Pseudorabdion oxycephalum (Günther, 1858)

Gunther’s Dwarf Reed Snake; Negros Light-scaled Burrowing Snake

Rhabdosoma oxycephalum Günther, 1858:242 .

Oxycalamus oxycephalus, Günther, 1873:168, figs.— Boettger, 1886:105.— Casto de Elera, 1895:425.

Pseudorhabdium oxycephalum, Boulenger, 1894:329 .— Griffin, 1911:262.— Taylor, 1917:364; 1922a:179, fig. 14 (description after Boulenger, figs. after Günther [not Boulenger as stated]). Typhlogeophis brevis Günther, 1879:77 (type locality: Mindanao or Dinagat Island; type BMNH [not confirmed]).— Boettger, 1886:106.— Boulenger, 1894:351, pl. 20.— Griffin, 1911:262.— Taylor, 1922a:183, text-fig. 16, pl. 24, figs. 1–4 (description and figs. after Boulenger); 1922b:202 (comparison with T. ater); 1928:236.

Typhlogeophus brevis, Casto de Elera, 1895:425 (listed).

Pseudorabdion oxycephalum, Leviton and Brown (WC), 1959:487, figs. 3–4.— Brown, McGuire, Ferner, Icarangal Jr., and Kennedy, 2000:190, fig. 32.— Ferner, Brown, Sison, and Kennedy, 2001:53 [20].— Gaulke, 2011:309–310, fig. 210.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:596.— Supsup, Puna, Asis, Redoblado, Panaguinit, Guinto, Rico, Diesmos, Brown, and Mallari, 2016:169, fig. 32.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Philippines. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.1.99.

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (ENDEMIC) (Map 31b [p. 142]).— Cebu, Masbate, Negros (Prov.: Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental), Panay (Prov.: Aklan). Localities needing confirmation include: Calamianes Ids., Luzon (Prov.: Aurora, Bataan, Nucva Ecija), Mindanao or Dinagat Ids.

REMARKS.— This small, distinctive species of Pseudorabdion, once thought to be rare, has been found with increasing frequency on Negros Island. The species has been reported from other islands, Luzon (Casto de Elera [1895]), Mindanao or Dinagat (type of Typhlogeophis brevis Günther), and the Calamianes (specimen in the collection of CAS), but these records need confirmation.

Also, see Leviton and Brown (1959:487 et seq.) for a discusion of the status of Typhlogeophis brevis Günther, which was based on a single specimen said to have come from Mindanao or Dinagat islands, and was distinguished from P. oxycephalum in having its eyes “hidden” beneath the ocular scale.

Pseudorabdion oxycephalum, endemic to the Philippine Islands, does not appear to be close to Sulawesian or Bornean species. Indeed, its closest relative, P. montanum, is at present known only from the highlands on Negros Island.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.