Gazetteer

Natrix vibakari ruthveniVan Denburgh, Proc. California Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 13(2):3, July 26, 1923 (type locality, Pusan, Korea).

Specimens examined(5).—Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 1 (KU); 4 mi. SW Ch´ongyang-ni, 1 (KU); 10 mi. NE Mosulp´o, Cheju Do, 1 (UMMZ); 6-7 mi. NNE Sogwi-ri, Cheju Do, 1 (KU), 1 (UMMZ).

Remarks.—The specimen from the Central National Forest was captured on August 18 near a stream on a damp ground-cover of leaves. The specimens from Cheju Do were taken in early September, one in a grassy area, and the other two on earthen banks of road-cuts on the slopes of Halla San. The stomach of one individual from Cheju Do contained an earthworm. Our largest specimen, a male having 154 ventrals and 68 subcaudals, measured 508 (380 + 128).

The subcaudal counts of 68 (KU 38861) and 69 (UMMZ 113461) on two males from Cheju Do are higher than the maximal count known for the subspeciesruthveniin Korea, and resemble those ofAmphiesma vibakari vibakariof the Japanese islands. The subcaudals average 61 (55-65) inruthveniand 71 (63-83) invibakariaccording to Van Denburgh (1923:3-4). A juvenile from the Central National Forest (KU 38862), lacking the tip of the tail, has 64 subcaudals.

Dinodon rufozonatum(Cantor)

Lycodon rufo-zonatusCantor, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 1, 9:483, August, 1842 (type locality, island of Chusan, China).Dinodon rufozonatus, Peters, Sitzungsber. Gesell. naturf. Freunde Berlin, p. 89, 1881.

Lycodon rufo-zonatusCantor, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 1, 9:483, August, 1842 (type locality, island of Chusan, China).

Dinodon rufozonatus, Peters, Sitzungsber. Gesell. naturf. Freunde Berlin, p. 89, 1881.

Specimens examined(4).—Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 3 (KU); Yongsan (Seoul), 1 (UMMZ).

Remarks.—The three specimens from the Central National Forest were taken in the period August 12-26. Two were caught in live-traps set for small mammals in deep forest among granite outcrops. The specimen from Yongsan was obtained on October 27 in a partly wooded area. Ventrals and subcaudals of our four specimens (all males) numbered, respectively, 198, 200, 198, 205, and 74, 75, 75, __. Total length of the largest specimen was 960 (790 + 170).

We follow Chang (1932:54) and most subsequent authors in regardingD. rufozonatumas a monotypic species.

Zamenis spinalis(Peters)

Masticophis spinalisPeters, Monatsber. preuss. Akad. Wiss., Berlin, p. 91 (for 1866), 1867 (type locality, unknown—"Mexico" erroneously listed).Zamenis spinalis, Günther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, 9:22, January, 1872.

Masticophis spinalisPeters, Monatsber. preuss. Akad. Wiss., Berlin, p. 91 (for 1866), 1867 (type locality, unknown—"Mexico" erroneously listed).

Zamenis spinalis, Günther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, 9:22, January, 1872.

Specimens examined(2).—5 mi. ESE Seoul, 1 (KU); 6 mi. NNE Sogwi-ri, Cheju Do, 1 (KU).

Remarks.—The specimen from Cheju Do was captured on September 9 in tall grass near a small stream and was eating a smallRhabdophis tigrina. The female from near Seoul was obtained from a Korean on June 10, and was gravid (six eggs, each approximately 35 mm. in length). The length of body measured approximately 550 and the length of incomplete tail 168 in one specimen (KU 38777, female from 5 mi. ESE Seoul), 540 and 183 in the other (KU 38778, female from Cheju Do). Respective ventral and subcaudal counts of the two females are 204, 194, and 74+, 86.

There is some disagreement in the literature as to the proper generic name of this snake. Differences in dentition between Old World species (referable toZamenis) and the American species (referable toColuber) are discussed by Bogert and Oliver (1945:365). The speciesspinalishas been referred toColuberby several authors (see Pope, 1935:226).

Elaphe dione(Pallas)

Coluber dionePallas, Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs, 2:717, 1773 (type locality, "Salt steppes toward the Caspian Sea" according to Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 58:315, July 22, 1907).Elaphis dione, Duméril and Bibron, Erpétologie générale ..., 7:248, 1854.

