A new species of reed snake, Calamaria Boie, 1827 from the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae)

A new species of Calamaria Boie, 1827 is described based on a single specimen collected in evergreen forest at 1240 m elevation of Ta Dung Nature Reserve in Dak Nong Province, Central Vietnam. The new species is characterized by (1) rostral wider than high; (2) paraparietal surrounded by six shields and scales; (3) eye diameter larger than eye-mouth distance; (4) preocular present; (5) supralabials 5/4, 3-4/2-3 entering orbit; (6) maxillary teeth nine, modified; (7) infralabials 5/4, first three touching anterior chin shields; (8) mental touching tip of right anterior chin shield; (9) ventrals 1 + 174; subcaudal scales 18/17, divided; (10) precloacal plate single; (11) tail relatively short (6.2% of the total length), nearly as thick as body, slightly tapering, and ending in obtuse point; (12) dorsal scales reducing to six rows at position above 4th subcaudal, and to four rows above 13th subcaudal on tail; (13) dorsum dark with irregular yellow blotches; and (14) ventral side dark with few yellow blotches and bands. This is the sixth new Calamaria species described from Vietnam in the past thirteen years and the tenth species of Calamaria recorded from this country.