Coelognathus erythrurus erythrurus (Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854a)

Photo figure 37

Southern Philippine Rat Snake

Plagiodon erythrurus Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854:175 .

Spilotes melanurus, Günther, 1879:78 (Leyte).

Compsosoma melanurum var. manillensis, Müller, 1883:285 (Mindanao) .

Compsosoma melanurum var. erythrurum, Fischer, 1885:80, 101 (süd-Mindanao).— Boettger, 1886:108 (part: Leyte, Samar, Mindanao).

Coluber erythrurus, Boulenger, 1894:62 (part: northern Leyte).— Boettger, 1895:3, 5 (part: Leyte, Mindanao, Samar, Sulu [= Jolo]); 1898:54 (part: Samar).

Elaphe erythrura, Griffin, 1911:260 (part: northern Leyte, Samar).— Taylor, 1918a:260 (Bongao); 1922a:156 (part: Mindanao).— Leviton, 1979:108.

Elaphe erythrura erythrura, Smith, 1993:97 .— Gaulke, 1994b:140 (part).

Coelognathus erythrurus, Helfenberger 2001:52 .— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:169 (part).

Coelognathus erythrura erythrura, David, Pauwels, Lays, and Lenglet, 2006:215 .— Sanguila, Cobb, Siler, Diesmos Alcala, and Brown, 2016:92.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Java (in error), corrected to Samar Id., Philippines (see Leviton [1979:108, 110]). Lectotype: MNHN 7224, designated by Leviton [1979:103]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (Map 10A [p. 121]).— Basilan, Bohol, Camiguin Sur, Camotes Ids. (Pacijan, Poro), Dinagat, Leyte (Prov.: Leyte), Mindanao (Prov.: Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, South Cotabato, Davao, Maguindanao, Misamis Occidental, Sarangani, Zamboanga City), Samar (Prov.: Eastern Samar), Sulu Archipelago (Bongao, Jolo, Siasi). (See summary in David, Pauwels, Lays, and Lenglet [2006:215] [in part].)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Indonesia (Sulawesi, Butung) (see Remarks below).

REMARKS.— Leviton (1979:109) noted that specimens he had seen from Leyte, Samar, and eastern Mindanao appeared to have a more variegated mottled pattern on the tail than specimens he had seen from the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Sulu Archipelago, but because of the small sample size, he could not be sure how variable this might be. However, he also observed that in view of the differences seen among populations of other snakes inhabiting both eastern and western Mindanao (e.g., Cyclocorus nuchalis and Rhabdophis auriculara), and given the island’s past Pleistocene geological history, future investigations may indeed justify recognition of two taxa.

The population inhabiting the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Butung may represent a distinct subspecies, E. e. celebensis.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— The conservation status of Coelognathus erythrurus erythrurus has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List [2016] ver. 3.1, but IUCN notes that it is listed in the Catalogue of Life.