Elaphis dione, Duméril and Bibron, Erpétologie générale ..., 7:248, 1854.

Specimens examined(10).—Choksong, 1 (KU); 4 mi. N Ch´onan, 1 (KU); Seoul, 1 (KU); 5 mi. E Seoul, 1 (KU), 2 (UMMZ); 5 mi. ESE Seoul, 1 (KU); 6 mi. E Seoul, 1 (UMMZ); Taegwang-ni, 1 (KU); 2 mi. WSW Tongjonggok, 1 (KU).

Remarks.—This species seemingly occurs in upland habitats. Specimens were taken on rocky hillsides, on sparsely wooded hillsides, and in cultivated fields. November 21 was the latest date of capture of an active individual (UMMZ 113451), the head of which was seen many times prior to capture protruding from a hole beneath the concrete floor of a building. A female (KU 38855), measuring 915 (775 + 140) in total length, and obtained on June 13, contained nine eggs (32 mm. long). One juvenile had eaten a half-grown house mouse,Mus musculus; the stomach of a male contained three mice, one a striped field mouse,Apodemus agrarius, the other two probably also of that species but too far digested for certain identification. Eggs probably hatch in late summer. A young of the year (length of body, 340) was captured on September 30; another juvenile (length of body, 285) was obtained in May.

Our largest male (KU 40123) measured 904 (719 + 185) in total length. Ventrals and subcaudals of six females averaged 205.8 (198-211) and 62.2 (55-69), respectively, whereas corresponding counts of four males averaged 196.8 (190-214), and 71.0 (69-74). Each of nine specimens had dorsal scales in 23-25-19 rows except one (UMMZ 113451), which had 23-25-23 rows.

Elaphe rufodorsata(Cantor)

Tropidonotus rufodorsatusCantor, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 1, 9:483, August, 1842 (type locality, island of Chusan, China).Elaphe rufodorsata, Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 58:310, figs. 269-271, July 22, 1907.

Tropidonotus rufodorsatusCantor, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 1, 9:483, August, 1842 (type locality, island of Chusan, China).

Elaphe rufodorsata, Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 58:310, figs. 269-271, July 22, 1907.

Specimens examined(27).—7 mi. NW Changhowan-ni, 1 (KU); 3 mi. NW Chip´o-ri, 3 (KU); 7 mi. W Ch´ungju, 2 (KU), 1 (UMMZ); 3 mi. S Kumhwa, 2 (KU); 1 mi. NW Oho-ri, 1 (KU); 4 mi. E Seoul, 1 (KU); 5 mi. E Seoul, 2 (KU); 5 mi. ESE Seoul, 2 (KU); 6 mi. E Seoul, 3 (KU), 2 (UMMZ); 7 mi. ESE Seoul, 5 (KU); 4 mi. N Uijongbu, 1 (KU); 5 mi. NE Uijongbu, 1 (UMMZ).

Remarks.—E. rufodorsatawas commonly observed and collected on barren hillsides, on country roads, in rice fields, and along drainage ditches and small streams. One was found sunning outstretched on a road. Two individuals were trapped in cement-walled pits at the Seoul City Water Works. OnApril 5, five snakes of this species with oneRhabdophis tigrinaand oneAgkistrodon halys, all partly caked with earth, were found sunning in a shallow depression on the side of a Korean burial mound, which was presumably a hibernaculum. Aside from one juvenile, four of theE. rufodorsatawere of approximately the same size, having bodies ranging in length from 385 to 455.

Copulation was observed on April 25 (male, KU 38811, length of body, 400, and female, KU 38812, length of body, 565), and on May 4 (female, KU 38816, length of body, 620). Eggs doubtless hatch at various times in summer. One of five snakes obtained on April 5 (see above) measured 310 (250 + 60) in total length. Another juvenile (KU 38828), obtained on October 18, was 478 (385 + 93) long, and our smallest specimen of this species (KU 38821), captured on June 26, measured 275 (230 + 45).

The stomachs of two snakes each contained aRana nigromaculata; another individual had eaten aHyla arborea, and a fourth specimen had eaten a small fish. One specimen was parasitized by a cestode.

