LEVITON, BROWN, & SILER: PHILIPPINE VENOMOUS SNAKES 
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posteriorly with the yellow band at the back of the head; in older individuals, markings become less 
distinct; upper lip brown; ventrals 195-205; subcaudals (cJ) 38^3, ($) 32-36. 
Size. — Total length (c5) 920 mm, ($) 1305 mm; tail length (cJ) 115 mm, ($) 115 mm. 
Distribution. — Philippines (Luzon [Prov.: Zambales, coast of]; Negros [Prov.: Negros Ori¬ 
ental]; Sulu Id.). Elsewhere: China, Taiwan, Japan, Russia {fide David and Ineich 1999:125; Ras¬ 
mussen et al. 2011:9). 
Family Viperidae 
Subfamily Crotalinae 
Genus Trimeresurus Lacepede, 1804 
Pitvipers 
Trimeresurus LacepMe, 1804:209. 
Parias Gray, 1849:11.— Malhotra and Thorpe, 2004:94—95.— David et al., 2011:43 (as a subgenus of 
Trimeresurus). 
Diagnosis. — Hemipenes deeply forked, spinose and papillose; first upper labial not fiised to 
nasal scale; second upper labial fused to scale forming anterior border of facial pit; scales on head 
and throat smooth. 
Remarks. — Malhotra and Thorpe (2004) present substantive molecular genetic data to justi¬ 
fy a revised taxonomy for the nominal genus Trimeresurus at the generic level. However, more 
recently, David et al. (2011:41) argue in favor of recognizmg the lineages of Trimeresurus {sensu 
lato) as subgenera of Trimeresurus rather than genera as proposed by Malhotra and Thorpe (2004). 
At this stage of inquiiy with respect to the phylogenetic relationships among the included species, 
we are inclined to agree with David et al. and for the reasons they state, “if one considers 
Trimeresurus as a single genus, information on the phylogenetic relationships among the various 
‘clades’ within the genus Trimeresurus is obscured, but the monophyly of the main ‘clade’ 
Trimeresurus is emphasized with regard to other Asian (Ovophis, Tropidolaemiis) and American 
pitviper genera. ... It should also be emphasized that, on an external morphological basis, these 
subgenera are hardly diagnosable, and we think that recognizing ‘genera’ that cannot be diagnosed 
morphologically is not a help to practising taxonomists, especially when they do not have access 
to molecular facilities.” (David et al. 2011:41.) Although we do not believe that the closing phrase 
is necessarily a justification for recognizing or not recognizing a taxon or clade, nonetheless, the 
current state of flux leads us to take a more conservative approach in handling the problem, in part 
so that those outside of the herpetological community, notably those in the medical profession who 
must deal with clinical concerns about snakebite, can more readily access information about the 
animals concerned. 
Trimeresurus {Parias) flavomaculatus (Gray, 1842) 
Yellow-spotted or Philippine Pitviper 
Figures 11 A, 15A-B, 50A-G 
Magaera flavomaculata Gray, 1842:49. 
Parias flavomaculata. Gray, 1849:11. 
Trimeresurus flavomaculatus, Gunther, 1879:79; Taylor, 1922a:288.— Leviton, 1964:257.— Gumprecht et 
al., 2004: 32, 25 col. photos (pp. 181-186). 
Trimeresurus Jlavomaculatus flavomaculatus, Leviton, 1964:257.— Toriba, 1993:98.— David and Ineich, 
1999: 284. 
Trimeresurus halieus Griffin 1910:214 (Type locality: Polillo Islands).— Taylor, 1922a:286. 
Trimeresurus flavomaculatus halieus, Leviton, 1964:262.— Toriba, 1993:98.— David and Ineich, 1999:284. 
Trimeresurus schadenbergi Fischer, 1885:116 (Type locality: “Siid-Mindanao”). 
