Russian Journal of Herpetology Vol. 16, No. 2, 2009, pp. 146 – 154 A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS Calamaria (SQUAMATA: OPHIDIA: COLUBRIDAE) FROM THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS (NGOC LINH NATURE RESERVE, NGOC LINH MOUNTAIN, KON TUM PROVINCE), VIETNAM Nikolai L. Orlov Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia. E-mail: azemiops@zin.ru Submitted October 12, 2008. A new species of Calamaria is described from the Central Highlands, Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, Ngoc Linh Mountain, Kon Tum Province, Vietnam. This species is characterized by a black body with blazing yelloworange spots on the ventral part of the body. Total body length (holotype) 482 mm; tip of a thick tapering tail is slightly sharpened, tail length 34 mm; 13 rows of dorsal scales around the midbody; 11 rows of dorsal scales on the level of a single anal plate; 159 – 174 ventral scales, 20 – 26 divided subcaudals; four supralabials ( second and third entering orbit), five infralabials; rostral large, triangular, its height equal to width, in contact with nasal, prefrontal and first supralabial shield, visible from above; paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales; one preocular scale; eight modified maxillary teeth in holotype. The new taxon is known only from two specimens (holotype and paratype) collected in the tropical rainforest. It is the eighth species of Calamaria recorded from Vietnam. Keywords: Central Highlands, Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, Ngoc Linh Mountain, Kon Tum Province, Vietnam, Squamata, Ophidia, Colubridae, Calamaria sp. nov., morphology, taxonomy.  INTRODUCTION The genus Calamaria, with over 60 species, occupies a prominent place in the Oriental tropics and in the world ophidiofauna and, together with other species-rich genera, such as Oligodon, Lycodon, Elaphe sensu lato, Sinonatrix, Xenochrophis, Amphiesma, Rhabdophis, Dinodon, Boiga, and Dendrelaphis, represents the majority of biodiversity of the South Asian ophidiofauna. The results of the most significant study of the taxonomy and evolution of this genus were published in the monograph by Inger and Marx (1965), which recognized 50 species. The genus Calamaria is distributed from southern China and the Ryukyu Islands (south Japan) southward through the East Indies to the Philippines and Sulawesi. These highly specialized, burrowing, forest-dwelling snakes are easily recognized as members of a single genus. According to Inger and Marx (1965), the principal centre of evolution and dispersal of Calamaria was the Great Sunda Archipelago, namely the Borneo – Sumatra region that contains the majority (more than 60%) of the Calamaria species. The most detailed analysis of taxonomy and distribution of the Calamaria species of Vietnam was made by Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac (2005), with description of a new Calamaria species from Annamite mountain range. Atotal of 7 species was registered in Vietnam: C. buchi Marx et Inger, 1955 ; C. lovii ingermarxorum Darevsky et Orlov, 1992; C. pavimentata Duméril et Bibron, 1854; C. septentrionalis Boulenger, 1890; C. thanhi Ziegler et Quyet Le Khac, 2005; C. sp. nov. Nguyen Quang Truong, Koch et Ziegler, in press; C. gialaiensis Ziegler, Nguyen Van Sang and Nguyen Quang Truong, 2008 (Darevsky and Orlov, 1992; Nguyen Van Sang and Ho, 1996, 2005; Orlov et al., 2000, 2003; Orlov, 2005; Ziegler, 2002; Ziegler et al., 2004; Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac, 2005; Nguyen Quang Truong et al., in press; Ziegler et al., 2008c). Three species of Calamaria: C. pavimentata, C. septentrionalis, and C. yunnanensis Chernov, 1962 are distributed in the southern regions of continental China adjacent to Vietnam, Taiwan and Hainan islands. In addition to C. pavimentata and C. septentrionalis, the following species are also recorded in the western and southern regions of Indochina: C. lumbricoidea Boie, 1827 (Thailand, western