Ahaetulla borealis

The northern Western Ghats vine snake (Ahaetulla borealis), is a species of tree snake endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India.[1][2][3]

Northern Western Ghats vine snake
In Amboli, Maharashtra
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Ahaetulla
Species:
A. borealis
Binomial name
Ahaetulla borealis
Mallik, Srikanthan, Pal, Princia D'Souza, Shanker, and Ganesh, 2020

Taxonomy

It was formerly considered conspecific with A. nasuta, which is now considered to only be endemic to Sri Lanka. A 2020 study found A. nasuta to be a species complex of A. nasuta sensu stricto as well as A. borealis, A. farnsworthi, A. isabellina, and A. malabarica.[1]

Geographic range

This species is one of the most widespread of Western Ghats Ahaetulla, ranging from Sirsi, Karnataka north to Matheran, Maharashtra. Near the southern edge of its range it is flanked by A. farnsworthi, from which it is likely separated by the Sharavathi River basin.[1]

Habitat

It is found in low-to-mid-elevation moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests at a mean sea level of 300 - 750.[1]

References
  1. Mallik, Ashok Kumar; Srikanthan, Achyuthan N.; Pal, Saunak P.; D’souza, Princia Margaret; Shanker, Kartik; Ganesh, Sumaithangi Rajagopalan (2020-11-06). "Disentangling vines: a study of morphological crypsis and genetic divergence in vine snakes (Squamata: Colubridae: Ahaetulla ) with the description of five new species from Peninsular India". Zootaxa. 4874 (1): 1–62. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4874.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334.
  2. Staff Reporter (2020-11-14). "New species of vine snakes discovered". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  3. "The discovery of five new species of vine snakes in India". phys.org. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
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