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behaviors.- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, canadian Journal of Zoology, Ottawa; 82: 889-896. Berlin; 64: 205-213. HEfliN , B. & Y OuNg , l. & TOlEdO , l. f. & H AddAd , c. f. B. (20 09): colors and lONdRAvillE , R. l. (2009): Short-term cycling of skin some morphological traits as defensive mechanisms in colouration in the blackspotted rockskipper anurans.- international Journal of Zoology, New York; Entomacrodus striatus .- Journal of fish Biology, 2009: 1-12. uMBERS , K. d. l. ( 2013): On the percep - london; 74: 1635-1641. HETTYEY , A. & H ERcZEg , g. tion, production and function of blue colouration in & l AuRilA , A. & c ROcHET , P-A. & M ERilA , J. (2009): .- Journal of Zoology, london; 289: 229–242. Body temperature, size, nuptial colouration and mating WEllS , K. d. (1980): Social behavior and communica - success in male moor frogs ( Rana arvalis ).- Amphibia- tion of a dendrobatid frog ( Colostethus tri nitatus ).- Reptilia, leiden; 30: 37-43. HuTcHiNSON , v. H. & Herpeto logica, lawrence; 36:189-199. duPRé , R. K. (1992): Thermoregulation. pp. 206-249. KEYWORdS: Amphibia: Anura: Alytidae, in: fEdER , M. E. & B uRggREN , W . W. (Eds): Discoglossus scovazzi , blue coloration, rapid color Environmental Physiology of the Amphibians. chicago change, stress-induced color change, physiology, (university of chicago Press). KiNg , R. B. & K iNg , B. behaviour, Morocco (1991): Sexual differences in color and color change in woodfrogs.- canadian Journal of Zoology, Ottawa; 69: SuBMiTTEd: february 11, 2014 1963-1968. KiNg , R. B. & H Auff , S. & P HilliPS , J. B. AuTHORS: Roberto gARcíA -R OA (correspond- (1994): Physiological color change in the green ing author < [email protected] >) 1) ; Ernesto Treefrog: responses to background brightness and tem - REcuERO 2) ; Paloma MAS -P EiNAdO 3, 4) perature.- copeia, Washington; 1994: 422-432. lANTZ , 1) department of Evolutionary Ecology. l. A. (1947): Note on Discoglossus in captivity.- Pro- National Museum of Natural Science – Spanish ceedings of the Royal Society, london; (B) 134: 52-56. Resarch council (MNcN-cSic). José gutiérrez lóPEZ , P. & g ABiROT , M. & M ARTíN , J. (2009): Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain. immune challenge affects sexual coloration of male 2) departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversi- iberian wall .- Journal of Experimental Zoology, dad, instituto de Ecología, universidad Nacional New York; (A) 311: 96-104. MAcEdONiA , J. M. & Autónoma de México, Ap. Postal 70-275, ciudad lAPPiN , A. K. & l OEW , E. R. & M cguiRE , J. A. & universitaria, México df, 04510, Mexico. HAMilTON , P. S. & P lASMAN , M. & B RANdT , Y. & 3) department of Biodiversity and Evolutive lEMOS -E SPiNAl , J. A. & K EMP , d. J. (2009): conspic- Ecology. National Museum of Natural Science – uousness of dickerson’s collared ( Crotaphytus Spanish Resarch council (MNcN-cSic). José guti- dickersonae ) through the eyes of conspecifics and érrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain. predators.- Biological Journal of the linnean Society, 4) instituto de Estudios ceutíes. Paseo del london; 97: 749-765. MARTíN , J. & f ORSMAN , A. (1999): Social costs and development of nuptial col - Revellín, 30. Apartado de correos 593, 51080 ceuta, oration in male Psammodromus algirus lizards: an Spain. experiment.- Behavioral Ecology, Oxford; 10: 396- 400. MARTíN , J.& l óPEZ , P . (1999): Nuptial coloration and mate guarding affect escape decisions of male lizards Psammodromus algirus .