Journal of Animal Diversity Online ISSN 2676-685X Volume 2, Issue 2 (2020) Research Article http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/JAD.2020.2.2.1 On the distribution of Cantor's Kukri snake Oligodon cyclurus (Cantor, 1839) (Squamata: Colubridae) from Nepal Aklesh Kumar Sah1, Bivek Gautam2 , Santosh Bhattarai3* 1Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal 2Biodiversity Research and Conservation Society, Kathmandu, Nepal 3National Trust for Nature Conservation-Biodiversity Conservation Center, Ratnanagar-06, Sauraha, Chitwan-44204, Nepal * Corresponding author : [email protected] Abstract The distribution of Cantor's Kukri Snake Oligodon cyclurus has been poorly documented in its geographic range from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. We provide Received: 29 March 2020 confirmed locality records with notes on some aspects of natural history Accepted: 17 May 2020 information for O. cyclurus. Although the species is designated as Least Published online: 30 June 2020 Concern according to IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, the species is facing multiple threats like roadkills and vindictive killing. We suggest a more detailed inventory to better understand its biology, distribution patterns, population status and molecular identity to aid in a more comprehensive global conservation action. Key words: Reptile, Oligodon, distribution, natural history, Nepal Introduction and Ray, 1936 (Schleich and Kästle, 2002; Shah and Tiwari, 2004; Pandey, 2012; Globally, the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, Bhattarai et al., 2017a; Bhattarai et al., 1826 is comprised of 79 currently known 2018; Gautam et al., 2020; Rawat et al., species (Uetz et al., 2019; Nguyen et al., 2020). 2020). These snakes are primarily distributed in South and South-east Asia The earlier records of the Cantor's Kukri (Nguyen et al., 2020) and commonly snake, O. cyclurus from Nepal were either known as Kukri snakes; having enlarged doubtful (see Kästle et al.; 2013) or posterior maxillary teeth that resemble an mentioned its occurrence in Nepal without indigenous Nepalese Khukuri knife. Nepal locality records (see Shrestha, 2001). is known to have five species of the Kukri Later, Pandey (2015) reported O. cyclurus snakes belonging to the genus Oligodon. in Nepal based on a photo voucher from The currently known species of Oligodon South-eastern Nepal (Bhattarai et al., in Nepal are O. albocinctus (Cantor, 1839), 2017b). O. arnensis (Shaw, 1802), O. cyclurus Here-in, we provide confirmed locality (Cantor, 1839), O. erythrogaster records and natural history observations of Boulenger, 1907, and O. kheriensis Acharji O. cyclurus from Nepal. This article is published with open access on www.jad.lu.ac.ir | © Lorestan University Press 1 Aklesh Kumar Sah et al. 2 Material and Methods were measured with thread and later scaled to a measuring tape; and scale counts were We recorded two individuals of O. taken following Nguyen et al. (2020). The cyclurus from altered habitats: the first characters measured are: snout to vent individual was recorded on 25 April 2019 length (SVL)- measured from the tip of the as a road killed specimen during snout to the vent; tail length (TaL)- biodiversity assessment in the Pathari- measured from the vent to the tip of the Shanischare forest patch (26°39'39.17"N, tail; eye diameter (EyeL)- maximum 87°32'57.47"E) in Morang district (Fig. 1). horizontal length of the eye; interorbital The total length of the badly crushed distance (IOD)- the shortest distance individual was 690 mm, and we could not between the eyes; internarial distance count the scales of the road killed (IND)- distance between the two nostrils; individual but could observe the color and supralabials (SL)- number of scales on some patterns on the body. Later, on 9 upper lip; ventral scales (VS)- number of December 2019, we recorded another scales from the second ventral scale specimen of O. cyclurus from an posterior to gulars to the vent excluding agricultural field in Ranjani village cloacal plate; subcaudal scales (SC)- (26°29'15.62"N, 87°27'57.50"E), Morang, number of paired subcaudal scales Nepal (Fig. 1) when a woman was bitten excluding the terminal scute; midbody by the same specimen while collecting scale rows (MSR)- number of scale rows at grasses from the field. Upon notice, the midbody; number of preocular scales first author approached the victim and (PrO); number of postocular scales (PtO). collected the snake which was already killed by the victim believing it to be a A Nikon- P900 digital camera with 83X venomous snake. optical zoom was used for the photographic record, description of colors, We preserved the dead specimens in 70% and patterns. ethanol. The body measurements (in mm) Figure 1: Map shows the previous and new records of Oligodon cyclurus from Nepal. Journal of Animal Diversity (2020) | © Lorestan University Press On the distribution of Cantor's Kukri snake Oligodon cyclurus (Cantor, 1839) (Squamata: Colubridae) from Nepal Results