The largest female from our series (KU 38816) measured 740 (620 + 120), and the largest male (KU 38813), 595 (475 + 120). Respective ventral and subcaudal counts of 13 males averaged 170.5 (167-174) and 60.0 (56-63), ventrals of 12 females averaged 178.3 (169-182), and subcaudals of 11 averaged 51.0 (46-56).

Elaphe schrencki anomala(Boulenger)

Coluber anomalusBoulenger, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, 17:243, March, 1916 (type locality, Chihfeng, China).Elaphe schrencki anomala, Pope, The reptiles of China, p. 266, fig. 57, May 11, 1935.

Coluber anomalusBoulenger, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, 17:243, March, 1916 (type locality, Chihfeng, China).

Elaphe schrencki anomala, Pope, The reptiles of China, p. 266, fig. 57, May 11, 1935.

Specimens examined(7).—Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 2 (KU), 1 (UMMZ); 4½ mi. W Chip´o-ri, 1 (KU); 5 mi. N P´yong-taek, 1 (KU); 5 mi. E Seoul, 1 (KU); 5 mi. ESE Seoul, 1 (KU).

Remarks.—Individuals were observed or taken on dry, scrubby hillsides and in grassy upland areas. One of the three snakes from the Central National Forest was captured on a steep, forested hillside among granite outcroppings; another was obtained there along a stream bank and had eaten three bats,Murina aurata(see Jones, 1960:265), and one mouse,Apodemussp. (tail only found). P. M. Youngman reported (personal communication) finding a rat (Rattussp.) in the stomach of one individual. A female (KU 38830, lengthof body, 1180) that was obtained on June 2 contained 17 eggs, each approximately 32 mm. long. The ventrals of two females numbered 223 and 229, and the subcaudals of the latter 70. Ventrals and subcaudals of five males were, respectively, 211, 213, 214, 215, 216, and 71, 75, 75, 69, 75.

The coloration and pattern of our seven specimens are of interest in view of the probable intergradation betweenE. s. anomalaandE. s. schrenckiin northern Korea (see comments by Shannon, 1956:46). The smallest specimen (KU 38831), having a total length of 335 (280 + 55), was obtained 4 mi. N P´yong-taek on September 24. It is nearly uniform pale brown (lacks a dorsal pattern) and additionally is characterized as follows: incomplete pattern on the head; no black postocular band (pale brown with black posterior border); ventrolateral extensions of the head pattern that form longitudinal stripes of white on the third row of scales; a pale whitish stripe on the sixth and seventh scale rows that extends posteriorly to the level of the fortieth ventral and that has a narrow black border (sometimes interrupted); small and indistinct blackish markings and pale stripes on sides (no higher than sixth row of scales); underside of the head whitish; and venter grayish, having blackish margins on the ends of ventrals posteriorly. KU 38831 is unusual and perhaps anomalous in having a pattern that does not conform to the juvenile pattern of either subspecies.

A female (KU 38830), having a total length of 1390 (1180 + 210), from 5 mi. ESE Seoul conforms to descriptions ofanomalain being uniformly pale brown above and in having indistinct dark smudges on the sides; the ventral surface is whitish having indistinct dark smudges, brown spots at the ends of each ventral, and the posterior edge of each ventral brown. A male (KU 40125), measuring 1090 (890 + 200) in total length, from 5 mi. E Seoul, is pale brown above and lacks markings on the anterior part of the body. Indistinct dark markings occur at midbody, whereas the posterior quarter of the body and tail have well-defined black bands on a buff background. The black bands posteriorly are arranged in pairs; each pair of bands is separated by two and a half to three scales, whereas the bands of each pair are separated by only one and a half scales. The ventral surface has an obscure marbled pattern. Our largest specimen, a male (UMMZ 113454) having a total length of 1488 (1230 + 258), from the Central National Forest, resembles KU 40125, except that pale brown blotches (29 on body, one blackish on neck) and dark lateral spots occur anteriorly on the body.

Another female (KU 38860, body length, 970) from 4½ mi. W Chip´o-ri, our northernmost locality of record, has a fairly distinct pattern dorsally. The 30 dark brown, black-edged blotches that are separated by a buff background are not arranged in pairs (as in KU 40125); the dorsal blotches sometimes alternate with small lateral blotches. The ventral surface is marbled throughout.

