2004

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 10, pp. 12-16

A New Species of Kukri Snake, Oligodon (Colubridae),from Pulau Tioman, West Malaysia.
TZI MING LEONG1 AND L. LEE GRISMER2
1Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260
2Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, California 92515-8247, USAAbstract. - A unique species of Oligodon is described from the type locality of Pulau Tioman, West Malaysia. In
terms of scalation, it is most comparable with the Bornean O. subcarinatus, but does not exhibit any feeble keelingof scales. In addition, its body color and patterns are unique in having a red dorsum, pink ventral surface, and indistinct pale bars on the nape and body.
Key words. - Oligodon, kukri snake, Pulau Tioman, West Malaysia.

Introduction

Materials and Methods

The kukri snakes belonging to the genus Oligodon Boie,
1827 are so named because of the presence of uniqueposterior maxillary teeth, shaped like Ghurka kukri
knives. In addition, members belonging to this genus are
small to medium-sized ground dwelling species characterised by having a large slightly upturned rostral shield,
short head, round pupil, and a cylindrical body withsmooth scales (Tweedie, 1983; Cox et al., 1998). Manyspecies possess a distinct dark chevron mark on the nape
and a stripe across the anterior part of the head and down
over/through the eye. Although Oligodon is well represented in South and Southeast Asia, there are only three
species on Peninsular Malaysia, namely O. octolineatus
Schneider, O. purpurascens Schlegel, and O. signatus
Günther (Tweedie, 1983). In Borneo, eight species havebeen recorded [O. annulifer Boulenger, O. cinereusGünther, O. everetti Boulenger, O. octolineatus
Schneider, O. purpurascens Schlegel, O. signatus
Günther, O. subcarinatus Günther, and O. vertebralis
Günther]. However, the occurrences of true O. annuliferand O. cinereus on Borneo remain to be verified(Stuebing and Inger, 1999).
On Pulau Tioman, ca. 40 km from the southeast
coast of the peninsula, one species (O. purpurascens)has been reliably recorded thus far (Grismer et al., 2004;
Hendrickson, 1966). The presence of O. octolineatus onthe island, though possible, remains to be verified (Limand Lim, 1999). Day (1990: 38) reported the presence ofa distinct, new form of Oligodon from the cross-island(Tekek-Juara) trail, but did not provide any diagnostic
characters. It was merely mentioned that this form
resembled O. signatus, but had differences in terms ofhead scalation and dorsal colouration. We collected aspecimen from the same locality on 16 July, 2001 that isdifferent from all other nominal species of Malaysia andis herein named and described as new.

Prior to preservation in 10% formaldehyde, the specimen was photographed and liver tissue sampled. Total
length, tail length, and snout-vent length were obtainedusing a measuring tape (to nearest 1 mm). Additional
measurements taken, using vernier callipers (to nearest
0.1 mm), include eye diameter (ED); head length (HL),
taken from the union of the posteromedial corners of theparietals to the tip of the snout; head depth (HD), takenfrom the dorsal surface of the head to the ventral surfaceof the jaw immediately posterior to the eye; and snout
length (SL), taken from the anterior margin of the eye tothe tip of the snout. The scale counts included upperlabials, number of upper labials in contact with eye,lower labials, preoculars, postoculars, ventrals, subcaudals, and midbody scales. Comparative material wasexamined from the Zoological Reference Collection(ZRC) [Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research(RMBR), National University of Singapore], theDepartment of Wildlife and National Parks, PeninsularMalaysia (DWNP) herpetological collection, the Bishop
Museum, Hawaii (BPBM), and Museum fürNaturkunde, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany(ZMB).

