Tropidonotus piscator punctatus Wall, 1907

Published, First, 2012, 3473, Zootaxa 3473, pp. 1-60 : 22

Tropidonotus piscator punctatus Wall, 1907

[ Tropidonotus piscator ] var. punctatus Wall, 1907: 861 .—Type locality. Not given. Here restricted to “Tranquebar”, now Tharangambadi, State of Tamil Nadu, India, on the basis of Russell (1802 [in 1801–1809]: 17).—Onomatophores. Syntypes: specimen depicted by Russell (1802 [in 1801–1809 (1810)]: pl. 15, fig. A; Neer Pamboo or Ourdia A; lost) and other specimens not traced .

Status. Synonymized with Natrix piscator by Smith (1943: 294). We regard this combination as a subjective junior synonym of Hydrus piscator Schneider, 1799 , now Xenochrophis piscator , but should populations from the southern tip of Peninsular India deserve a distinct taxonomic status, this name is available as X. punctatus ( Wall, 1907) .

Comments. Wall (1907) regarded this taxon as a variety of Tropidonotus piscator and provided a valid description. Wall included several specimens from several localities (not listed) under this name, but referred to pl. 15, fig. A of Russell (1802; “Ourdia A”). According to the plate and morphological characters provided by Wall, we refer this variety to the southern populations of Xenochrophis piscator , with a rather subdued dorsal pattern and a straight nuchal crossbar.