Two males from the Central National Forest, having total lengths of 1105 (920 + 185) and 830 (690 + 140), generally resemble one another in having the head and neck dark brown or blackish and the anterior part of body dark brown, but discernibly blotched. The posterior part of the body and tail of each bears well-defined blotches (dark brown or black) with buffy interspaces; the dorsal blotches are sometimes arranged in pairs. The ventral surface of each is marbled throughout. These two males are noteworthy in that the pattern anteriorly is obscure, but the ground color is dark, not pale as in the two specimens from the vicinity of Seoul.

Agkistrodon halys brevicaudusStejneger

Agkistrodon blomhoffii brevicaudusStejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 58:463, July 22, 1907 (type locality, Pusan, Korea).Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus, Okada, A catalogue of vertebrates of Japan, p. 103, 1938.

Agkistrodon blomhoffii brevicaudusStejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 58:463, July 22, 1907 (type locality, Pusan, Korea).

Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus, Okada, A catalogue of vertebrates of Japan, p. 103, 1938.

Specimens examined(12).—Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 4 (KU); 3 mi. NW Chip´o-ri, 2 (KU); 16 mi. NE Mosulp´o, Cheju Do, 1 (UMMZ); 5 mi. E Seoul, 1 (UMMZ); 6 mi. E Seoul, 2 (KU); 7 mi. ESE Seoul, 1 (KU); 7 mi. NNE Sogwi-ri, Cheju Do, 1 (UMMZ).

Remarks.—Individuals ofAgkistrodonwere collected on brushy or wooded hillsides, along rock walls or in piles of rocks, and in damp, rocky, wooded ravines near streams. Many were docile when captured. One specimen was infested with nematodes, another with cestodes. One specimen had eaten a striped field mouse,Apodemus agrarius, and another had eaten a gray hamster,Cricetulus triton. One female, obtained on May 22, 6 mi. E Seoul, contained 14 embryos. Another female, obtained on August 25 in the Central National Forest, contained three well-developed embryos.

We have not included descriptive or taxonomic remarks concerningA. halysbecause Dr. Howard K. Gloyd, University of Arizona, who currently is studying the systematics of the genusAgkistrodon, has our specimens on loan.

Listed below are all localities mentioned in the accounts of species; the latitude (north) and longitude (east) are given for each. All place-names can be found in "Gazetteer to maps of Korea," 3 vols., AMS 2, U. S. Army Map Service, September, 1950, and, except for the two marked by an asterisk, can be located on AMS map series L552 (Korea, 1:250,000). The McCune-Reischauer system of romanization of Korean names is used.

Babb, G. H., Jr.

1955. An annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Korea. Bull. Philadelphia Herp. Soc., 1:17-23.

Bogert, C. M., and Oliver, J. A.

1945. A preliminary analysis of the herpetofauna of Sonora. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 83:297-426, 8 pls., 13 figs., 2 maps, March 30.

Boulenger, G. A.

1882. Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia s. Ecaudata in the collection of the British Museum. Taylor and Francis, London, xvi + 503 pp., 30 pls.

Chang, M. L. Y.

1932. Notes on a collection of reptiles from Szechuan. Contrib. Biol. Lab., Sci. Soc. China, Zool. Ser., 8:9-95, 28 figs., February.

Conant, R.

1951. The reptiles of Ohio. Second edition (with revisionary addenda). Amer. Midland Nat., Univ. Notre Dame Press, 284 pp., 27 pls.

Dixon, J. R.

1956. A collection of amphibians and reptiles from west central Korea. Herpetologica, 12:50-56, 1 fig., March 6.

Fang, P. W., and Chang, M. L. Y.

1931. Amphibia of Nanking. Contrib. Biol. Lab., Sci. Soc. China, Zool. Ser., 7:65-114, 18 figs., May.

Günther, A.

1858. Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia in the collection of the British Museum. Taylor and Francis, London, xvi + 160 pp., 12 pls.

Hahn, D. E.

1959. Observations and collecting notes onRana n. nigromaculatain central Korea. Jour. Ohio Herp. Soc., 2:7-8, September 20.

1960. Collecting notes on central Korean reptiles and amphibians. Jour. Ohio Herp. Soc., 2:16-24, 4 figs., September 20.

Jones, J. K., Jr.

1960. The least tube-nosed bat in Korea. Jour. Mamm., 41:265, May 20.

Liu, C.