Malaysia); C. albiventer Gray, 1834 1026-229620091602-0146 © 2009 Folium Publishing Company (western Malaysia); C. lovii gimleti Boulenger, 1890 (western Malaysia); C. schlegeli Duméril et Bibron, 1854 (western Malaysia); C. prakkei Lidth de Jeude, 1891 (Singapore); and C. ingeri Grismer, Kaiser et Yaakob, 2004 (Pahang, western Malaysia) (Inger and Marx, 1965; Darevsky and Orlov, 1992; Zhao and Adler, 1993; Zao et al., 1998; Nguyen and Ho, 1996; Grismer et al., 2004; Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac, 2005; Nguyen Quang Truong et al., in press). One cannot but agree with Ziegler et al. (2005) on the necessity of making descriptions of such rare secretive (fossorial or semifossorial) snakes even when only a single, poorly preserved, specimen is available, because the chance of finding another specimen in the foreseeable future could be extremely low. Such descriptions are of considerable value for the evaluation of real herpetodiversity. MATERIAL AND METHODS The new species is described from 2 specimens (female and juvenile) preserved first in 70% ethanol. The comparative material from herpetological collections of IEBR (Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam), ROM (Royal Ontario Museum, Canada), FMNH (Field Museum of Natural History, USA), ZMH (Zoological Museum, Hamburg University, Germany), ZMB (Zoological Museum, Berlin University, Germany), MVZ (Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, USA), CAS (California Academy of Sciences, USA), CIB (Chengdu Institute of Biology, China), KIZ (Kunming Institute of Zoology, China) and ZISP (Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia) was examined. The literature data on the records and their localities were analyzed. The following abbreviations for standard morphological characters were used: SVL, snout-vent length (in mm); Lcd, tail length from vent to tip (in mm); TL, total length; BD, body diameter (in mm); HL, head length from anterior part of rostral shield to posterior part of lower jaw (in mm); HW, head width at the widest point (in mm); ED, eye horizontal diameter (in mm); EN, eye to nostril distance from anterior corner of eye to posterior edge of nostril (in mm); SL, snout length from tip of snout to anterior edge of eye (in mm); IO, interorbital distance; SO, number of supraoculars; PrO, number of preoculars; PtO, number of postoculars; SubO, number of suboculars; PF, prefrontal; F, frontal; P, parietal; R, rostral; N, nasal; L, loreal; T, number of temporals [Ta, anterior temporal; Tp, posterior temporal]; IN, internasal; M, mental or symphysial; G, genials [Ga, anterior genials or anterior chin shields; Gp, posterior genials or posterior chin shields]; Supralab, number of supralabials [Spl-r, on the right; Spl-l, on the left]; Infralab, number of infralabials [Ifl-r, on the right, Ifl-l, on the left]; V, number of ventrals; Scd, number of subcaudals; Sq1, Sq2, Sq3, number of dorsal scale rows at body [1, at the level of the 15 th ventral shield from the head; 2, at midbody; 3, at the level of the 15 th ventral shield from the anal plate]; A, number of anal plate; SVLLcd, ratio of snout-vent lengthtail length from vent to tip; SVLHL, ratio of snout-vent lengthhead length from anterior part of rostral shield to posterior part of the lower jaw; SVLBD, ratio of snout-vent lengthbody diameter; All measurements were taken with a caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. The main measurements were made on a Leica MZ 8 stereomicroscope; the specimens were scanned on an Epson Twain 5 scanner; photographs were made with a Nikon D 200 camera using a Nikkormicro 105 mm lens. SPECIES DESCRIPTION Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. Holotype. ZISP 25569 adult female from above Mang Xang Village, Ngoc Linh Mountain, Dac Glei District, Kon Tum Province, Vietnam (15°05 N 107°57 E, elevation 1700 m), collected 15 September 1998 by Nikolai L. Orlov (Figs. 1 and 2). Paratype. IEBR A907, juvenile male from above Mang Xang Village, Ngoc Linh Mountain, Dac Glei District, Kon Tum Province, Vietnam (15°05 N 107°57 E, elevation 1900 m), on 25 March 2004 by Alexei V. Abramov. (Figs. 3 and 4). Fig. 1. Holotype ZISP 25569 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., general view 1. Fig. 2. Holotype ZISP 25569 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., general view 2. Diagnosis. Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. is small, robust colubrid snake, with round body in cross-section, total length 482 mm (snout-vent length 448 mm, tail length from vent to tip 34 mm), with calamaria-shaped fossorial morphotype. Small head rounded, not distinguished from the body, slightly depressed dorso-laterally, covered with large regular symmetric shields. Maxillary teeth modified. Eyes small, pupil round. No loreal shield. Rostral large, triangular, its height equal to width, in contact with nasals, prefrontals and first supralabials, clearly visible from above; tongue groove clearly visible on its ventral side; prefrontals shorter than frontal, touching first two supralabials; single nasal shield very small, triangular, located between first supralabial, prefrontal and rostral, oval nostril occupies greater part of shield; eye diameter smaller than eyemouth distance; Fig. 5. Head of holotype ZISP 25569 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., dorsal view. Fig. 6. holotype ZISP 25569 of Head of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., ventral view. Ratios of parietal shield length to lengths of supraocular, prefrontal and frontal shields 2.52, 2.05, and 1.56, respectively. Dorsal scales rhomboid, overlap Fig. 3. Paratype IEBR A907 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., dorsal view. Fig. 3. Paratype IEBR A907 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., dorsal view. Fig. 4. Paratype IEBR A907 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., ventral view. Fig. 4. Paratype IEBR A907 of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov., ventral view. in roof-tile fashion, strongly smooth. All scales of equal size, number of dorsal scale rows at body Sq1 — 12 , Sq2 — 13, Sq3 — 13; single (1) anal plate; tail thick, short, tapering gradually from base, abruptly tapering at tip to a sharp point; dorsal scales reduced in number to four rows on tail opposite twenty to twenty six subcaudals anterior to terminal scute. Five shields around eye (second and third supralabials, one preocular, one supraocular, one postocular); paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales; five supralabials, second and third touching eye; fourth supralabial longest and in broad contact with parietal; six infralabials, three touching anterior genial shields; mental not touching anterior genial shields; only anterior genial shields in contact along midline; two gular scales in midline between posterior genial shields and first ventral, the first one inserted between posterior genial shields, ending just short of anterior genial shields. Body black, strongly iridescent, with blazing yellow-orange spots on ventral side of body, dorsal side of body without spots [opaque]. Blazing yellow-orange spots on dorsal side arranged in 36 – 37 groups of 1 – 3 square spots; 2 – 3 groups of spots on ventral side of tail. Description of holotype. Adult female. Body robust, round in cross-section, total length 482 mm (snout-vent length 448 mm), tail length from vent to tip 34 mm). Body diameter 9.96 mm; ratio of body length to tail length 13.18; ratio of body length to body diameter 44.98; eight modified maxillary teeth; ventrals 174; subcaudals 20 pairs; dorsal scales rhomboid, overlap in roof-tile fashion, strongly smooth, without keel and tubercles, scales of nearly equal size, number of dorsal scale rows at body: Sq1 — 12, Sq2 — 13, Sq3 — 13, Sq on the level of anus 11; dorsal row of scales not enlarged; anal plate single; tail thick, short, tapering gradually from base, abruptly tapering at tip to sharp point; dorsal scales