Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 481-487 (2018) (published online on 24 June 2018) A preliminary study on the biology of the Diadem snake (Spalerosophis diadema) from Iran (Reptilia: Colubridae) Reza Yadollahvandmiandoab1,*, Daniel Oliveira Mesquita1 and Haji Gholi Kami2 Abstract. Iran possesses varied climatic and geographical conditions leading to a rich biodiversity. The Diadem snake, Spalerosophis diadema, is one of the non-venomous oviparous snakes of the family Colubridae, with a wide distribution in Iran. We performed an investigation on the biology of S. diadema in Iran from 2014 to 2015. We examined a total of 62 specimens from zoological museums and collections. We studied the morphologic, morphometric and meristic characters, and also diet, habitat, reproduction and behaviour of S. diadema. To our knowledge, this is the first report on biology of S. diadema from Iran and it provides basic useful information that may be used for population studies. Key Words: Morphology, Reproduction, Diet, Distribution, Behaviour Introduction 2014). The genus Spalerosophis Jan 1865, which is belongs to the Colubrinae, is widely distributed in The name “Colubridae” is derived from the rather non- arid and semiarid regions from northwestern Africa to descript Latin, “coluber”, the general term for “snake” northern India; its Saharo-Sindian range area covers or “serpent”. In excess of 3600 species of extant snakes, three distinct regions, i. e. Afro-Arabia, Irano-Turan and the previous definition of the Colubridae comprise one of Indo-Pakistan (Marx, 1959). the largest and most diverse family of snakes (Weinstein Boulenger (1892) synonymized Spalerosophis with et al., 2013; Vitt and Caldwell, 2014). Highly variable in Zamenis, but in the original description of the genus the size, body form, and colour pattern; ranges from short, name is given as Spalerosophis. To date, the number stout, drab species to large, slender, boldly marked of Spalerosophis spp. has doubled from three to six, forms. Fossils attributed to the Colubridae first appear including Spalerosophis arenarius (Boulenger, 1890) in the Lower Oligocene, about 35 million years ago. and S. atriceps (Fischer, 1885) from northern India and Members of the Colubridae occur worldwide, except Pakistan, S. diadema from the western Sahel and Sudan Antarctica, the highest latitudes of North America to Central Asia and northwestern India, S. dolichospilus and Eurasia, and the central and western regions of (Werner, 1923) from the Maghreb, S. josephscorteccii Australia (McDade and Schlager, 2003). This family (Lanza, 1964) from Galgalo Oasis in northwestern has seven subfamilies includes: Colubrinae, Grayiinae, Somalia and S. microlepis Jan, 1865 from western Iran Calamariinae, Dipsadinae, Pseudoxenodontinae, (Zagros range) (Minton, 1966; Baig and Masroor, 2008; Natricinae, Scaphiodontophiinae (Vitt and Caldwell, Uetz and Hošek, 2017). Spalerosophis diadema is a wide-ranging colubrid snake of the semi-arid belt from West Africa to Central Asia and the northwestern Indian Peninsula (Schatti et al., 1 Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), 2010). Marx (1959) first assigned Asian Spalerosophis Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia – DSE, Centro de populations from India and Pakistan to the nominate Ciências Exatas e da Natureza – CCEN, Universidade Federal subspecies, Saharo-Arabian populations to S. d. cliffordii da Paraíba – UFPB, Cidade Universitária, Campus I, CEP (Schlegel, 1837), and used S. d. schirasianus (Jan, 1863) 58059-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. for populations from Turkmenistan and most of Iran, to 2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Golestan, Iran. Uzbekistan including the Fergana valley (Kyrgyzstan, * Corresponding author. E-mail: Tadzhikistan) and Baluchistan, Pakistan (Marx, 1959). [email protected] Spalerosophis diadema has a wide distribution in Iran 482 Reza Yadollahvandmiandoab et al. 1 Table 1. Traditional morphometricTable characters 1. Traditional recorded. morphometric characters recorded. 2 No. Character Definition Explanation 1 SVL Snout to cloaca From tip of the snout to the cloacal vent 2 TL Tail length From the cloacal vent to the tip of the tail 3 HL Head length From the tip of the snout to the angle of the jaw 4 HW Head width Maximum width of the head 5 SL Snout length From tip of the snout to the anterior edge of the eye 6 SW Snout width Distance between the eyes on the dorsum of the head 3 4 Table 2. Traditional meristic characters recorded. 