AustralasianAustralasian JournalJournal ofof HerpetologyHerpetology ISSN 1836-5698 (Print) ISSN 1836-5779 (Online) ISSUEISSUE 49,49, PUBLISHEDPUBLISHED 66 AUGUSTAUGUST 20202020 2 Australasian Journal of Herpetology Australasian Journal of Herpetology ® Issue 49, 6 August 2020. Contents A new species of Ophioscincus Peters, 1873 (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) from south-east Queensland. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 3-4. A new subspecies of Jackyhosersaur Hoser, 2013 from north-west Australia. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 5-6. A new species of Tree Frog in the genus Shireenhoserhylea Hoser, 2020 from north Queensland, Australia. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 7-8. A new subspecies of Green Python (Serpentes: Pythonidae: Chondropython) from eastern New Guinea. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 9-12. Two new Death Adders (Serpentes: Elapidae: Acanthophis) from the New Guinea region. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 13-18. Four new species of Reed Snake from Peninsular Malaysia (Serpentes: Colubridae: Calamariinae). ... Raymond T. Hoser, 19-23. ISSN 1836-5698 (Print) A new species of Raclitia Gray (Serpentes, Homalopsidae) ISSN 1836-5779 (Online) from Peninsular Malaysia. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 24-25. A new subgenus and a new subspecies within the lizard genus Isopachys Lönnberg, 1916 (Squamata:Sauria: Scincomorpha). ... Raymond T. Hoser, 26-28. A new subspecies of Tropidonotus from Morotai Island, Indonesia. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 29. An overdue break up of the rodent genus Pseudomys into subgenera as well as the formal naming of four new species. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 30-41. An overdue break-up of the genus Pogonomys Milne-Edwards, 1877 (Mammalia: Muridae) into two genera and the formal naming of five long overlooked species. ... Raymond T. Hoser, 42-63. Australasian Journal of Herpetology ® Publishes original research in printed form in relation to reptiles, other fauna and related matters, including classification, ecology, public interest, legal, captivity, “academic misconduct”, etc. It is a peer reviewed printed journal published in hard copy for permanent public scientific record in accordance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Ride et al. 1999), with sizeable print run and global audience and high impact. Full details at: http://www.herp.net Copyright. All rights reserved. Online journals (this issue) do not appear for a month after the actual and listed publication date of the Hoser 2016 - Australasian Journal of Herpetology 40. printed journals. Minimum print run of first printings is at least fifty hard copies. Available online at www.herp.net Copyright- Kotabi Publishing - All rights reserved Australasian Journal of Herpetology 3 Australasian Journal of Herpetology 49:3-4. Published 6 August 2020. ISSN 1836-5698 (Print) ISSN 1836-5779 (Online) A new species of Ophioscincus Peters, 1873 (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) from south-east Queensland. LSIDURN:LSID:ZOOBANK.ORG:PUB:0EDDD409-98C1-4635-B9FE-66C7A5985137 RAYMOND T. HOSER LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:F9D74EB5-CFB5-49A0-8C7C-9F993B8504AE 488 Park Road, Park Orchards, Victoria, 3134, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9812 3322 Fax: 9812 3355 E-mail: snakeman (at) snakeman.com.au Received 6 August 2019, Accepted 17 August 2019, Published 6 August 2020. ABSTRACT A new species of Ophioscincus Peters, 1873 from south-east Queensland, Australia superficially similar to Ophioscincus ophioscincus (Boulenger, 1887) is formally described and named for the first time in accordance with the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Ride et al. 1999). Keywords: Lizards; reptilia; skink; Queensland; Australia; Ophioscincus; Mount Glorious; Brisbane; New species; paulwoolfi. INTRODUCTION (Ride et al. 1999) or later equivalent document. There are no Over some decades of fieldwork in south-east Queensland, conflicts of interest in terms of this paper. Australia, I have caught a number of skinks that were tentatively OPHIOSCINCUS PAULWOOLFI SP. NOV. identified and keyed out as Ophioscincus ophioscincus LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B49FC950-9207-46C5-865D- (Boulenger, 1887). 