Three new snake species in China ns] 



(A SUMMARY) 



Zhao Er Mi Jiang Yao Ming Huang Qing Yun n?) 



3. Xiangcheng laotietou I'^J Trimeresurus xiangchengensis sp. nov. 



Types: Holotype male (CIB Nr 725049, 1972/10/17, Sichuan Province, Xiangcheng, altitude 3100 

 m), cotype('21 female (CIB Nr 725050, 1972/10/23, Sichuan Province, Xiangcheng, altitude 3100 m), 

 paratypes 1 male, 5 females, 2 juveniles (CIB Nr 725048, 725050-725052, 725054-725057). The types 

 are deposited in the Chengdu Insitute of Biology, Academia Sinica. 



Diagnosis: Some characters of the new species, such as 189-193 ventral scales, 7-8 supralabials, 11- 

 13 infralabials and some scales on the head are similar to those of T. elegans (Gray) ['^1 from which it 

 differs by: I) in the new species, dorsal scales are on 25-27 rows on the neck, 25 rows at midbody, and 17 

 (15 in a few cases) rows before vent, versus respectively 27-33, 23-26 and 19-21 rows in T. elegans; 2) a 

 low number of subcaudals in the new species, 50-66, whereas their range is 63-79 in T. elegans; 3) some 

 characters of head scalation and color blotches are different. 



