A new species of the genus Eirenis Jan, 1863 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Kerman Province in South-central Iran Author Akbarpour, Morteza 0000-0002-7902-7753 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran & Iranian Plateau Herpetology Research Group (IPHRG), Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran & Morteza. biology @ yahoo. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 7902 - 7753 orteza.biology@yahoo.com Author Rastegar-Pouyani, Nasrullah 0000-0001-6237-0590 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran & Iranian Plateau Herpetology Research Group (IPHRG), Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran & nasrullah. r @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 6237 - 0590 nasrullah.r@gmail.com Author Fathinia, Behzad Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran Author Rastegar-Pouyani, Eskandar Department of Biology, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran text Zootaxa 2020 2020-10-23 4868 1 117 128 journal article 8871 10.11646/zootaxa.4868.1.6 2fba929b-0394-4145-b5c8-7900fa821bbe 1175-5326 4417376 8D419A0A-10D8-401C-B2F6-54D3A4AE90D2 Key to the species of Eirenis in Iran An updated key to the one proposed by Fathinia et al. (2019) . 1 15 scales at mid-body (Subgenus Eirenis ( Collaria ))......................................................... 2 - 17 scales at mid-body (Subgenus Eirenis ( Eirenis ))......................................................... 11 2 More than 186 ventral scales, loreal scale mostly absent...................................................... 3 - Less than 186 ventral scales, loreal scale present............................................................ 6 3 Dorsal body pattern consists of distinct dark and light bars across body and tail........................ E. nigrofasciatus - Dorsal body unicolor, without dark spots on the bases of anterior dorsal scales..................................... 4 4 Fewer than 60 subcaudal scales............................................................... E. occidentalis - Mostly more than 60 subcaudal scales.................................................................... 5 5 Up to 214 ventrals, 54–83 subcaudals............................................................. E. persicus - More than 214 ventrals, 80–104 subcaudals......................................................... E. walteri 6 6 upper-labial scales...................................................................... E. kermanensis - 7 upper-labial scales.................................................................................. 7 7 A black crown on head.................................................................... E. coronelloides - Head without black crown.............................................................................. 8 8 Ventrals 152–177, subcaudals 50–63, dorsum unicolor............................................... E. collaris - Ventrals 129–167, subcaudals 37–59, dorsum not unicolor with transverse or longitudinal bars....................... 9 9 Subcaudals 51–59, loreal in contact with first upper labial........................................... E. rechingeri - Subcaudals 37–58, loreal not in contact with first upper labial................................................ 10 10 Subcaudals 37–45, ventral surface whitish-yellow with brown dots.................................... E. coronella - Subcaudals 42–58, ventral surface white without dots................................................. E. medus 11 Posterior chin shields in contact........................................................................ 12 - Posterior chin shields not in contact..................................................................... 14 12 Dorsal of body and head unicolor, without dots, blotches, transverse bars or stripes....................... E. yassujicus - Dorsal of body and head not unicolor.................................................................... 13 13 Longitudinal stripes on dorsal body and neck, subcaudals 64–85, ventrals 159–180, ventral of body uniformly creamy............................................................................................ E. decemlineata - Dorsal body with dots or blotches, subcaudals 62–86, ventrals 150–181, ventral surface yellowish creamy................................................................................................... E. punctatolineatus 14 Both transverse band and longitudinal stripes on the dorsal body, neck with transverse bands, posterior chin shields triangular in shape............................................................................ E. rafsanjanicus sp. n. - Dorsal patterns are only present on the head and neck, dorsal body without transverse or longitudinal stripes or bands................................................................................................ E. modestus