- Ethology, Berlin; 105: further confirmation for 439-447. MARTíNEZ -S OlANO , i. (2009): Sapillo pintojo mediterráneo – Discoglossus pictus . pp. 1-13. in: rhodorachis (JAN , 1865), SAlvAdOR , A. & M ARTíNEZ -S OlANO , i. (Eds.): Enci- from india, with a note on feeding clopedia virtual de los vertebrados Españoles. Madrid (Museo Nacional de ciencias Naturales). MillS , M. g. on Cyrtodactylus fasciolatus & P ATTERSON , l . B. (2009): Not just black and white: (BlYTH , 1861) Pigment pattern development and evolution in verte - brates.- Seminars in cell & developmental Biology, london; 20: 72-81. NiElSEN , H. i. (1978): The effect The Platyceps is repre - of stress and adrenaline on the color of Hyla cinerea sented by 15 worldwide ( uETZ & and Hyla arborea .- general and comparative HOšEK 2013), among them, P. ventromacu - Endocrinology, Orlando; 36: 543-552. NiSHiOKA , M. & uEdA , H. (1985): Blue variants in Hyla arborea japon - latus (g RAY , 1834) , P. ladacensis (A NdER- ica .- Scientific Report of the laboratory for Amphibian SON , 1871) and P. rhodorachis (JAN , 1865) Biology, Hiroshima; 7: 181-197. RivERA , X. & were rep orted from india ( KHAN 1997; W HiT - ARRiBAS , O. & M ARTi , f. (2 001): Revisión de anom - alías pigmentarias en los anfibios de la Península AKER & c APTAiN 2004; d AS 2012 ). Platy - ibérica y de Europa.- Butlletí de la Societat catalana ceps ventromaculatus is rather distinctive in d’Herpeto logia, Barcelona; 15: 59-75. SAPORiTO , R. A. morphology and in habits low elevation & Z uERcHER , R. & R OBERTS , M.& g EROW , K. g. & areas ( WHiT AKER & c APTAiN 2004). Platy - dONNEllY , M. A . (2007): Experi mental evidence for aposematism in the dendrobatid poison frog Oophaga ceps ladacensis and P. rhodorachis are pumilio .- copeia, Washington; 2007 (4): 1006-1011. closely related and the former was often re- SKöld , H. N. & A SPENgREN , S. & W AlliN , M. (2012): garded a subspecies of P. rhodorachis (AN - Rapid color change in fish and amphibians – function, dERSON 1896; l A Tifi 1985; u ETZ & H OšEK regulation, and emerging applications.- Pigment cell & 2013). Recently ScHäTTi et al. (2013) de - Melanoma Research, København; 26: 29-38. STEgEN , J. c. & g iENgER , c. M. & S uN , l. (2004): The control scribed hybridization between P. rhodora - of color change in the Pacific tree frog, Hyla regilla .- chis and P. karelini in their common range. AutorenPdf-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:50 Seite 22

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Platyceps rhodorachis (JAN , 1865) is a few Eucalyptus trees and shrubs and sparse species complex known for its high vari - grass. The region may have been covered ability in color pattern throughout its distri - by dry deciduous forests ( cHAMPiON & bution range ( WERNER 1971; S cHäTTi & SETH 1968). ScHMiTZ 2006). its members are slender An individual of P. rhodorachis (total and agile of up to 130 cm in length length ca. 95 cm; fig. 1) was spotted at (ScHlEicH et al. 1996). Their biology is 15:22 h moving from one rock crevice to the poorly known, apart from the fact that they other located about 3 m above ground. The are diurnal or crepuscular and inhabit snake was identified by its dorsal color pat - extremely dry and rocky areas ( AMR & d iSi tern based on descriptions given in MiNTON 2011). has not yet (1966), S cHäTTi & S cHMiTZ (2006) and been assessed for the iucN Red list due to uETZ & H OšEK (2013) and comparison with paucity of data. photographs in uETZ & H OšEK (2013). Platyceps rhodorachis