© 2004 by Asiatic Herpetological Research

Oligodon booliati, sp. nov.
Holotype: ZRC.2.5153, adult female, collected on thenight of 16 July, 2001, at 2130 hrs by T. M. Leong andK. M. Crane, while it was crawling on a concrete staircase in primary forest along the Tekek-Juara trail, ca.
150 m asl., Pulau Tioman (Pahang, PeninsularMalaysia). Deposited at the Zoological ReferenceCollection (ZRC).
Paratypes: (1) BPBM 13933, subadult male, collectedon 17 April 1962 by J. R. Hendrickson, at Ulu Lalang,Vol. 10 p. 13

Asiatic Herpetological Research2004

Figure 1. Dorsal view of Oligodon booliati holotype, ZRC.2.5153 (live coloration).

ca. 700 m asl and (2) ZMB 64446, adult female, collected in May 2001 by W. Grossmann and C. Scafer on thetop of the Tekek-Juara Trail at 300 m asl.
Diagnosis. - 6-7 upper labials, 2nd and 3 rd or 3rd and4th touching eye, 7 lower labials, 17 mid-body scales,
143-153 ventrals, 54-60 subcaudals. Loreals present.
Head scales without distinct patterns. No distinct stripe
running through eye. In life, body deep maroon red dorsally and along flanks, salmon pink on the ventrals andsubcaudals. Ventrals without dark spots. Indistinct darkbrown transverse bars (19-22) on body, starting fromnape and fading increasingly towards tail. Thin, darkbrown stripes on anterior sides of 5th and 6th upper labials, immediately posterior to eye.
Description of Holotype. - Adult female, total length:510 mm, tail: 121 mm, snout-vent: 389 mm, ED: 2.2mm, HL: 10.8 mm, HD: 6.9 mm, SL: 5.0 mm; head stout(HD/HL 0.64), slightly broader than neck; snout moderate, oblique in dorsal profile, oval in lateral profile; eye
20% of head length, pupil round; rostral shield large, triangular, visible from above, width (3.5 mm) greater thanheight (3.0 mm), concave below; rostral in direct contact
with first upper labials, nasals and internasals; trapezoid
prefrontals posterior to internasals, curving at canthus
rostrals to meet triangular postnasals; single, almost tri-angular frontal, slightly longer (4.8 mm) than wide (4.2mm), posterior point terminating 1.2 mm beyond posterior margin of eye; frontal flanked by prominentsupraoculars, length of supraocular (3.0 mm) 1.4 of ED;
7 upper labials, increasing in size to 6th, 3rd and 4th incontact with eye; a small (0.5 x 0.5 mm) loreal scale
present on left, but absent on right, allowing contact
between right prefrontal and 2nd upper labial; one preocular and one postocular present on both sides; 7 lowerlabials, first pair elongated transversely, confining mental to meet medially, 4th pair largest; anterior chinshields
longer than (almost double) posterior chinshields; 17
scale rows at neck and midbody, but 15 at one headlength anterior to vent; 143 ventrals, lateral margins visible from the sides; 59 subcaudals, all divided; anal
shield single. Colour in life deep maroon red on dorsum
and flanks (Fig. 1). Ventrals salmon pink, the colour
becoming increasingly intense towards the tail tip (Fig.
2), without any melanistic pigmentation. Head scales
without markings dorsally. Distinguishable grey-brown
pigmentation visible in other head scales: dorsal portionof 4th upper labial (point of contact with eye), anterior
margins of 5th and 6th upper labials, anterior margins of
1st to 4th lower labials, in between anterior chinshields
towards the anterior, within mental, and lower surface ofrostral. Crossbars on body faint. 21 crossbars from nape
towards tail tip. Upon preservation, and storage in alco-2004

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 10, p. 14

Table 1. Measurements, scale counts, and number of crossbars among Oligodon booliati sp. nov. type materials (holotype and two paratypes). L/R = Left/Right sides.

Snout-vent length (mm)Total length (mm)Upper labials (L/R)
Upp. labials touching eye
Lower labials (L/R)
Anterior nasal (L/R)
Posterior nasal (L/R)
Loreal (L/R)
Pre-ocular (L/R)
Post-ocular (L/R)
Supra-ocular (L/R)
Midbody
Ventrals
Subcaudals# crossbars on body

Holotype ZRC.2.5153 Adultfemale

Paratype #1 BPBM 13933
Subadult male

Paratype #2 ZMB 64446
Adult female

389
510
7/7
3rd & 4th
7/7
1/1
1/1
1/0
1/1
1/1
1/1
17
143
59
21260
348
7/7
3rd & 4th
7/7
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
17
146
60
22291
373
6/6
2nd & 3rd
7/7
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
17
153
5419Figure 3. Lateral view of head (left side) of Oligodon booliati holotype, ZRC.2.5153. Scale bar = 5mm.

