Persiophis fahimii (RAJABIZADEH, PYRON, NAZAROV, POYARKOV, ADRIAENS & HERREL, 2020)
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Persiophis fahimii
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Fahimi’s Ground Snake |
| Synonym | Hierophis fahimii RAJABIZADEH, PYRON, NAZAROV, POYARKOV, ADRIAENS & HERREL 2020 |
| Distribution | Iran (Kerman) Type locality: Iran, Kerman province, 19 km NW of Orzueeyeh City, 1350 m elevation, 28.4582494, 56.36284089 |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. Adult female, ICSTZM.7H.1151 (field number: RAN 2948). ; coll. R. Nazarov, May 2008 (Figs. 3–5 and Fig. S1). The exact geographic coordinates of the type locality are not given, but can be obtained upon request from the authors. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: For the genus and species, Persiophis fahimii is distinguished within the subfamily Colubrinae by a combination of distinct osteological characters, including the occurrence of vestigial teeth on the palatine; a thin, edentulous pterygoid; short and blunt teeth on the maxillae and dentary, occurrence of edentulous parts on the anterior and middle region of the maxillae; a fully fused basioccipital and basisphenoid; the occurrence of a highly oblique quadrate bone attached to the posterior tip of a somewhat elongated supratemporal. The genus and species are also distinguished within the subfamily Colubrinae by a combination of morphological characters, including an elongated snout; occurrence of a rostral scale that is visible from above and wedged between the internasals; a relatively trihedral first supralabial that is slightly bigger than the second and elongated toward the tip of rostral; 15 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales on midbody; and an edentulous pterygoid. (RAJABIZADEH et al. 2020) |
| Comment | Distriburtion: see map in RAJABIZADEH et al. 2020: 3 (Fig. 1) |
| Etymology | The species is named after Dr. Hadi Fahimi, a young naturalist and herpetologist who dedicated his life to studying the biodiversity and conservation of reptiles and mammals of Iran. As a young nature lover, Hadi joined the rangers of the Department of Environment in Kerman province for two years and served partly in Khabr National Park where is close to the type locality of Persiophis fahimii. He was a PhD student in IAU, Tehran, studying on the conservation of black bears in southeastern Iran, but sadly passed away in an aircraft crash in Dena Mountain in central Zagros in February 2018. The genus name is a latinized noun in masculine gender derived from the Greek words ‘‘Persi-’’ (Persís) = Persia (old name of Iran) and ‘‘ophis’’ = serpent. |
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