1936. Secondary sex characters of Chinese frogs and toads. Zool. Ser., Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 22:115-156, 12 pls., October 31.

1950. Amphibians of western China. Fieldiana: Zool. Memoirs, Chicago Nat. Hist. Mus., 2:1-400, 10 pls., 100 figs., June 15.

Malnate, E. V.

1960. Systematic division and evolution of the colubrid snake genus Natrix, with comments on the subfamily Natricinae. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 112:41-71, 2 figs., 4 maps, September 23.

Maslin, T. P.

1950. Snakes of the Kiukiang-Lushan area, Kiangsi, China. Proc. California Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 26:419-466, 10 figs., April 28.

Mittleman, M. B.

1950. The generic status ofScincus lateralisSay, 1823. Herpetologica, 6:17-20, June 5.

Mori, T.

1928a. A presumption of the age in which the separation of Japan and Korea had occurred and the general condition at that age estimated from the distribution of animals in Saishuto and Tsushima. Chosen, pp. 14-25, January, 1928 (in Japanese).

1928b. On amphibians and reptiles of Quelpaert Island. Jour. Chosen Nat. Hist. Soc., 6:47-52, March 25 (in Japanese).

1928c. On a new Hynobius from Quelpaert Isl. Jour. Chosen Nat. Hist. Soc., 6:53, March 25.

Moriya, K.

1954. Studies on the five races of the Japanese pond frog,Rana nigromaculataHallowell. I. Differences in the morphological characters. Jour. Sci. Hiroshima Univ. (ser. B, div. 1), 15:1-21, 2 pls., 1 fig., December.

Okada, Y.

1931. The tailless batrachians of the Japanese Empire. Imp. Agric. Exp. Sta., Tokyo, 215 pp., 29 pls., 97 figs., March 30.

1934. A contribution toward a check list of the urodeles of Japan. Copeia, 1934(1):16-19, April 24.

1935. Amphibia of Jehol. Rept. First Sci. Exped. Manchoukuo, sect. V, div. II, pt. II, art. 1, pp. 1-24 (in Japanese) and 25-47 (in English), 7 pls., 9 figs., November 30.

Olsen, L. S.

1957. A new species ofNeoascaris(Nematode) from a Korean wood mouse. Trans. Amer. Micros. Soc., 76:205-208, 9 figs., April.

Pope, C. H.

1935. The reptiles of China (Natural History of Central Asia, Vol. X). Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York, lii + 604 pp., 27 pls., 78 figs., May 11.

Pope, C. H., and Boring, A. M.

1940. A survey of Chinese Amphibia. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull., 15:13-86, 1 map, September.

Sato, I.

1943. The tailed batrachians of Japan. Tokyo, 520 pp., illustrated (in Japanese).

Schlegel, H.

1838. Reptilia (invon Siebold, Fauna Japonica), pp. 1-144, illustrated.

Schmidt, K. P.

1927. Notes on Chinese amphibians. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 54:553-575, 2 pls., October 14.

Shannon, F. A.

1956. The reptiles and amphibians of Korea. Herpetologica, 12:22-49, 1 pl., 1 fig., March 6.

1957. Addition to the herpetofauna of Korea. Herpetologica, 13:52, March 30.

Stejneger, L.

1907. Herpetology of Japan and adjacent territory. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 58:xx + 577, 35 pls., 409 figs., July 22.

Stewart, G. D.

1953. Notes on a collection of amphibians from central Korea. Herpetologica, 9:146-148, October 30.

1954. A small collection of reptiles from central Korea. Copeia, 1954(1):65-67, February 19.

Tanner, V. M.

1953. Pacific Islands herpetology No. VIII, Korea. Great Basin Nat., 13:67-73.

Ting, H.

1939. A study of the reciprocal hybrids of two species of frogs,Rana nigromaculataandRana plancyi. Peking Nat. Hist. Bull., 13:181-200, 3 pls., March.

Van Denburgh, J.

1923. A new subspecies of watersnake (Natrix vibakari ruthveni) from eastern Asia. Proc. California Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 13:3-4, July 26.

Walley, H. D.

1958a. A new lacertid lizard from Korea. Herpetologica, 14:203-205, 1 fig., December 1.

1958b. "The status ofTakydromus kwangakuensisDoi." Copeia, 1958(4):338, December 22.

Transmitted June 30, 1961.

28-8517

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