Figure 2. Ventral view of Oligodon booliati holotype,ZRC.2.5153 (live colouration).

hol, the colours gradually faded to a lighter shade. A lateral view of the head is illustrated in Fig. 3.
Description of paratypes. - Rostral shield large, visible
from above. BPBM 13933 has 7 upper labials with the3rd and 4th touching eye. ZMB 64446 has 6 upper labials
with the 2nd and 3rd touching the eye. Loreal scale (0.5x 0.5 mm) present on both sides in BPBM 13933 andfused to the postnasal on both sides in ZMB 64446 (1.0x 1.0 mm). One preocular and one postocular. Seven
lower labials, 17 midbody scales, 146 ventrals, 60 subcaudals in BPMB 13933 and 153 ventrals and 54 subcaudals in ZMB 64446. First pair of infralabials separated medially by the mental in ZMB 64446. Total length(BPBM 13933): 348 mm; tail: 88 mm; snout-vent: 260

mm. Total length (ZMB 64446): 373 mm; tail: 82 mm;
snout-vent: 291 mm. Anal shield single, subcaudals
paired. Colour in preservative faded to a cream colour.
No distinctly striking markings on head, faint crossbars
on body (22 in BPBM 13933, 19 in ZMB 64446).
Measurements and scale counts of type materials are
summarised in Table 1.
Etymology. - This new species is named in honor of
Lim Boo Liat, of the Department of Wildlife andNational Parks (Peninsular Malaysia), whose contributions to our better understanding of Malaysia's natural
history dates back to the 1950's. His publications include
the description of a new snake (Macrocalamus tweedieiLim, 1963) and the popular reference book Poisonous
Snakes of Peninsular Malaysia (Lim, 1982).

Vol. 10 p. 15

Asiatic Herpetological Research

2004

Table 2. Comparisons between the Oligodon species (arranged alphabetically) of Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo,
including Oligodon booliati sp. nov. (measurements and scalations after Manthey & Grossmann, 1997). Lo = Loreal,
UL = Upper Labials, MB = Midbody, V = Ventrals, SC = Subcaudals.
Oligodon species

Total length(cm)LoUL

UL touchingeyeMBVSC

annuliferbooliati sp. nov.
cinereuseverettioctolineatus
purpurascens
signatus
subcarinatustaeniatus
vertebralis

4351
73
42
68
95
60
40
34
35

111111011
1

7-8
6-7
7-8
7
687
78
7

3&4
2 & 3/3 & 4
4&5
3&4
3&4
4 & 5/5
3&4
3&4
3-5
3&4

15
17
15/17
15
17
19/21
17
17
17
15

148-162
143-153
151-185138-154155-197
160-210141-157
155-166
146-169
136-154

40-58
54-60
29-43
46-65
43-61
40-60
47-59
50-54
30-47
35-54

Discussion
The number of upper labials (6-7) in Oligodon booliati
may be used to distinguish it from O. purpurascens (8)and O. taeniatus (8), although O. annulifer and O.
cinereus may occasionally possess eight upper labials.
O. booliati shares the same number of midbody scales(17) as O. octolineatus, O. signatus, and O. subcarinatus (instead of 15 in O. annulifer, O. everetti and O. vertebralis) but may be distinguished from O. octolineatusby the absence of any longitudinal stripes along thebody, from O. signatus by the presence of loreal scales,
and from O. subcarinatus by the lack of feeble keels on
its scales. This new species is assumed to be endemic toPulau Tioman. Comparisons of measurements and scalation between O. booliati and the other species ofOligodon in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo are summarised in Table 2.

