A NEW SPECIES OF GENUS Achalinus FROM HUNAN PROVINCE, CHINA (SQUAMATA: XENODERMATIDAE)

Anew species of Xenodermatid snake, Achalinus jianghuaensis sp. nov., is described based on an adult male specimen collected from Jianghua County, Yongzhou, Hunan Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other known species of the genus Achalinus by morphological differences and genetic divergence (p-distance > 4.7%, COI gene). The new species differs from its congeners in the following features: (1) dorsal scales throughout 23 rows, strongly keeled; (2) tail relatively long, the ratio of TaL to TL is 0.28:1; (3) suture between internasals remarkably longer than that between prefrontals; (4) loreal single; (5) supralabials six, the fourth and fifth in contact with the eye; (6) infralabials five, the first three in contact with first pair of chin shields; (7) temporals arranged in three rows, 2 - 2 - 4; (8) ventral scales 155; (9) subcaudals 72, arranged in a single row; and (10) dorsal surface of head and body greyish black, venter pale black, the occipital yellow-white patch extending to the head and abdomen. The description of A. jianghuaensis sp. nov. from China brings the total number of Achalinus species up to 28.