremely far from the type locality of
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<figureCitationid="488662FFD87D8605B702563A2DCB2FA5"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">6</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="5827A38ADC062B27E27D7BC86A7ECA27"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">6</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="EE74198AF4F59BD0CD750439CF8AC012"captionStart="Figure 5"captionStartId="F5"captionText="Figure 5. Comparative characters of the head shape and body coloration of Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis, C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure5"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706624"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">5</figureCitation>
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), lower number of subcaudals in males (22 vs. 29-33 in males), higher number of ventrals in males (170 vs. 130-157), dorsal scales reduced to five rows at tail (vs. reduced to four rows in
<taxonomicNameid="C87404E5016CB303EC794BB3D559818B"authorityName="Yeung & Lau & Yang"authorityYear="2022"family="Colubridae"genus="Calamaria"kingdom="Animalia"lsidName="Calamaria arcana"order="Squamata"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"rank="species"species="arcana">
<figureCitationid="7C2C3FB88D1D97C8BD52AA9EF1667575"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">6</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="D6CC28D4D7D3ABEBAE9BFC41A35B2BFF"captionStart="Figure 5"captionStartId="F5"captionText="Figure 5. Comparative characters of the head shape and body coloration of Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis, C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure5"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706624"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">5</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="2FD90E6AAF244BD853D219BCA13E9CE9"captionStart="Figure 5"captionStartId="F5"captionText="Figure 5. Comparative characters of the head shape and body coloration of Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis, C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure5"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706624"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">5</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="F268AC80E2FF371E6CB3D9AC137E7B5E"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">6</figureCitation>
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), absence of black line or spots on venter of tail (vs. venter of tail with broad and distinct median black stripe), absence of dark outermost corners on ventral scales (vs. present in
<figureCitationid="8E321B434D9E11596BEACC2DF0603899"captionStart="Figure 6"captionStartId="F6"captionText="Figure 6. Comparison of the tail shape and coloration among Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis and C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the tail of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure6"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706625"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">6</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="24CC15352166A12FA9D9A85A0286C31A"captionStart="Figure 5"captionStartId="F5"captionText="Figure 5. Comparative characters of the head shape and body coloration of Calamaria arcana sp. nov., C. andersoni, C. septentrionalis, C. pavimentata. A-C dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. pavimentata (KFBG 14507). D-F dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. septentrionalis (KFBG 14506). G-I dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of holotype of C. arcana sp. nov. (KFBG 14611). J-L dorsal view of head and body, and dorsolateral view of body of C. andersoni (SYS r 001699)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure5"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706624"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">5</figureCitation>
<paragraphid="04EEEC187D7248852014E4AAB39DD275"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">Natural history, distribution and conservation status.</paragraph>
<paragraphid="675325E1AA1591E8F314178376A2BBEE"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">The holotype was found active on a cloudy morning along a trail in tall shrubland and secondary forest.</paragraph>
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is currently only known from a single specimen from its type locality, Mt. Dadongshan, Nanling National Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China (Fig.
<figureCitationid="1CD4A2F4E1DC04D7973BE9B840970221"captionStart="Figure 7"captionStartId="F7"captionText="Figure 7. Map of Southern China showing the type locality of Calamaria arcana sp. nov.; Mt. Dadongshan, Lianzhou County, Guangdong Province, China (star)."figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e84516.figure7"httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/706626"pageId="0"pageNumber="433">7</figureCitation>
). It can be expected that the new species should be distributed across adjacent mountain areas, but in view of the uncertainty of its extent of occurrence, and little information on its ecology and threats, we recommend the new species be listed as Data Deficient (DD) according the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categories and Criteria (
<bibRefCitationid="B875C5026F9E2437AAB4ED5B89577BF2"author="Inger, RF"journalOrPublisher="Fieldiana Zoology"pageId="0"pageNumber="433"publicationUrl="https://www.iucnredlist.org"refId="B7"refString="2022. IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature. https://www.iucnredlist.org [ [Accessed 16.01.2022] ]"title="IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature"url="https://www.iucnredlist.org"year="2022">IUCN 2022</bibRefCitation>
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