Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider, 1799:247)

Wagner, Philipp, Bauer, Aaron M., Leviton, Alan E., Wilms, Thomas M. & Böhme, Wolfgang, 2016, A Checklist of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Afghanistan *, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 63 (13), pp. 457-565 : 513

Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider, 1799:247)

1799 Hydrus Piscator Schneider, Historiae Amphibiorum narturalis et literariae. Fasciculus primus, continens Ranas. Calamitas, Bufones, Salamandras et Hydros in genera et species descriptos notisque sius distinctos, vol. 1. Friederici Frommanni, Jena, XIII + (1) + 264 + (2) pp., pls. 1–2.

HOLOTYPE.— Specimen illustrated in Russell [1796], pl. 33 from “Indiae orientalis.” Vogel and David (2012) identified this specimen as a dried skin, BMNH 1904.7.27. 31, presumably from Patrick Russell’s collection. They also restricted the type locality to “the coastal areas of northern Andhra Pradesh State, eastern India ” based on Russell’s chief area of residence and activity during his stay in India. However, according to Bauer (2015), BMNH 1904.7.27. 31 was obtained by the museum about 100 years after Russell’s death, so the status of the specimen as holotype is still questionable.

LOCALITIES.— Darunta, 20 km WNW Jalalabad ( MMB 28506–07); Jalalabad [Nangahar Prov., 650 m] ( MMB 28504–05, ZFMK 8652); 40 km SW of Jalalabad ( CAS 120542) [see pl. 13, fig. 2 for distribution].

REMARKS.— The specimen collected by Clark (1990; CAS 120542) was found amongst rocks along the edge of a stream.