and Discussion mm; MSR 19; VS 168; SC 36 (divided); SL 8 (4th and 5th in contact with the eye); For the first (road-killed) specimen, from EyeL 3 mm; IOD 7 mm; IND 6 mm; PrO Pathari-Kanepokhari road segment of east- 2; and PtO 2. The cream-colored vertebral west national highway, we could measure streak ran from the base of the head to the the total length as 690 mm. We observed tail tip. The ventral scales exhibited black the dorsal streak from the head to the tail dots which were more prominent towards tip. The morphological characters for the the posterior end. However, such dots were second female specimen were: smooth absent in the subcaudal scales (Figs. 2 and scales; head short and not distinct from 3). neck; round pupils; SVL 580 mm; TaL 80 Figure 2: Road-killed specimen of Oligodon cyclurus recorded from Pathari-Kanepokhari road segment, Morang, Nepal. Photo by Bivek Gautam. A B Figure 3: Dorsal (A) and ventral view (B) of Oligodon cyclurus recorded from Ranjani village, Morang, Nepal. Photo by Bivek Gautam. Journal of Animal Diversity (2020), 2 (2): 1–7 | www.jad.lu.ac.ir 3 Aklesh Kumar Sah et al. 4 As Nepal is home to five species of specimen was found from an agricultural Oligodon, O. cyclurus differs from O. habitat mosaic where wheat cropping was albocinctus and O. arnensis in not having practiced (Fig. 4B). cross bands. O. kheriensis is a uniform red Our records, both dead specimens of O. colored snake while O. cyclurus has cyclurus show that the species has direct variable color patterns. O. cyclurus has a threats on its populations. Pandey (2015) larger body size than O. erythrogaster with mentioned the record of O. cyclurus from a a white dorsal streak while O. snake bite treatment center by a snakebite erythrogaster has a brown vertebral stripe. victim and it is likely that people in the The earlier records of O. erythrogaster are area are frequently bitten and kill the from hills with an elevational range from species whenever they encounter it 1500–2000 m (Schleich and Kästle, 2002) believing it to be venomous; despite the while O. cyclurus is restricted to lower fact that only 17 species of snakes in Nepal elevations. are venomous (Sharma et al., 2013). Smith (1943) mentions the occurrence of five forms of O. cyclurus in its distribution Conclusion range with morphological variations and The conservation activities of any wildlife four forms are intergraded into each other. species in Nepal are mainly targeted in Our specimens with dark squarish spots on Protected Areas only. Our records of O. the outer margins of the ventrals cyclurus is ca. 50 km east of the nearest correspond to form I (Smith, 1943) and Protected Area (Koshi Tappu Wildlife only differ from it by having a mid-dorsal Reserve) suggest that the citizen science whitish streak from base of the head to tail conservation initiative (eg. distribution of tip. Our specimens also differ from the photographic guides, posters or booklets of form III by not having dark cross-bars on local snake fauna) provided to the farmers, the body. Our specimens also differ from school and college students with basic O. taeniolatus in having a larger body size identification tools and ecosystem and a mid-dorsal scale count of 19 functions of snakes would be instrumental compared to O. taeniatus with 15. for the conservation of snakes. According to Smith (1943) form I is well distributed from the whole of Myanmar to O.cyclurus has been enlisted as of Least Assam, India with fairly common Concern (LC) in the IUCN Red list distribution inhabiting plains and lower category with population trends being hills. Our records from Morang, Nepal are unknown and it is treated as a species in part of the plains of Eastern Himalaya. group (David et al., 2012). Therefore, we suggest a collection-based detailed Habitat, natural history and threats inventory of this secretive snake in Nepal The genus Oligodon is a highly secretive to ascertain its identity based on molecular and nocturnal snake (Tillack and Günther, evidence. 2009) and O. cyclurus is likely to have a wide distribution and tolerance of modified Acknowledgements habitats and agricultural fields (Stuart, We would like to thank Biodiversity 2010; Das and Das, 2017). Both of our Research and Conservation Society observations are from altered habitats, also (BRCS), Shailung Green Society and corresponding to Stuart (2010). The National Trust for Nature Conservation associated habitat of the first specimen was (NTNC), Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal for road-side Sal (Shorea robusta) mixed logistic support in the field and Pathari- forest where ground cover was mainly Shanischare Municipality, Morang, Nepal dominated by an invasive weed Ageratum for financial support to Bivek Gautam for sp. (Fig. 4A). Similarly, the second Journal of Animal Diversity (2020) | © Lorestan University Press On the distribution of Cantor's Kukri snake Oligodon cyclurus (Cantor, 1839) (Squamata: Colubridae) from Nepal biodiversity assessment of the Pathari- comments and suggestions.