5 No. Character Definition Explanation occurring1 in differentCS habitatsChin and shield ecological scales conditions, fieldwork,The number during of chin2014–2015. shield scales The collection locations from arid 2and desertV (D) areas Ventral in the scales east (Dowling)and centre of IranThe numberof studied of ventral specimens scales according are showed to Dowling in Fig. method 1. We measured to the mountainous3 SC areas in theSubcaudal west of the country. sixThe standard number of morphometricsubcaudal scales in and one row17 meristic characters Given that4 S. diademaC has notC loacabeen scales poorly studied in Whether(Tables the 1, cloacal 2) on plate each is specimen.divided or undivided All measurements were Iran, the overall5 distributionDF Dorsal of thisscales species (Front) is known,The number performed of dorsal scales using one digitalhead’s length callipers posterior accurate of the head to 0.05 mm. and our knowledge6 DM is basedDorsal on only scales a (Mid) limited number SPSSThe number(version of dorsal 21) wasscales usedat midbody to analyse the data. We of specimens7 housedDH in museumDorsal collections.scales (Hind) Therefore,The number were of dorsal allowed scales oneto dissecthead’s length a small anterior number of the cloaca of specimens our goal 8was to SLperform aSupralabial preliminary scales study of the Ttohe study number the of supralabialfeeding and scales reproductive (Left-Right) system. We also biological9 characteristicsIL of theInfralabial species scales that may lead to usedThe number museum of infralabial records scales and (Left-Right)some personal records from a better understanding10 LO and conservationLoreal scales of S. diadema ourThe sampling number of fieldworks loreal scales (Left-Right)in central and east of Iran, for in Iran. 11 Pr.O Preocular scales behaviourThe number andof preocular habitat scales studies. (Left-Right) 12 SO Subocular scales The number of subocular scales (Left-Right) Material13 and methodsPo.O Postocular scales ResultsThe number of postocular scales (Left-Right) 14 T Temporal scales The number of postocular scales (Left-Right) We collected 62 specimens from zoological museums Brief description and measurements.—Spalerosophis 15 Pr.N Prenasal scales The number of prenasal scales (Left-Right) in Golestan University (ZMGU), Ferdowsi University 16 Po.N Postnasal scales diademaThe number is of an postnasal aglyphous scales (Left-Right)snake with simple, uniform (ZMFUM), Hakim Sabzevari University (HSUZM), 17 CO CirOcular scales Theand number bent backof scales teeth. around The eyes body (Left-Right) is elongated, light gray some personal zoological collections and also from 6 to brown, with 69–95 dark polygonal spots on dorsal 7 Table 3. Standard morphometric measurementssurface for S.and diadema, small black given spots in millimeters. on the sides of the body. 8 The head is distinct from neck. There is a dark brown Character N Minimum Maximumstripe between Meanand behind Std.the Deviation eyes and the ventral SVL 61 271.00 1190.00surface are usually634.90 white to light252.18 cream and unmarked. TL 61 48.00 290.00The eyes are relatively150.96 large with61.84 round pupils (Figs. HL 61 16.01 40.373, 4). 26.45 7.08 HW 61 8.53 26.12The prefrontal15.07 scales are segmented4.35 into 3–4 small SL 61 4.78 14.81scales and three 8.57rows of scales between2.55 the frontal and SW 61 6.33 1rostral4.25 scales. There9.20 are 4–11 loreal1.99 and 3–4 subocular 9 scales. The supralabials are separated from the eye by 10 11 the subocular scales. The temporal scales comprise two vertical scales and small rows of scales; the first row 1 includes 3–7 and second row 4–7 scales. There are 7–12 circumocular scales. The supralabials and infralabials number 10–14 and 11–14 scales respectively, with 3- 4 infralabials scales in contact with the anterior chin shield scale. The posterior and anterior chin shield scales are subequal, and there are 4–5 oblique rows of gulars between the posterior chin shields and the first Figure 1. The locations of examined specimens of S. diadema ventral. This species has 223–251 ventral scales, 21– in Iran. 29 dorsal scales at midbody, 66–89 subcaudal scales, 1 Table 1. Traditional morphometric characters recorded. 2 No. Character Definition Explanation 1 SVL Snout to cloaca From tip of the snout to the cloacal vent 2 TL Tail length From the cloacal vent to the tip of the tail 3 HL Head length From the tip of the snout to the angle of the jaw 4 HW Head width Maximum width of the head A preliminary5 study onSL the biologySnout of the length Diadem snakeFrom from tip Iranof the snout to the anterior edge of the eye 483 6 SW Snout width Distance between the eyes on the dorsum of the head 3 4Table 2. Traditional meristic charactersTable recorded. 2. Traditional meristic characters recorded. 5 No. Character Definition Explanation 1 CS Chin shield scales The number of chin shield scales 2 V (D) Ventral scales (Dowling) The number of ventral scales according to Dowling method 3 SC Subcaudal The number of subcaudal scales in one row 4 C Cloaca scales Whether the cloacal plate is divided or undivided 5 DF Dorsal scales (Front) The number of dorsal scales one head’s length posterior of the head 6 DM Dorsal scales (Mid) The number of dorsal scales at midbody 7 DH Dorsal scales (Hind) The number of dorsal scales one head’s length anterior of the cloaca 8 SL Supralabial scales The number of supralabial scales (Left-Right) 9 IL Infralabial scales The number of infralabial scales (Left-Right) 10 LO Loreal scales The number of loreal scales (Left-Right) 1 11 Pr.O PreocularTable 1.