Reappraisal of the systematics of two sympatric coral snakes (Reptilia: Elapidae) from Northeast India

Abstract

Systematics of the Asian coral snake genus Sinomicrurus Slowinski et al., 2001, was recently reviewed; however, the lack of molecular data for S. macclellandi (Reinhardt, 1844), especially topotypical specimens, renders most taxonomic revisions mutable. This largely hinders the reappraisal of the putative synonyms of S. macclellandi which may be distinct and deserve recognition to highlight their evolutionary importance and eventual conservation. We reassessed the systematic status of Northeast Indian populations of S. macclellandi that also included topotypic material, based on the combination of morphology and genetic data (mitochondrial and nuclear genes). We uncovered morphological and genetic evidence for resurrecting S. gorei comb. nov., from the synonymy of S. macclellandi and elevating it to a full species rank, previously recognised as a colour variant of S. macclellandi. We redescribed the species based on a total of 36 adult specimens examined from Mizoram, along with the type material from Assam, as well as specimens from Bangladesh. Apart from the genetic distinction of S. gorei from the other congeners, it is also morphologically diagnosable from its closest sympatric species S. macclellandi var. typica, in bearing a suit of somatic and osteological features.