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Guo, P., Jadin, R.C., Malhotra, A. and Li, C. 2009. An investigation of the cranial evolution of Asian pitvipers (Serpentes: Crotalinae), with comments on the phylogenetic position of Peltopelor macrolepis— Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 402–407. We investigated the evolution of 12 cranial characters of 31 species of Asian pitvipers by examining the character state changes on a consensus tree modified from broadly consistent molecular results. We found that these characters appear stable with only one intraspecific polymorphism. Nine of the 12 characters form useful synapomorphies, whereas three are ambiguous and evolutionarily plastic. Clades that are supported with numerous apomorphies are the Trimeresurus group [consisting of the recently defined genera Trimeresurus sensu Malhotra and Thorpe (2004) , Parias, Popeia, Viridovipera, Himalayophis, and Cryptelytrops] and the genera Protobothrops, Parias, and Viridovipera. Two species previously considered as congeners but now known to be distantly related, Ovophis monticola and ‘ Ovophis’ okinavensis, have nearly identical character states, demonstrating substantial convergence in cranial characters. Finally, we attempt to infer the phylogenetic position of Peltopelor macrolepis by comparing its cranial features with that of other pitvipers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achalinus yangdatongiHou, Wang, Guo, Chen, Yuan & Che, 2021 was described based on single specimen. After morphological examination of recently collected specimens from the type locality and close region, several specimens (3 females and 1 male) were identified as this species. Genetic distances (p-distance) calculated from a fragment of the mtDNA gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) were less than 1.8% between the newly collected specimens and the type specimen. Achalinus yangdatongi is redescribed and several of its diagnostics are revised accordingly: dorsal body scales 23 rows throughout; ventrals 155–171; subcaudals 59–76, unpaired; maxillary teeth 24–26. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrative taxonomy based on multiple data sets plays an important role in species classification, especially in the case of cryptic species. Rhabdophis subminiatus is a colubrid snake with broadly geographical distribution, and two subspecies (Rhabdophis subminiatussubminiatus and Rhabdophis subminiatushelleri) are currently recognized within this species. Based on external morphological comparison, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)‐based phylogeny, single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐based phylogeny, and population structure analysis, we explored the intraspecific taxonomy of R. subminiatus. Phylogenetic analysis based on mtDNA and SNPs consistently uncovered two highly supported lineages separated by a large genetic distance, with SNP‐based principal component analysis (PCA) and population structure analysis displaying similar results. Despite the fact that PCA based on morphological data did not show population differentiation, unlike the molecular data, we suggest that R. s. helleri should be elevated to the specific rank as Rhabdophishelleri based on all lines of evidence. The distributional boundary between the two species R. helleri and R. subminiatus is tentatively proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]