Asiatic

April 1990

Herpetological ResearchVol. 3, pp. 101-103

The Validity of Elaphe perlacea, a Rare Endemic Snake fromSichuan Province, Chinaermi Zhao

1

^Chengdu Institute of Biology, P.O. Box 416, Academia Sinica, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Key Words:

Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae, Elaphe perlacea, China, Sichuan,endemic, taxonomic

validity.

Introduction

lower labials in contact with the anterior2) Dorsal scales of the maleare smooth, only the posterior 2 to 3 middle
rows are slightly keeled;
3) slight
modification of the dorsal head patternchin shield;

Recently Schulz (1989) reported on thevalidity of the specific status of Elaphe

perlacea Stejneger, 1929. Schulz (1989)
concluded, "Since data appear to be chiefly
within the range of E. mandarina, E.
perlacea is supposed to be placed in a
subspecies rank of E. mandarina pointing
out that further investigations may revealthat it is even a variety only." Elaphe
perlacea is an endemic to Sichuan Province,China. For fifty years after the descriptionof Elaphe perlacea by Stejneger (1929) nospecimens

werefound.

Many(Fig. 1).

Elaphe perlacea differs from E.
mandarina (Cantor) in many ways. E.
mandarina has: 1) 23 scale rows on theneck and mid-body, 19 or 21 before thevent;2)

Two anterior temporal scales

Amuch different(occasionally one); 3)
dorsal pattern. Thus, Elaphe perlacea is avalid species.

herpetologists including those of China

On a field trip during May of 1989 I
to Hailuo Gou one of the new
localities. On the way we passed through adoubted its validity.

wentIn the last ten years three additional

specimens have been found in Sichuan
Province (Table 1, 2).
Two of theseand88-3) werespecimens (80-1, 87-2,examined by me. All three specimens havea dorsal scale formula of 19-19-17, 7 upperlabials (the third and fourth entering theeye), one preocular, two post oculars, 1+2
temporals, and a divided anal. Both thescale counts and the patterns are similar toThe new material differsfrom that of the type in having: 1) Four
those of the type.

small town, Moxi. In the market wereseveral Elaphe perlacea skins. Thissuggests that this snake is common in thisarea.

The type locality of Elaphe perlacea is

Yachow Prefecture (Ya'an Prefecture),

Locality

isanimprecise locality since a prefecture is quite
large. The two new localities are not in thisprefecture but are close toTABLE 1. Elaphe perlacea specimens found in Sichuan recenUy.

Sex, Number

ThisSichuan Province, China.

Altitude (m)it.

The newVol. 3, p. 102

Asiatic Herpetological Research

TABLE 2. Scale counts of Elaphe perlacea Stejneger, 1929.

SexApril 1990

April 1990

Chinese Herpetological Research

localities are:Elev. 2000 and 2500 m,Hailuo Gou, Luding County, Garze Zang
Autonomous Prefecture, and Elev. 2000 m,Wolong, Wenchuan County, Aba (Ngawa)
Zang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan
Province, China (Fig. 2). As presently
understood Elaphe perlacea is endemic toSichuan Province, China, and only occurs
in the foot hills of the Himalayan Plateau
directly west of the Sichuan Basin.

Vol. 3, p. 103

Literature Cited

SCHULZ, K.-D.

1989.

Die hinterasiatischen

Kletternattern der Gattung

Elaphe Teil XVIElaphe perlacea Stejneger, 1929 Sauria, BerlinW., 11(2):15-16.
1929. A new snake from China,
Proceedings of the Biological Society ofWash.ngton 42:129-130.

Stejneger, L.