is reported The snake’s movements were watched from , , , Su dan, South- from about 8 m distance. At 15:24 h the , , , , snake tried to enter a rock crevice but sud - , , , , uzbeki- denly turned back holding a (total stan, Kazakh stan, , body length ca.10 cm; fig. 1) at the neck. and ( uETZ & H OšEK 2013). in The gecko was identified as Cryto dactylus Pakistan, there are records from sea level to fasciolatus (BlYTH , 1861) by its greyish- 2,300 m a.s.l. in the northern and north- brown dorsum with a series of dark brown western sub-Himalayas, Sulaiman and irregular edged bands extending up to tail Kirther Ranges, Salt Range Tableland, according to the information in vASudEvAN Makran coast, chitral, dir and Swat regions & S ONdHi (2010). This lizard is en demic to (KHAN 1986, 1997; K HAN & K HAN 2000 ). the western Himalayas ( ANNANdAlE 1914; The southeasternmost localities men - vASudEvAN & S ONdHi 2010) where it is tioned for this snake species include known from the hills of Shimla (Subalhu), Siwaliks in Kashmir and uttar Pradesh in Kumaon, Almora ( BlYlH 1861; A NNANdAlE india and Nepal ( KHAN 1997; S cHäTTi & 1914; S MiTH 1935 ) and garhwal between ScHMiTZ 2006). How ever, KHAN (1997) did 600 and 1,800 m a.s.l. ( HuSAiN & R AY 1993). not provide precise data on the indian spec - The predatory act began at 15:24 h and imen or locality and ScHäTTi & S cHMiTZ lasted for about five minutes, during which (2006) just discussed the alleged presence neither of the animals emitted any sound. of P. rhodorachis in uttar Pradesh. Thus, during the first four minutes, the snake did the only known authentic record of P. not try to swallow the prey; it firmly seized rhodorachis in this area refers to a specimen the gecko at the neck and remained motion - of P. r. kashmirensis (K HAN & K HAN , 2000) less for approximately 80 seconds. in the from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan (33° 30’ N, beginning, the gecko wriggled for several 74° 00’ E; 1,315 m a.s.l.; KHAN & K HAN seconds, while predator and prey were still 2000; u ETZ & H OšEK 2013). However, P. perched on the rock. The snake kept the rhodorachis was not included in the faunal gecko immobilized holding its head and exe - list of Himachal Pradesh by SAiKiA et al. cuted contraction movements with the body. (2007). After two minutes of continuous firm grasp As part of a cumulative environmen - by the snake, the lizard was flaccid, partially tal impact assessment on hydroelectric paralyzed (compare the mild toxic effect of projects along the Sutlej River Basin, the bite to prey animals described by PERRY undertaken by the Sálim Ali centre for Or - 1988). The gecko never showed any defen - nithology and Natural History (SAcON), sive behavior such as tail display or autoto - coimbatore, the authors surveyed for rep - my. About 40 seconds later (15:26 h), the tiles in luhri, Himachal Pradesh (31° 20’ snake tried to crush/squeeze the head of its 367” N and 77° 26’ 121” E; 825 m a.s.l.) prey. After successive contortion, at 15:27 h about 300 m off the road in the Sutlej River the snake started ingesting the prey from the Basin on March 21, 2013. The area was head, which took two minutes. The whole rocky, devoid of thick vegetation, barring a action took place on the rocks above the AutorenPdf-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:50 Seite 23

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fig. 1: Platyceps rhodorachis (JAN , 1865) feeding on Crytodactylus fasciolatus (BlYTH , 1861) in the Sutlej River Basin, Himachal Pradesh, india.