reduced in number to four rows on tail opposite twenty subcaudals anterior to terminal scute. Head small, roundish, short, covered by large regular symmetrical shields, not distinct from neck. Eyes small with round pupils, 5 shields around eye, horizontal eye diameter slightly smaller than distance from eye to mouth edge. Snout broad and short, HLSL 3.18. Rostral large, triangular, its height equal to width, in contact with nasals, prefrontals and first supralabials, visible from above; single nasal shield very small, triangular, inserted between first supralabial, prefrontal and rostral, oval nostril occupies greater part of shield. Head length from anterior part of rostral shield to posterior part of lower jaw 13.05 mm; head width at widest point 7.23 mm; horizontal eye diameter 1.68 mm; snout length from snout tip to anterior edge of eye 4.10 mm; eye to nostril distance from anterior corner of eye to posterior edge of nostril 2.12 mm; interorbital distance 4.17 mm; no loreal; number of supraoculars 1 (large and wide, adjacent to frontal, prefrontal, preocular, postocular and parietal); preocular 1; postocular 1 on left and 2 on right; internasals absent; prefrontals paired, very large, hexagonal-shaped, slightly wider than long; length 2.41 mm, width 2.72 mm; frontal very large (length 3.17 mm), hexagonal in shape; paired parietals extremely large (length 4.95 mm), divided by suture. Small scale inserted between parietals in their lower part; suture between parietals 2.23 longer than that between prefrontals; paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales. Mental shield triangular, distinct, not concealed in mental groove, touching anterior genial shields; anterior genial shields large and wide, touching 1st, 2nd, and 3th infralabials, posterior genials shields large, in contact with 3th and 4th infralabials; both pairs of genials shields meeting in midline; 2 gular scutes in midline between posterior genial shields and first ventral; first gular scute inserted between posterior genial shields and divides them almost to top. Supralabials 4 – 4, first supralabial smallest, fourth supralabial largest; first supralabial in contact with rostral, nasal and prefrontal shields; first one in contact with rostral, nasal and prefrontal; second one in contact with prefrontal, preocular and eye; third one in contact with postocular and eye. Infralabials 5 – 5, 4th and 5th infralabials largest (Figs. 5 and 6). Coloration. Body black, strongly iridescent, with blazing yellow-orange spots on ventral body side, dorsal body side immaculate. Blazing yellow-orange spots on dorsal side arranged in 36 – 37 groups of 1 – 3 square spots; 2 – 3 groups of spots are situated on ventral side of tail. Pointed tip of tail light-yellow. Measurements of holotype. TL 482 mm; SVL 448 mm; Lcd 34 mm; BD 9.96 mm; HL 13.05 mm; HW 7.23 mm; ED 1.68 mm; EN 2.12 mm; SL 4.10 mm; IO 4.17 mm; SVLLcd 13.18; SVLHL 36.93 ; SVLBD 44.98; V 174; Scd 20 pairs; A 1; Sq1 — 12 , Sq2 — 13, Sq3 — 13; SO — 1, its length 1.96 mm; PrO 1; PtO 1 on the left and 2 on the right; Supralab 4 – 4; Infralab 5 – 5; 5 shields around eye; PF length 2.41 mm, PF width 2.72 mm; F length 3.17 mm; P length 4.95 mm; PSO 2.52; PPF 2.05; PF 1.56. Description of paratype. Juvenile male. Body robust, round in cross-section, total length 139.23 mm (snout-vent length 128.81 mm, tail length from vent to tip 10.42 mm); tail thick, short, tapering, with pointed tip. Body diameter 3.95 mm; body lengthtail length ratio 12.36; ratio of body length to its diameter 32.61 ; phlolidosis identical to that of holotype: ventrals 159; subcaudals 26 pairs; dorsal scales rhomboid, tileshaped, strongly smooth, without keels or tubercles, scales of nearly equal size, number of rows of dorsal scales at body: Sq1 — 12, Sq2 — 13, Sq3 — 13, 11 Sq on level of anus; anal plate single. Head small, round, short, covered by large symmetric regular shields, not distinct from the neck. Snout broad and short, rostral large, triangular, with height