178803EC29D8 However in the relevant period, noticeable morphological Holotype: A preserved specimen in the Queensland Museum, differences between specimens found north of the Bundaberg Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Specimen number J85811 dry zone and south of the Bundaberg dry zone were self evident, collected from Mount Glorious, near Brisbane, Queensland, leading to a more detailed line of investigation. Australia, Latitude -27.33 S., Longitude 152.77 E. This MATERIALS AND METHODS government-owned facility allows access to its holdings. Revisiting the above situation and viewing more specimens in Paratypes: 1/ A preserved specimen in the Queensland Queensland during a field trip in mid 2019, led to the Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Specimen number inescapable conclusion that more than one species was J76933 from Enoggera Reservoir, near Brisbane, Queensland, involved. Australia, Latitude -27.45 S., Longitude 152.92 E. A review of the morphology of relevant specimens was 2/ A preserved specimen in the Queensland Museum, Brisbane, conducted as was a survey of regions of likely habitats and Queensland, Australia, Specimen number J2831 from Enoggera potential biogeographical barriers. Reservior, near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Latitude -27.45 RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS S., Longitude 152.92 E. The species group clearly included at least two species and 3/ A preserved specimen in the Queensland Museum, Brisbane, populations were well separated by dry zones of habitat not Queensland, Australia, Specimen number J18603, collected occupied by any relevant specimens. These dry zones are not of from Oxley Creek, Acacia Ridge, (Brisbane), Latitude -27.58 S., recent genesis and so I have concluded that the differences are Longitude 153.03 E. significant and of species level. Diagnosis: The species Ophioscincus paulwoolfi sp. nov. is The northern form is that which type specimen of Ophioscincus similar in most respects to Ophioscincus ophioscincus ophioscincus (Boulenger, 1887) is. (Boulenger, 1887) and would key as this species using the This means the southern form from the environs of Brisbane, diagnostic information in Cogger (2014), in particular the key on Queensland is that which until now has been undescribed. page 668. It is herein named as a new species, Ophioscincus paulwoolfi Ophioscincus paulwoolfi sp. nov. is readily separated from O. sp. nov.. ophioscincus (Boulenger, 1887) by having a less blunt tail end Little has been published to date on the species Ophioscincus (original tails). This is well rounded in O. ophioscincus versus ophioscincus (Boulenger, 1887). However literature consulted as somewhat pointed (but still blunt) in O. paulwoolfi sp. nov.. relevant to the conclusions herein included the following: O. paulwoolfi sp. nov. is further distinguished from O. Boulenger (1897), Cogger (2014), Cogger et al. (1983), Peters ophioscincus by colouration in life. (1874) and Wells and Wellington (1984, 1985). This includes by having indistinct light markings on the upper In terms of the description herein and this paper, the relevant surfaces of the flanks of the dark coloured tail, versus obvious new species name should not be altered by later authors unless yellow-spotting on purplish black in O. ophioscincus. The light mandated by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature yellowish brown upper surface of the head of O. paulwoolfi sp. Hoser 2020 - Australasian Journal of Herpetology 49:3-4. Available online at www.herp.net Copyright- Kotabi Publishing - All rights reserved 4 Australasian Journal of Herpetology nov. is heavily laden with purple markings, especially between Hoser, R. T. 2007. Wells and Wellington - It’s time to bury the the eyes, versus no such markings in O. ophioscincus. The hatchet. Calodema Supplementary Paper 1:1-9. upper surface of the neck of O. paulwoolfi sp. nov. has large Hoser, R. T. 2009. Creationism and contrived science: A review purplish black spots not seen in O. ophioscincus. The upper of recent python systematics papers and the resolution of issues surface of the body of O. paulwoolfi sp. nov. has a series of well- of taxonomy and nomenclature. Australasian Journal of defined purplish black spots forming four longitudinal lines down Herpetology 2:1-34. (3 February). the back. In O. ophioscincus these spots are tiny, making the Hoser, R. T. 2012a. Exposing a fraud! Afronaja Wallach, Wüster lines similarly indistinct. and Broadley 2009, is a junior synonym of Spracklandus Hoser Both O. paulwoolfi sp. nov. and O. ophioscincus are separated 2009! Australasian Journal of Herpetology 9 (3 April 2012):1-64. from all similar species of skink in eastern Australia by the Hoser, R. T. 2012b. Robust taxonomy and nomenclature based following unique suite of characters: No limbs, short obtuse on good science escapes harsh fact-based criticism, but snout, very small eye, lower eyelid scaly. Two loreals. Nostril remains unable to escape an attack of lies and deception. pierced in the anterior part of a large nasal; no supranasal; Australasian Journal of Herpetology 14:37-64. rostral protrudes between the nasals, forming a suture with the Hoser, R. T. 2013. The science of herpetology is built on frontonasal, which forms a broad suture with the frontal; evidence, ethics, quality publications and strict compliance with prefrontals very small and widely separated; frontal broader than the rules of nomenclature. Australasian Journal of Herpetology long, forming a suture with the