Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 549-551 (2020) (published online on 08 July 2020) New distribution record of Rhabdophis subminiatus (Schlegel, 1837; Squamata, Colubridae) from Madhupur National Park, Tangail, Bangladesh Ashikur R. Shome1, Mohammad Firoj Jaman1, Md. Fazle Rabbe1, Azizul I. Barkat1, and Md. Mahabub Alam1,* Red-necked Keelback, Rhabdophis subminiatus has a Act, 2012. The individuals matched the characteristics wide distribution including Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, available in published literature (Kamruzzaman, 2009; China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Hasan et al., 2014; Khan, 2018) with greenish or olive Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam brown upper parts and yellowish under parts. The neck (Fig. 2) (Soud and Mojumder, 2007; IUCN Bangladesh, was reddish, which is typical for the species. Juveniles 2015; Uetz et al., 2019). In Bangladesh, R. subminiatus occurs in mixed evergreen forests of the northeast and southeast part of the country (Hasan et al., 2014; IUCN Bangladesh, 2015). This species dwells in forest clearings, open lands, marshes, swamps, grasslands, cultivated areas, and bank of streams, rivers and ponds (Hasan et al., 2014). It is active both during the day and at night (Das, 2010). It feeds on frogs, toads, lizards and small mammals (Mohammadi and Hill, 2012; Hasan et al., 2014). This species is listed as Near Threatened in Bangladesh (IUCN Bangladesh, 2015). During our survey in Madhupur National park, Tangail, Bangladesh (24.6936°N, 90.1134°E; Datum WGS84) on 21 March and 18 May 2019, we found an adult and sub-adult individual of R. subminiatus at the nearly same place. Identification followed Hasan et al. (2014) and was later confirmed by Professor Dr. Monirul Hossain Khan (Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh). A photographic evidence was deposited at the Professor Md. Kazi Zaker Husain Museum, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh (photographic voucher numbers W24001). We did not collect the species as it is protected under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Figure 2. Map of Bangladesh (in grey) indicating known localities for Rhabdophis subminiatus. (1) Chittagong district; (2) Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar (3) Milonchari Hillside Resort, Bandarban; (4) Lawachara National Park, Moulvibazar; 1 Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, (5) Altadighi National Park, Naogaon; and (6) Madhupur Bangladesh. National Park, Tangail. The inset map shows the distribution * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] of the species in Southeast Asia (according to IUCN). 550 Ashikur R. Shome et al. Figure 1. Rhabdophis subminiatus from Madhupur National Park, Tangail, Bangladesh. (A) Sub-adult and (B) adult. Photographic voucher number W24001 deposited at the Professor Md. Kazi Zaker Husain Museum, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo by Ashikur Rahman Shome. differ in having a black-bordered band on the neck. Eyes from deciduous forests in Naogaon district of the are large with a black line below (Fig. 1). country, which matches with our finding. Rhabdophis subminiatus was first documented in Our new record extends the distribution of the species Bangladesh in 1982 from Chittagong district (Khan, approximately 196 km southeast of the closest record at 1982). Since then, the species have been reported in six Naogaon (Fig. 2). As the new record is geographically far localities within Bangladesh, including our new record. from previous records, there appears to be a significant Mahony et al. (2009) recorded R. subminiatus from Wallacean shortfall in Bangladesh for R. subminiatus. Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar of Chittagong division and We assume that the gaps between known occurrences Moulvibazar district of Sylhet division. Ahmed et al. of this species are due to limited sampling rather than (2015) also reported this species from Naogaon district environmental restrictions. With rigorous fieldwork, we of Rajshahi division. With our best knowledge we expect to find additional records between the currently reported this species for the first time in Tangail district known occurrences and to be better able to describe the under Dhaka division. All localities for R. subminiatus distribution of Rhabdophis subminiatus in Bangladesh. in Bangladesh are listed in Table 1. Additionally, the new distribution might help in Our new record differs from the previous ones in the promoting more studies on the ecology, behaviour, and habitats while the snake was found in mixed evergreen other aspects of this species. hilly forests. Ahmed et al. (2015) reported the species Table 1. Locality records for Rhabdophis subminiatus in Bangladesh. Approximate coordinates are indicated by an asterisk (*). Table 1. Locality records for Rhabdophis subminiatus in Bangladesh. Approximate coordinates are indicated by an asterisk (*). Locality Latitude Longitude Habitat References Chittagong district 22.35°N* 91.78°E* Mixed evergreen hilly forest Khan 1982 Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar 20.8833°N 92.3000°E Mixed evergreen hilly forest Mahony et al. 2009 Milonchari Hillside Resort, Bandarban 22.1667°N 92.2167°E Mixed evergreen hilly forest Mahony et al. 2009 Lawachara National Park, Moulvibazar 24.4843°N 91.7685°E Mixed evergreen hilly forest Mahony et al. 2009 Altadighi National Park, Naogaon 25.1829°N 88.8637°E Deciduous forest Ahmed et al. 2015 Madhupur National Park, Tangail 24.6936°N 90.1134°E Deciduous forest Present Study New distribution record of Rhabdophis subminiatus from Bangladesh 551 Acknowledgements. The authors are thankful to Professor Dr. Khan, M.A.R. (1982): Wildlife of Bangladesh: A Checklist. The Monirul H. Khan for confirming the species identity. We thank University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 193 pp Mr. Salauddin to help prepare the species distribution map. We Khan, M.M.H. (2018): A Photographic Guide to Wildlife of also thank Md. Rokonuzzaman and Tanvir Mia for their assistance Bangladesh. Arannayk Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 400pp. during the field survey. Mahony, S., Hasan, M.K., Kabir, M.M., Ahmed, M., Hossain, M.K. (2009): A catalogue of amphibians and reptiles in the collection References of Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Hamadryad 34: 80–94. Ahmed, F., Alam, S.M.I., Sarker, A.R. (2015): Geographic Mohammadi, S., Hill, J.G. (2012): Dietary and Behavioral Notes Distribution: Rhabdophis subminiatus (Red-necked keelback). on the Red-necked Keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus) from Herpetological Review 46: 576 Northeast Thailand. Tropical Natural History 12: 123–125 Das, I. (2010): A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-East Asia. Soud, R., Mazumdar, K.J. (2007): Observations on the movement New Holland Publishers (UK) Lid. London. 376 pp. of a red-necked keelback Rhabdophis subminiatus (Schlegel, Hasan, M.K., Khan, M.M.H., Feeroz, M.M. (2014): Amphibians 1837). Cobra 1: 10–11. and Reptiles of Bangladesh: a Field Guide. Dhaka, Bangladesh, Uetz, P., Freed, P., Hošek, J., Eds. (2019): Rhabdophis subminiatus. Arannayk Foundation. 191 pp. The Reptile Database. Available at: http://www.reptile-database. IUCN Bangladesh. (2015): Red List of Bangladesh. Volume org. Accessed on 22 December 2019. 4. Reptiles and Amphibians. Dhaka, Bangladesh, IUCN Bangladesh Country Office. 337 pp. Kamruzzaman, M. (2009): Rhabdophis subminiatus. In: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh. Volume 25. Amphibians and Reptiles, p. 147–148. Kabir, S.M.H., Ahmad, M., Ahmed, A.T.A., Rahman, A.K.A., Ahmed, Z.U., Begum, Z.N.T., Hassan, M.A., Khondker, M., Eds., Dhaka, Bangladesh, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Accepted by Jiri Smid.