equal to width, in contact with nasals, prefrontals and first supralabials, clearly visible from above; single nasal shield very small, triangular, inserted between first supralabial, prefrontal and rostral, large round nostril cut in nasal shield closer to anterior edge; no loreal; number of supraoculars 1 (large and wide, bordering frontal, prefrontal, preocular, postocular and parietal); preocular 1; postocular 1; internasals absent; prefrontals paired, very large, of hexagonal shape, slightly wider than long; frontal very large, of hexagonal shape; paired parietals extremely large ( see measurements); paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales. Mental shield triangular, distinct, not concealed in mental groove; anterior genial shields large and wide, in contact with 1st, 2nd and 3th infralabials, posterior genial shields large, in contact with 3th and 4th infralabials; small scale inserted from below between posterior genial shields divides them almost up to top. There are 4 – 4 supralabials, first of them smallest and fourth largest; first supralabial shield in contact with rostral, nasal and prefrontal shields; second one in contact with prefrontal, preocular and eye; third supralabial in contact with postocular and eye. Infralabials 5 – 5, fourth and fifth largest. Coloration. Body black, strongly iridescent, with blazing yellow-orange spots on ventral body side, dorsal body side without spots [opaque]. Blazing yellow-orange spots on dorsal side arranged in 36 groups of 1 – 3 square spots; 3 groups of spots on ventral side of tail. Pointed tip of tail light-yellow. Measurements of paratype. TL 142.48 mm; SVL 123.5 mm; Lcd 18.98 mm; BD 3.95 mm; SVLLcd THAILAND CAMBODIA CHINA Hainan Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Thailand 100 ° 110 ° E 105 ° 20 ° E 15 ° 10 ° Fig. 7. Map of type locality ( yellow star) of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. 12.36; SVLBD 32.61; V 159; Scd 26 pairs; A1; Sq1 — 12, Sq2 — 13, Sq3 — 13; SO 1; PrO 1; PtO 1; Supralab 4 – 4; Infralab 5 – 5. Etymology. The specific epithet abramovi is given after Dr. Alexey V. Abramov (Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia) in recognition of his many contributions to the study of Vietnam and many records of rare and new species of animals, in particular amphibians and reptiles. The second specimen (paratype) of a new species was collected by Dr. Alexey V. Abramov and kindly provided to me for study and description. Distribution and natural history. The species is known only from the type locality (Fig. 7). Both specimens were collected on a forested slope of Ngoc Linh Mount, elevation 1550 – 1700 m. The adult female was collected during the rain in September on a night excursion from the leaf litter in the flood plain of a forest stream (Fig. 8). The second specimen (juvenile male) was collected in the end of a dry season in March on a leaf litter covering the forest path. Comparisons and discussion. Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. differs from all known species of the genus by a combination of pholidosis characters and color- Fig. 8. Habitat of Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. in the type locality, above Mang Xang village, Ngoc Linh Mountain, Gac Glei district, Kon Tum province, Vietnam. ation. Seven species are known in Vietnam ophidiofauna: C. buchi Marx et Inger, 1955; C. lovii ingermarxorum Darevsky et Orlov, 1992; C. pavimentata Duméril et Bibron, 1854; C. septentrionalis Boulenger, 1890; C. thanhi Ziegler et Quyet Le Khac, 2005; C. sp. nov. Nguyen Quang Truong, Koch et Ziegler, in press; C. gialaiensis sp. nov. Ziegler, Nguyen Van Sang, and Nguyen Quang Truong, 2008 (Darevsky and Orlov, 1992; Nguyen and Ho, 1996; Orlov et al., 2000, 2003; Orlov, 2005; Ziegler, 2002; Ziegler et al., 2004; Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac, 2005; Nguyen Quang Truong et al., in press; Ziegler et al., 2008c). In addition to the species listed above the following species are also recorded from the mainland part of Oriental province: C. yunnanensis Chernov, 1962 (Yunnan, China); C. lumbricoidea Boie, 1827; C. albiventer Gray, 1834; C. lovii gimleti Boulenger, 1890); C. schlegeli schlegeli Duméril et Bibron, 1854; C. prakkei Lidth de Jeude, 1891; and C. ingeri Grismer, Kaiser et Yaakob, 2004 (Thailand, western Malaysia, Singapore) (Inger and Marx, 1965; Darevsky and Orlov, 1992; Zhao and Adler, 1993; Nguyen and Ho, 1996; Grismer et al., 2004; Ziegler and Quyet, 2005). Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. differs from C. buchi by a considerably smaller number of ventrals (V 159 – 174 vs. 221 – 236 in C. buchi — according to Inger and Marx, 1965); the new species is distinguished from C. lovii gimleti and C. lovii ingermarxorum by the presence of preoculars, smaller number of ventrals and higher number of subcaudals (especially in comparison with females of C. lovii gimleti), also by the ratio of the length of prefrontal and frontal shields (preocular 1 , V 174, Scd 20 pairs, F > PF vs. no preocular, V 215 – 249, Scd 10 – 12 pairs, PF > F in C. lovii gimleti — according to Inger and Marx, 1965; and preocular 1 , V 159 – 174, F > PF vs. no preocular, V 205, PF > F in C. lovii ingermarxorum, according to Darevsky and Orlov, 1992). The new species is distinguished from C. pavimentata by a completely different color pattern ( body black, strongly iridescent, with blazing yellow-orange spots on ventral side of body, dorsal body side without spots [opaque] vs. dorsum with narrow, dark, longitudinal stripes, and with solid black color immediately behind neck in C. pavimentata — according to Inger and Marx, 1965; Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac, 2005); from C. septentrionalis, the new species differs by a considerably higher number of subcaudals (Scd of female 20 vs. Scd 6, 11 in females of C. septentrionalis — according to Inger and Marx, 1965); from C. thanhi, by the presence of preocular and coloration patterns, in particular on the back (PrO present, dorsum black and immaculate vs. PrO absent, dorsum dark, with 4 – 6 light body bands in C. thanhi — according to Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac, 2005); from C. sp. Nguyen Quang Truong, Koch et Ziegler, in press — by a higher number of subcaudals, smaller number of ventrals and color pattern of ventral side (Scd 20 – 26, V 159 – 174, ventral side black with orange spots, 3 groups of spots on ventral side of tail vs. Scd19, V 2+190, ventral side cream, with dark transverse bands and a dark longitudinal stripe below the tail in C. sp. Nguyen Quang Truong, Koch et Ziegler, in press); from C. gialaiensis, by a smaller number of ventrals and higher number of shields and scales around paraparietal (V 159 – 174, paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales vs. V 191 and paraparietal surrounded by five shields and scales in C. gialaiensis — according to Ziegler et al., 2008c); from C. yunnanensis, by the presence of preocular (PrO present vs. PrO absent in C. yunnanensis, according to Chernov, 1962 and Zhao et al., 1998); from C. lumbricoidea, by a higher number of shields and scales around paraparietal and another pattern of coloration (paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales, ventral black with orange spots vs. paraparietal surrounded by 4 – 5 shields and scales, belly yellow with black crossbars wider than width of one ventral in C. lumbricoidea — according to Inger and Marx, 1965); from C. albiventer, by a smaller number of supralabials, higher number of shields and scales around paraparietal, pattern of supralabial shields entering orbit (Supralab 4, 6 shields and scales around paraparietal, second and third supralab entering orbit vs. 5, 5, third and fourth in C. albiventer — according to Inger and Marx, 1965). The new species differs from C. schlegeli schlegeli by a larger body size, smaller number of supralabials (TLof females 482 mm, 4 supralabials vs. TLof females 125 – 391 mm, 5 