ground. during three minutes subsequent to (indian institute of Science-centre for Eco logical the swallowing, the snake entered and left Sciences) for pre-peer review of the manuscript. four more crevices, presumably to find REfERENcES: AMR , Z. S. & d iSi , A. M. another prey, and then went out of sight. (2011): Systematics, distribution and ecology of the snakes of .- vertebrate Zoology, frankfurt a. M.; The alleged report of ScHäTTi & 61 (2): 179-266. ANdERSON , J. (1896): A contribution ScHMiTZ (2006) along with the present con - to the herpetology of Arabia with a preliminary list of firmation of P. rhodorachis extends the the and batrachains of . london (Taylor known distribution range from Azad Kash- and francis), pp. 117. ANNANdAlE , N. (1914): The indian of the genus Gymnodactylus .- Records mir (K HAN & K HAN 2000 ) to luhri, Sutlej of the indian Museum, calcutta; 9 (5): 325. BlYTH , E . River, Himachal Pradesh, which is about (1861): Proceedings of the society. Report of the cura - 400 km in linear distance. tor.- Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, calcutta; 29 (1860): 87-115. cHAMPiON , H. g. & S ETH , S. K. Platyceps rhodorachis is known to (1968): A revised survey of the forest types of india. feed on fishes, toads (including tadpoles), New delhi (department of forest, government of lizards, snakes, birds and mammals ( lE- india publication), pp. xxiii, 404. cuNNiNgHAM , P. l. viTON et al . 1992; g AllAgHER 1993; (2000): cannibalism in a captive Coluber rhodorachis (JAN , 1865).- Herpetozoa, Wien; 13: 192. cuNNiNg - ScHlEicH et al . 1996; J ONgBlOEd 2000; HAM , P. l. (2001): Tadpoles included in the diet of cuNNiNg HAM 2001; M uldER 2002; A MR & Coluber rhodorachis (JAN , 1865).- Herpetozoa, Wien; diSi 2011 ); cannibalism was observed in cap - 14: 173. dAS , i. (2012): checklist of the reptiles of tivity ( cuNNiNgHAM 2000). india, current 31 december 2011; pp: 63-80. in: duTTA , S. K. (Ed.): compendium on the occasion of AcKNOWlEdgMENTS: The authors thank dST 5th School in Herpetology. 24th february – 10th the Himachal Pradesh forest department and directors March 2012. in memory of J. c. dANiEl (July 9, 1927 of SAcON, icfRE and HfRi, for providing facilities – August 23, 2011). North Orissa university, Sriram and support to undertake the cumulative environmental chandra vihar, Takatpur, Baripada, Odisha-757003. impact assessment in the Sutlej River Basin, Himachal gAllAgHER , M. (1993): Snakes of the Arabian gulf Pradesh. Also, the authors would like to thank the and Oman, 3rd edition. Muscat (Mazoon Printing director of Wii for support, indraneil dAS (university Press), pp. 16. HuSAiN , A. & R AY , P. (1993): first of Malaysia, Sarawak), for supplying literature and record of Cyrtodactylus fasciolatus (BlYTH ), the Bent- Karthikeyan vASudEvAN (cSiR-centre for cellular toed Banded gecko (Sauria: gekkonida: gekkoninae) and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad), for suggestions from garhwal Hills.- Journal of the Bombay Natural and support, and are grateful to deepak vEERAPPAN History Society, Bombay; 90 (3): 518. JAN , g. (1865): AutorenPdf-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:50 Seite 24

