A revision of the dark-bellied, stream-dwelling snakes of the genus Hebius (Reptilia: Squamata: Natricidae) with the description of a new species from China, Vietnam and Thailand.

Species of the genus Hebius Thompson, 1913 with 17 or 19 dorsal scale rows at midbody and an overall dark venter are reviewed, including the two species previously known as Parahelicops annamensis Bourret, 1934 and Pararhabdophis chapaensis Bourret, 1934. Specimens with 17 scale rows are morphologically similar to Hebius venningi (Wall, 1910), which is here redefined based on external morphological characters such as scalation, and dorsal and ventral patterns. Consequently, Natrix nigriventer Wall, 1925 is resurrected from its synonymy with Hebius venningi, whereas Natrix taronensis Smith, 1940, previously considered a subspecies of H.

Two new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northern Laos, including new finding and expanded diagnosis of C. bansocensis.

Two new Cyrtodactylus species are described from Houaphan and Luang Prabang provinces in Laos based on morphological and molecular data. Cyrtodactylus houaphanensis sp. nov.

Population genetics, community of parasites, and resistance to rodenticides in an urban brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) population.

Brown rats are one of the most widespread urban species worldwide. Despite the nuisances they induce and their potential role as a zoonotic reservoir, knowledge on urban rat populations remains scarce. The main purpose of this study was to characterize an urban brown rat population from Chanteraines park (Hauts-de-Seine, France), with regards to haematology, population genetics, immunogenic diversity, resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides, and community of parasites.

A new genus and species of xenodermatid snake (Squamata: Caenophidia: Xenodermatidae) from northern Lao People's Democratic Republic.

A male snake collected in Louangphabang Province and a second specimen observed in Houaphan Province, North Laos, share morphological characters with the Asian genus Fimbrios Smith, 1921, including erected edges on the first supra- and infralabial scales, but differ in the following morphological characters: fewer dorsal scale rows (25-27 vs. 30-33), fewer maxillary teeth (27 vs. 30-35), posterior teeth progressively slightly enlarged, and especially the correspondence of two dorsal scale rows per ventral plate throughout the body (i.

Gekko aaronbaueri, a new gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from central Laos.

A new species of the genus Gekko Laurenti is described from central Laos. The species is distinguished from its congeners by its moderate size, i.e.

A new species of the genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 from northern Laos (Squamata: Natricidae).

Two specimens, a male and a female, of the genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 were collected in a karst formation of northern Louangphabang (or Luang Prabang) Province, North Laos. These specimens are assigned to the genus Opisthotropis on the basis of their morphology, dentition and cephalic scalation. However, they differ from all other known species of Opisthotropis by a combination of the following characters: (1) 21-19 scale rows on the fore part of the body, (2) 17 scale rows at midbody, (3) 22/23 maxillary teeth, (4) 177-181 ventrals, (5) 1 loreal on each side, in contact with internasal, (6) 7 supralabials, 4th entering orbit, (7) dorsum dark bronze-brown, with upper part of dorsum darker than lateral sides, without bands or crossbars, and (8) chin and throat blackish-brown with a sharp, transversal limit with the ventral colour crossing the posterior part of the throat.

Reappraisal of Vipera aspis venom neurotoxicity.

Background: The variation of venom composition with geography is an important aspect of intraspecific variability in the Vipera genus, although causes of this variability remain unclear. The diversity of snake venom is important both for our understanding of venomous snake evolution and for the preparation of relevant antivenoms to treat envenomations. A geographic intraspecific variation in snake venom composition was recently reported for Vipera aspis aspis venom in France.