14 



A NEW SPECffiS OF SNAKE IN CHINA - TRIMERESURUS MANGSHANENSIS [46] 



Chen Yuan Hui 

 Hospital of the Mangshan Bureau of Forestry, Chen Zhou Region, Hunan Province 



A group of white-tailed snakes was caught last year by the Mangshan Bureau of Forestry, in the 

 region of Chen Zhou, located in the Hunan Province close to the border between Hunan and Guangdong 

 provinces. According to the famous snake specialist, Mr, ZHAO Er Mi, consultant in the Chinese Snake 

 Society and vice-president of the Chengdu Biology Institute, Academia Sinica, they belong to a species not 

 yet described either from China or from abroad, and formally named Mangshan laotietou [■'''1. 



These white-tailed snakes were caught in the second half of September 1989 by the Mangshan 

 Forestry Bureau. At the time of capture, the dorsal parts of the two adult snakes were grass-green, marked 

 with blackish brown producing a net-like pattern l"**!. The coloration was then very vivid (but after a little 

 more than one month in captivity, the overall color became darker, mainly blackish brown). The posterior 

 part of the tail is white for about 10 cm, and it constitutes the mam diagnostic feature of this species. Each 

 snake weighs about 3 kg, measures about 1.85 and 2 m, and have tube-like fangs 2 cm long. The venom 

 can be spit to a distance of 15-2 m ['•sj. These white-tailed snakes have a typical, triangular iron-like 

 shaped head which is as large as a child's fist, provided with loreal pits. The body is as wide as a small 

 bowl. The 21 juveniles caught along with the adults were similar in aspects and coloration to the larger 

 snakes, but their body is only as wide as a thumb. The white-tailed snakes are oviparous, with eggs large 

 like small hen eggs. 



The capture of the Mangshan snakes was announced by the Chinese Central Television 1^°' and was 

 termed as the discovery of a rare venomous snakes, which drew attention from Chinese snake specialists 

 and other scientists. After consultation of Chinese and foreign literature. Professor ZHAO Er Mi believed 

 that they belong to an undescribed Thmeresunis species of the family Viperidae, subfamily Crotalinae. It is 

 also a rare large-sized species which would be one of the largest venomous snakes in China. There is no 

 snake reaching such a size among the thirty some forms known in this genus ["', from which it differs by 

 its body color and pattern. This species will be named Mangshan laotietou snake because it was discovered 

 from Mangshan. 



Prof Zhao Er Mi also considers the Mangshan laotietou to be of great economical and scientific 

 value. It is a new snake species added to the herpetological fauna of our country, which does not occur 

 elsewhere either in China or abroad, so it is a precious species. Prof ZHAO Er Mi calls from concerned 

 authorities for the application of protective measures to the special Mangshan natural area. He also 

 suggests that this species should be classed as a protected species. 



The Mangshan Forestry Bureau has donated specimens to concerned research units, and types were 

 deposited in the Academia Sinica, Chengdu Institute of Biology which is carefiilly studying these animals. 



We are indebted to Director, Mangshan Forestry Bureau, for its support in our studies and also for its 

 action towards the designation oi Mangshan laotietou as a protected species. 