supralabials in C. schlegeli schlegeli, according to Inger and Marx, 1965); from C. prakkei — by a higher number of ventrals, smaller number of subcaudals, higher number of shields and scales around paraparietal, pattern of supralabial shields entering orbit and larger body size (V 159 – 174, Scd 20 – 26, 6 shields and scales around paraparietal, second and third supralab entering orbit, TL 482 mm vs. V 126 – 144, Scd 24 – 32, 5, third and fourth supralabials entering orbit, TL 172 – 256 mm, in C. prakkei — according to Inger and Marx, 1965); from C. ingeri, by a number of supralabials and pattern of supralabial shields entering orbit (Supralab 4, second and third supralabial entering orbit vs. Supralab 5, third and fourth Supralab entering the orbit in C. ingeri — according to Grismer et al., 2004). It is important to note that Calamaria abramovi sp. nov. is characterized by a completely different color pattern from all the species under comparison and species of Sunda Archipelago (by Inger and Marx, 1965). Keys to the species of Calamaria genus are given by Inger and Marx (1965), Darevsky and Orlov (1992), Grismer et al. (2004); Ziegler and Quyet Le Khac (2005) , Ziegler et al. (2008c). The description of 4 new species of Calamaria from central regions of Vietnam in a relatively short period (from 1992 to 2009) reflects the intensity of herpetological research in this region and in Indochina as a whole. Among them are snakes, including secretive and rarely recorded species such as fossorial and small water colubrids. Besides Calamaria we need to mention discoveries of a number of new species of colubrids and numerous records, which continually expand our understanding of the diversity and distribution of these snakes in Indochina (Fimbrios, Opistothropis, Parahelicops, Paratapinophis, Amphiesma) (David et al., 2007; Murphy et al., 2008; Orlov, 1995, 2005; Orlov et al., 2000 , 2003; Szyndlar and Nguyen Van Sang, 1996; Stuart and Chuaynkern, 2007; Tillack et al., 2004; Ziegler and Herrmann, 2000; Ziegler and Le Khac Quyet, 2006 ; Ziegler et al., 2004, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c). Acknowledgments. We are very grateful to Vietnam’s Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR) for the organization of the fieldwork in Vietnam, Director of IEBR, Prof. Le Xuan Canh and Director of Dept. of Vertebrate Zoology, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Dang. Many thanks to Natalia Ananjeva and Roman Khalikov for their kind assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. Our research was partially supported by Volkswagen- Stiftung and RFBR 08-04-0004. We are indebted to Harold Voris, Robert Inger and Alan Resetar (FMNH), Robert Murphy (ROM), Ted Papenfuss (MVZ), Jens Vindum ( CAS), Alain Dubois and Patrick David (MNHN), Rainer Günther (ZMB), Nguyen Van Sang and Nguyen Quang Truong ( IEBR), Zhao Ermi, Yuezhao Wang and Sun Erhu (CIB), Rao-Ding-qi (KIZ) for permitting us to examine snake specimens. REFERENCES Darevsky I. S. and Orlov N. L. (1992), “A new subspecies of the dwarf snake Calamaria lowi ingermarxi ssp. nov. (Serpentes, Colubridae) from southern Vietnam,” Asiatic Herpetol. Res., 4, 13 – 17. David P., Bain R., Nguyen Quang Truong, Orlov N., Vogel G., Vu Ngoc Thanh, and Ziegler T. (2007), “Another new species of the natricine snake genus Amphiesma from Central Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae),” Zootaxa, 1462, 41 – 60. Inger R. F. and Marx H. (1965), “The systematics and evolution of the Oriental colubrid snakes of the genus Calamaria,” Fieldiana Zool., 49, 1 – 304. Grismer L. L., Kaiser R. H., and Yakob N. S. (2004), “A new species of reed snake of the genus Calamaria H. Boie, 1827, from Pulau Tioman, Pahang, West Malaysia,” Hamadryad, 28, 1 – 6. Murphy J. C., Tanya Chan-Ard, Sonchai Mekchai, Cota M., and Voris H. K. (2008), “The rediscovery of Angel’s Stream Snake, Paratapinophis praemaxillaris Angel, 1929 (Reptilia: Serpentes: Natricidae),” Nat. Hist. J. Chulalongkorn Univ., 8(2), 