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Rettili; pp. 352-357. in: dE filiPPi , f . (Ed.): Note di un SuBMiTTEd: february 20, 2014 viaggio in Persia nel 1862. vol. 1. Milano (g. daelli), AuTHORS: chinnasamy RAMESH (correspon- pp. xi, 396. JONgBlOEd , M. (2000): Wild about rep - ding author < [email protected] >) 1, 2) , Balraj tiles. london (Barkers Trident communications), pp. SHANTHAKuMAR 1) , Arun P. RAMAcHANdRAN 1) , AN 116. KH , M. S. (1986): A noteworthy collection of Ramapurath Kozhummal SONY 1) , Murugesan amphibians and reptiles from North- Western Punjab, MARuTHAKuTTi 1) , Abhijit dAS 2) & Subramanian Pakistan.- The Snake, Nittagun; 18: 118-125. KHAN , BHuPATHY 1) M. S. (1997): Taxonomic notes on Pakistani snakes of the Coluber karelini-rhodorachis -ventromaculatus 1) Sálim Ali centre for Ornithology and Natural species complex: A new approach to the problem.- History, Anaikatty (PO), coimbatore 641 108, Tamil Asiatic Herpetological Research, Berkeley; 7: 51-60. Nadu, india KHAN , M. S. & K HAN , A. Q. (2000): Three new sub - 2) Wildlife institute of india, Post Box # 18, species of snakes of genus Coluber from Pakistan.- chandrabani, dehadun 248 001, uttarakhand, india . Pakistan Journal of Zoology, lahore; 32(1):49-52. lATifi , M . (1985): The snakes of iran. Teheran (department of the Environment), pp 157. lEviTON , A. E. & A NdERSON , S. c. & A dlER , K. & M iNTON , S. A. (1992): Handbook to Middle East amphibians and rep - tiles. Oxford (SSAR - Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles), pp. vi, 252. MiNTON , S. A. Jr. (1966): A contribution to the herpetology of West Pakistan.- Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, New York; 134: 29-184. MuldER , J. (2002): The Thread snake, Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus (Reptilia: leptotyphlopidae) as a presumed prey item for the racer Coluber rhodorachis (Reptilia: ).- Zoology in the Middle East, Heidelberg, london; 26: 89-92. PERRY , g. (1988): Mild toxic effects resulting from the bites of Jan’s desert racer, Coluber rhodorachis , and Moila’s snake, Malpolon moilensis (Ophidia: colubridae).- Toxicon, Oxford; 26 (6): 523-524. SAiKiA , u. & S HARMA , d. K. & S HARMA , R. M. (2007): checklist of the reptilian fauna of Himachal Pradesh, india.- Rap: South Asian Reptile Network Newsletter, coimbatore; 8: 6-9. ScHlEicH , H. H. & K äSTlE , W. & K ABiScH , K. (1996): Amphibians and reptiles of North Africa.- Königstein (Koeltz Scientific Books), pp 627. ScHäTTi , B. & ScHMiTZ , A. (2006): Re-assessing Platyceps ventro - maculatus (gRAY , 1834) (Reptilia: : colu- brinae).- Revue Suisse de Zoologie, ; 113 (4): 747-768. ScHä ̈TTi , B. & K ucHARZEWSKi , c. & M ASROOR , R. & RASTEgAR POuYANi , E . (2013): Platyceps karelini (BRANdT , 1838) from iran to Pakistan and revalidation of Coluber chesneii MARTiN , 1838 (Reptilia: Squa- mata: ).- Revue Suisse de Zoologie, genève; 119 (4): 441-483. SMiTH , M. A. (1935): fauna of British india, including ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. vol. ii - Sauria. london (Taylor and francis), pp. xiii, 440. uETZ , P. & H OšEK , J. ( Eds. ) (2013): Platyceps rhodorachis . The . WWW document available at: http://reptile-database. reptarium.cz/species?genus=Platyceps&species= rhodorachis. [last accessed on October 20, 2014]. vASudEvAN , K. & S ONdHi , S . (2010): Amphibians and reptiles of uttarakhand, india. dehradun (Wildlife institute of india), pp. xiv, 94. WERNER , Y. l. (1971): lizards and snakes from Trans-Jordan, recently acquired by the British Museum (Natural History).- Zoology, Amsterdam, etc.; 21: 215-256. WHiTAKER R. & c APTAiN , A. (2004): Snakes of india, the field guide. chennai (draco Books), pp. xiv, 481. KEY WORdS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: colubridae; Platyceps rhodorachis Cyrtodactylus fas - ciolatus , ecology, behavior, predation, saurophagy, extension of known range, new record, Western Himalayas, india