Muhtarophis barani (OLGUN, AVCI, ILGAZ, ÜZÜM & YILMAZ, 2007)
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Muhtarophis barani
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Baran’s Black-headed Dwarf Snake G: Barans Schwarzkopf-Zwergnatter |
| Synonym | Rhynchocalamus barani OLGUN, AVCI, ILGAZ, ÜZÜM & YILMAZ 2007 Rhynchocalamus barani — GRUBER 2009 Rhynchocalamus barani — WALLACH et al. 2014: 654 Muhtarophis barani — AVCI et al. 2015 Muhtarophis barani — ŠMÍD et al. 2015 Muhtarophis barani — RAJABIZADEH et al. 2020 |
| Distribution | Turkey (Hatay Province) Type locality: Amanos Mountain (36°50’N, 36°25’E; elevation 1310 m a.s.l.), 34 km E of Dörtyol, Hatay Province, Turkey |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: ZDEU 122/2006: 1 (Zoology Department, Ege University, Turkey). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Rhynchocalamus barani n. sp. differs from congeneric species (R. melanocephalus melanocephalus, R. m. satunini and R. arabicus) in having higher number of dorsals (17 instead of 15) and lower number of ventrals (163–173 instead of 180–240) and upper labials in contact with eye (1 instead of 2) and by an oblique shape of the head at the anterior side. It also differs by a characteristic color-pattern of he body and the basic color of the head, by the presence of a black blotch under the eye running into a narrow stripe, all as described above. In contrast to other species of the genus the ground color of the dorsum is reddish brown with no spotting. |
| Comment | Type species: Rhynchocalamus barani OLGUN et al. 2007 is the type species of the genus Muhtarophis AVCI et al. 2015. Distribution: For a map see Sindaco et al. 2013. |
| Etymology | The new species is named in dedication to Prof. Dr. brahim BARAN of the University of Dokuz Eylül, Izmir, to acknowledge his prolific and uninterrupted contribution to the herpetology of the Turkey. The genus was named after Prof. Dr. Muhtar Başoğlu, the first Turkish herpetologist, together with ophis, i.e., snake; the gender is masculine. |
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