Comparative Material Examined
Oligodon bitorquatus. - ZRC.2.3875, Bandung, West
Java; ZRC.2.3876, Gunong Hedjo, Cheribon, West Java;
ZRC.2.3957, Pengalengan, Java.
Oligodon octolineatus. - ZRC.2.2295, 2399, 2559,3161, 3850, 3853-3855, 3859-3860, 3865, 5058,
Singapore; 3861, 3863-3864, Johor Bahru, Johor,
Peninsular Malaysia; 3862, 3867, Selangor, Peninsular
Malaysia.
Oligodon purpurascens. - ZRC.2.3869, Sumatra,Indonesia; ZRC.2.3877-3879, Singapore; ZRC.2.38803881, Pulau Gallang, Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia;
ZRC.2.3882, 3884, 3885, 3887, Johor, PeninsularMalaysia; ZRC.2.3883, Forest Research Institute
Malaysia, Kepong, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia;
ZRC.2.3886, 3888, Fraser's Hill, Pahang, Peninsular
Malaysia; Bishop Mus. 14211, Pulau Tioman.

Oligodon signatus. - DWNP.R.0005, Forest ResearchInstitute Malaysia, Kepong, Selangor, PeninsularMalaysia; ZRC.2.4159, Bukit Asahan, Malacca,Peninsular Malaysia; ZRC.2.3203, 3388, 3400, 38713873, 3958, 4842, Singapore.
Oligodon taeniatus. - ZRC.2.4161, Bangkok, Thailand.

Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Sahir bin Othman (Perhilitan Department of Wildlife and National Parks, PeninsularMalaysia), for permission to conduct research in theSeribuat Archipelago; Lim Boo Liat (DWNP), Norsham
Yaakob (Forest Research Institute Malaysia), Karen M.
Crane (La Sierra University) for their enthusiastic andactive participation in the field; Karla H. Kishinami(BPBM) and Wolfgang Grossmann (ZMB) for the loanof specimens; Peter K. L. Ng and Kelvin K. P. Lim(RMBR) for granting access to literature and specimens;
Robert B. Stuebing for examining the holotype andreviewing the manuscript with encouraging rigour;
Robert F. Inger (FMNH) for critical and useful comments which greatly improved the manuscript.

Literature CitedBoie, F. 1827. Bemerkungen uber Merrem's Versuch
eines Systems der Amphibien, I. Lieferung:Ophidier. - Isis van Oken, Jena, 20:508-566.
Cox, M. J., P. P. Van Dijk, J. Nabhitabhata and K.
Thirakhupt. 1998. A photographic guide to snakes
and other reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia,
Singapore and Thailand. New Holland. 144 pp.

2004

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchDay, M. 1990. Zoological Research. In: Day, M. and T.
Mowbray (eds.). University of Bristol Tioman
Archipelago Expedition, Peninsular Malaysia,
1988, Final Report. Unpublished Report pp. 25-43.
Hendrickson, J. R., 1966. Observations on the fauna ofPulau Tioman and Pulau Tulai. 5. The reptiles.
Bulletin of Natural History 34:53-71.
Grismer, J. L., L. L. Grismer, I. Das, N. S. Yaakob, L. B.
Liat, T. M. Leong, T. M. Youmans, and H. Kaiser.
2004. Species diversity and checklist of the herpeto
fauna of Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, with apreliminary overview of habitat utilization. Asiatic
Herpetological Research 10:247-279.
Lim, B. L. 1963. Macrocalamus tweediei, a new speciesof Reed Snake from Malaya. Bulletin of the Nat.
Mus., Singapore 32:99-102, 1 Fig.
Lim, B. L. 1982. Poisonous snakes of Peninsular Malaysia. Second Edition, Malayan Nature Society inassociation with Institute for Medical research,Kuala Lumpur, 73 pp.
Lim, K. K. P. and L. J. Lim, 1999. The terrestrial herpetofauna of Pulau Tioman. Peninsular Malaysia.
Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement No. 6:131155.
Manthey, U. and W. Grossmann. 1997. Amphibien undReptilien Südostasiens. Natur und Tier-Verlag,Matthias Schmidt, Münster. 511 pp.
Stuebing, R. B. and R. F. Inger, 1999. A field guide to thesnakes of Borneo. Natural History Publications(Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. v + 254 pp.
Tweedie, M. W. F., 1983. The snakes of Malaya. 3rd
Edition. Singapore (National Printers Pte. Ltd.) 167
pp.

Vol. 10, p. 16