169 – 183. Nguyen Van Sang and Ho Thu Cuc (1996), Danh Luc Bo Sat Va Ech Nhai Viet Nam [A Checklist of Reptiles and Amphibians of Vietnam], Nha Xuat Ban Khoa Hoc Va Ky Thu At [Science and Technic Publishing House], Hanoi [in Vietnamese]. Nguyen Van Sang and Ho Thu Cuc (2005), A Checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Vietnam, Nha xuat ban nong nghiep [Agriculture Publishing House], Hanoi [in Vietnamese]. Nguyen Quang Truong, Koch A., and Ziegler T., “A new species of reed snake, Calamaria Boie, 1827 ( Squamata : Colubridae), from central Vietnam,” Hamadryad, 34(1), in press. Orlov N. L. (1995), “Rare snakes of the mountainous forests of northern Indochina,” Russ. J. Herpetol., 2(2), 179 – 183. Orlov N. L. (2005), “New species of the genus Vibrissaphora Liu, 1945 (Anura: Megophryidae) from mount Ngoc Linh (Kon Tum Province) and analysis of the extent of species overlap in the fauna of amphibians and reptiles of the North-West of Vietnam and Central Highland,” Russ. J. Herpetol., 12(1), 10 – 31. Orlov N. L., Murphy R. W., and Papenfuss T. J. (2000), “List of Snakes of Tam-Dao Mountain Ridge (Tonkin, Vietnam),” Russ. J. Herpetol., 7(1), 69 – 80. Orlov N. L., Ryabov S. A., Nguyen Van Sang, and Nguyen Quang Truong (2003), “New records and data on the poorly known snakes of Vietnam,” Russ. J. Herpetol., 10(3), 217 – 240. Stuart Bryan L. and Yodchaiy Chuayankern (2007), “A new Opisthotropis (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Northeastern Thailand,” Curr. Herpetol., 26(1), 35 – 40. Szyndlar Z. and Nguyen Van Sang (1996), “Terrestrial snake fauna of Vietnam: distributional records,” The Snake, 27, 91 – 98. Tillack F., Ziegler T., and Le Khac Quyet (2004), “Eine neue Art der Gattung Boiga Fitzinger, 1826 ( Serpentes : Colubridae: Colubrinae) aus dem zentralen Vietnam,” Sauria, 26, 3 – 12. Zhao E. and Adler K. (1993), Herpetology of China. Contribution to Herpetology. No. 10, Soc. Study Amphib. Reptiles. Zhao E.-M., Huang M.-H., Zong Y., et al. (1998), Fauna Sinica. Reptilia. Vol. 3. Squamata. Serpentes, Science Press, Beijing. Ziegler T. (2002), Die Amphibien and Reptilien eines Tieflandfeuuchtwald-Schutzgebietes in Vietnam, Natur und Tier-Verlag, Münster. Ziegler T. and Herrmann H.-W. (2000), “Preliminary list of the herpetofauna of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang area in Quang Binh province, Vietnam,” Biogeographica, 76, 49 – 62. Ziegler T. and Le K. Q. (2006) “A new natricine snake of the genus Amphiesma (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) from the central Truong Son, Vietnam,” Zootaxa, 1225, 39 – 56. Ziegler T. and Quyet Le Khac (2005), “A new species of reed snake, Calamaria (Squamata: Colubridae), from the Central Truong Son (Annamite mountain range), Vietnam,” Zootaxa, 1042, 27 – 38. Ziegler T., David P., Miralles A., Doan Van Kien and Nguyen Quang Truong (2008a), “A new species of the snake genus Fimbrios from Phong Nha—Ke Bang National Park, Truong Son, central Vietnam (Squamata: Xenodermatidae),” Zootaxa, 1729, 37 – 48. Ziegler T., David P., and Vu Ngoc Thanh (2008b), “A new natricine snake of the genus Opisthotropis from Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam (Squamata, Colubridae),” Zoosyst. Evol., 84(2), 197 – 203. Ziegler T., Nguyen Van Sang, and Nguyen Quang Truong (2008c), “A New Reed Snake of the genus Calamaria Boie (Squamata: Colubridae) from Vietnam,” Curr. Herpetol., 27(2), 71 – 80. Ziegler T., Hendrix R., Vu N. T., Vogt M., Forster B., and Dang N. K. (2007), “The diversity of a snake community in a karst forest ecosystem in the central Truong Son, Vietnam, with an identification key,” Zootaxa, 1493, 1 – 40. Ziegler T., Herrmann H.-W., Vu Ngok Thanh, Le Khac Quyet, Nguyen Tan Hiep, Cao Xuan Chinh, Luu Minh Thank, and Dinh Huy Tri (2004), “The amphibians and reptiles of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam,” Hamadryad, 28(1 – 2), 19 – 42. ? Nikolai L. Orlov A New Species of the Genus Calamaria from the Central Highlands, Vietnam ?