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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: December 31st, 2022.


Taxonomy of the family Homalopsidae
Bibliography of the genus Homalopsis
Biodiversity of the family Homalopsidae








Genus
Homalopsis

Masked Water Snakes, Puff-faced Water Snakes

Boa-Wassertrugnattern

Maskevandsnoge, Boaflodslanger

1822 Homalopsis Kuhl & Hasselt (type species: Coluber horridus Daudin 1803)
1859 Pythonia Blyth (type species: Homalopsis semizonata Blyth 1855; syn. Murphy 2007)
Contents: 5 species, none of which are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Remarks: Although the genus has been reported from China (e.g., Gyi 1970, as buccata), it appears to be absent from the country (Zhao & Adler 1993; Murphy 2007).
Distribution: S. Asia, Malay Archipelago.
Reported from: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Java, Kalimantan, Natuna Islands, Riau Islands, Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, West Malaysia [incl. Langkawi Archipelago]), Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

Homalopsis buccata

Malayan Masked Water Snake, Puff-faced Water Snake, Banded Swamp Snake, Asian False Water Boa, (Linne's Water Snake)

Malayische Boa-Wassertrugnatter

Malayisk Maskevandsnog

1758 Coluber buccatus Linnaeus
Vipera buccata Daudin 1803
Homalopsis buccata Schlegel 1837
1758 Coluber monilis Linnaeus (Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch 2012)
Homalopsis monilis Boie 1827
1803 Coluber horridus Daudin (Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch 2012)
Homalopsis horridus Kuhl & van Hasselt 1822

Remarks: Presence in Sulawesi needs confirmation, since only a single voucher specimen is available from the island (De Lang & Vogel 2005).
Introduced to: Indonesia (Sulawesi).
Distribution: Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Java, Kalimantan, Natuna Islands, Riau Islands, Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, West Malaysia [incl. Langkawi Archipelago]), Singapore, Thailand.


Homalopsis buccata
© Henrik Bringsøe

Homalopsis hardwickii

Northwestern Masked Water Snake, (Hardwick's Water Snake)

Nordvestliche Boa-Wassertrugnatter

Nordvestlig Maskevandsnog

1842 Homalopsis hardwickii Gray

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of buccata (e.g., Murphy 2007). Revalidated as a separate species by Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch (2012). Distribution of hardwickii is uncertain; it is possibly restricted to Northeast India. The type specimen came from "India", but the locality is questionable, and other voucher specimens also have questionable locality data or are anecdotal, hence there are no known extant population (Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch 2012). Also a single record from Nepal (as buccata) needs confirmation (Kästle, Rai & Schleich 2013). Whitaker & Captain (2004) did not consider it an Indian species. However, until further knowledge is obtained, reports of Homalopsis from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal are tentatively regarded as hardwickii.
Distribution: Bangladesh, India, Nepal.


Homalopsis mereljcoxi

Thai Masked Water Snake, (Jack's Water Snake)

Thailändische Boa-Wassertrugnatter

Thailandsk Maskevandsnog

2012 Homalopsis mereljcoxi Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch

Distribution: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam.


Homalopsis mereljcoxi
© Rune Midtgaard

Homalopsis nigroventralis

Mekong Masked Water Snake, Cambodian Puff-faced Water Snake, (Deuve's Water Snake)

Mekong-Boa-Wassertrugnatter

Mekong-maskevandsnog

1970 Homalopsis buccata nigroventralis Deuve
Homalopsis nigroventralis Stuart, Sok & Neang 2006

Distribution: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand.


Homalopsis semizonata

Burmese Masked Water Snake, Martaban Water Snake

Burmesische Boa-Wassertrugnatter

Burmesisk Maskevandsnog

1855 Homalopsis semizonata Blyth
Pythonia semizonata Blyth 1859
Pythonella semizonata [lapsus for Pythonia] Carlleyle 1869

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of buccata (e.g., Murphy 2007). Revalidated as a separate species by Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch (2012). Reports of buccata from the Thai Andaman coast (e.g., Frith 1977) may also refer to semizonata (Murphy, Voris, Murthy, Traub & Cumberbatch 2012).
Distribution: Myanmar, Thailand.