98 



A. REDSTED RASMUSSEN 



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Fig. 1 Sulcate and asulcate side of everted hemipenis of H. 

 lapemoides (ZMUC R 66620) from Phuket Harbour. Drawing by 

 M. Andersen. 



5 mm 



Fig. 2 Lateral aspect of anterior braincase of H. lapemoides in 

 which the sphenoid is included in the margin of the anterior 

 orifice of cavum epiptericum. Drawing by M. Andersen. 



Methods 



The measurements and counts follow Smith (1926) with some 

 alterations as described below. For lateral head scales, both 

 sides of the head have been examined and numbers are given 

 separately. Number of maxillary teeth is given for the right 

 side only. 



Scale rows are counted directly around body (Thomas 

 1976). Minimum and maximum number of rows are given for 

 comparison with the counts of Smith (1926, p. XVI). 



Position of the tip of the heart and the anterior tip of the 

 liver are determined in relation to the number of the adjacent 

 ventral scales (VS). Relative position of the tip of the heart 

 and the anterior part of the liver is expressed as the percent- 

 age of the total number of ventral scales (% VS). Vertebral 

 counts are obtained from soft radiographs. Three counts are 

 obtained from each snake: number of body vertebrae (VB- 

 body), number of tail vertebrae (VB-tail), and number of 

 vertebrae from the head to the tip of the heart (VB-heart). 

 Body and tail are separated by the presence of the first pair of 

 forked ribs in the cloacal region; this pair of ribs is included in 

 the number of tail vertebrae. Tip of the heart was indicated in 



the x-ray radiographs by inserting a needle perpendicular to 

 the long axis of the body pointing at the vertebrae opposite 

 the tip of the heart. Relative position of the tip of the heart is 

 expressed as the percentage of the total number of body 

 vertebrae (% VB). Terms and description of the hemipenis 

 follow Dowling & Savage (1960). Hemipenis was described in 

 everted condition. All measurements are given to the nearest 

 centimeter. Meristic and mensural data given as x ±SD. 



In the following description of the two syntypes H. 

 lapemoides III. 3. 3. a, a subadult female (syntype a) is given 

 first, and III. 3. 3. b, a juvenile male (syntype b) is given when 

 different from type a. The description of the examined 

 specimens is given in parentheses when different from the 

 types. 



The following are abbreviations (Leviton et al., 1985) used 

 for the collections: BMNH: The Natural History Museum, 

 London; FMNH: Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago; 

 RMNH: Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historic Leiden; 

 USNM: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian, 

 Washington; ZMUC: Zoological Museum, University of 

 Copenhagen. 



SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT 



Hydrophis lapemoides (Gray, 1849). 



Aturia lapemoides Gray, 1849:46. 



Hydrophis holdsworthii Giinther, 1872:33. 



Hydrophis stewartii Anderson, 1872:399. 



Distira lapemoides. Wall, 1909:227. 



Hydrophis lapemoides, Smith, 1926:86, 1943:461. Volsoe, 

 1939:19. Minton, 1966:146. McDowell, 1972:229. Voris, 

 1977:91. De Silva, 1980:399. Toriba & Sawai, 1981:134. 

 Rasmussen 1987:57, 1989:413, 1992:92. Gasperetti, 1988:312. 

 Bussarawit et al. 1989:222. McCarthy & Warrell, 1991:163. 



Diagnosis 



Eight to 13 maxillary teeth behind poison fang, 28-35 scale 

 rows on neck, 40-57 scale rows on body. Number of ventral 

 scales 288-395, tip of heart extending to ventral number 

 106-155. Number of body vertebrae 164-188, tip of heart 

 extending to vertebrae number 73-94. Head dark dorsally 

 with curved white mark, disappearing with age. Body with 

 black bands forming rhombic spots dorsally and disappearing 

 with age ventrally. Tail with black bands, disappearing with 

 age, posterior part normally black. 



Description of the syntypes and the examined 

 specimens 



External morphological characters. Maxillary teeth 

 behind poison-fang 10. Dentary teeth, pterygoid teeth and 

 palatine teeth not counted on syntypes; for the examined 

 specimens see Table 1. One pre- and two postoculars on both 

 sides (one pre- and two or three postoculars). Three anterior 

 temporals on both sides (two or three). Eight supralabials on 

 both sides (7-10 in males, 7-10 in females). First and second 

 supralabials in contact with nasal, second and third in contact 

 with preocular, third and fourth in contact with eye, syntype 

 b; only third in contact with eye, fourth is divided horizon- 

 tally. Eight infralabials on both sides, first, second and third 

 on each side in contact with anterior pair of sublinguals, 



