An updated checklist of reptiles from Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mizoram, India, with sixteen new distribution records

: We present an updated inventory of the reptilian fauna of Dampa Tiger Reserve based on two separate field surveys during March and September 2021. We recorded 33 species of reptiles which is about 27% of the total reptilian diversity recorded from the state. This includes new distribution records for 16 snake species with observations on rare species: Smithophis atemporalis, Smithophis bicolor , and Boiga quincunciata . Mizo abstract: Kum 2021 March leh September thla a Dampa Tiger Reserve-a survey neih atangin reptilian fauna (bawkvak chi – rul, laiking lam chi, satel) awm te chhinchhiah belhna tarlan a ni. He zirchianna ah hian reptile chi hrang hrang 33 hmuh a ni a, hei hi Mizoram atanga reptilian diversity record zawng zawng atanga 27% vel a ni. He survey atang hian rul chi hrang 16 te a vawikhat nan Dampa Tiger Reserve atanga chhinchhiah thar a ni a, hmun dang a hmuh tur tam lem lo: Smithophis atemporalis, Smithophis bicolor, leh Boiga quincunciata te an tel a ni. cyanochloris G— Ahaetulla flavescens pulverulentus.


Study area
Dampa Tiger Reserve (hereafter DTR) is located in Mamit District of Mizoram along the Bangladesh border ( Figure 1). It is situated at the western limit of the state, and falls within 23. 54-23.69 o N & 92.22-92.45 o E. The natural vegetation of the area is tropical evergreen to semi-evergreen, corresponding to the Cachar tropical evergreen 1B/C3 and semi-evergreen 2B/C2 forest (Champion & Seth 1968). The elevation ranges 250-1,100 m with an average precipitation of 2,150 mm, mainly from the south-west monsoon from May to December (Raman et al. 1998). The area has one of the last remaining natural low-to mid-elevation forests in western Mizoram (FSI 1999). DTR is drained by two drainage systems: Karnaphuli and Barak. The Karnaphuli drainage consists of Aivapui, Keisalam, Seling, and Mar rivers and the Barak drainage consists of Teirei and Tut rivers (Lalramliana et al. 2020).
The study was carried out in the two forest ranges, Phuldungsei and Teirei. In the Phuldungsei range, surveys were done along the Saithah to Phuldungsei road (~5 km) and in the Teirei range, surveys were carried out along the Teirei to Damparengpui village road (~3 km).
Both the road segments form the boundary between the core and buffer of DTR. We employed stratified random sampling along possible habitats such as torrent streams, dry streambeds, roadside vegetation, ponds, agriculture fields, and oil palm plantations for species inventory (Image 5).

Data collection
The data for this paper was collected from 23 to 27 March and 12 to 16 September 2021. Visual encounter surveys (Crump & Scott 1994) and opportunistic searches were deployed to assess the reptilian diversity during the survey period. Data on road-killed specimens found during the survey period were also recorded. Collected specimens were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution and then transferred to 70% ethanol solution for longer preservation. All collected specimens were deposited at the Reptile and Amphibians Repository, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.

RESULTS
In the present study, 10 species of lizards from four families and eight genera; 23 species of snakes from seven families and 16 genera were documented. Among the 33 species of reptiles, one species is Near Threatened, one species is Data Deficient and the rest are Least Concern or Not Evaluated as per the IUCN Red List. Scales on neck and supra-axillary region oriented obliquely; supratympanic spines are half or less than the diameter of tympanum (Zug et al. 2006). Das et al. (2009) provisionally reported the species from adjoining Barail WS.  also provisionally reported the species from Dampa TR. The individuals were frequently encountered roosting on shrub along forest trail about 1.5 m above the ground during our survey on 12 September 2021 at around 2138 h.

Species Accounts
Previously C. versicolor was reported from Ngengpui WS, DTR, Aizawl, Hmuifang (Pawar & Birand 2001;Lalrinchhana et al. 2011;. Calotes cf. irawadi from DTR . However, after Gowande et al. (2021), the validity of these records needs to be investigated. Flat dorsum; no nuchal or dorsal crest; a double series of slightly enlarged keeled scales; series of angularly bent larger scales. The description agrees with Jerdon (1980). The individuals were encountered roosting on shrub along a forest trail at around 0.5 m above the ground on 12 Sept 2021 at around 1900 h.

Smooth-scaled Mountain Lizard
In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from DTR, Hmuifang (Pawar & Birand 2001;Lalrinchhana et al. 2011;.    Olive-brown dorsum; anterior part of dorsum with whitish checkering; posteriorly dorsolateral series of small yellowish or cream spots present. Neck with a cream or pinkish collar which is broad in the middle, many dorsal scales edged with white and sky blue colour. Small black bars from the eye to the labials and one large bar from behind the eye to the angle of mouth, ventral with light mottling that increases posteriorly. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having a dorsal scale rows 17:19:17; ventrals 158; subcaudals 86 (paired). We encountered the individual roosting on roadside vegetation at about 0.5m from ground on 13 September 2021 at around 2130 h. A Xenophrys sp. frog was recovered from the gut of this individual.
In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from Champhai and Mamit districts (Lalremsanga et al. 2011).
The individual agrees with description in Das (2010)  Dorsum without pattern or with faint dark transverse dorsolateral bands on yellowish-brown or reddishbrown ground. The individuals agrees with description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having dorsal 19:19:15;ventral 222-241;subcaudals 96-107(paired). We encountered the individual active along a roadside vegetated slope 2 m from ground 16 September 2021 at around 2100 h. Another individual was encountered on the same night at 2200 h on vegetation, 2 m above ground along a roadside stream.
Dorsal pattern consists of fine dark brown spots and a vertebral series of dark brown; white edged blotches on yellowish or greyish-brown ground. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having dorsal scale rows 19:19:15; ventral 254; subcaudals 128 (paired). We encountered the individual along a thick forested slope by roadside during our survey at about 0.5 m from ground on 13 September 2021 at around 2200 h.
In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from Aizawl districts (Lalremsanga et al. 2011
Completely red subcaudals. The individual agrees with description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017). We encountered a road killed individual on the road between Saithah and Phuldungsei village on 13 September 2021 at around 1100 h.
In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from Aizawl district and Reiek Community Reserved Forests (Lalremsanga et al. 2011;Hmar et al. 2020).
Brownish-black dorsal with narrow white cross bars best marked anteriorly; neck without any band, first band appear two head length behind. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017 In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from Tamdil, Aizawl and Kolasib districts, Reiek Community Reserved Forest (Lalremsanga et al. 2011(Lalremsanga et al. , 2014Hmar et al. 2020).
Snout lacking pointed dermal appendage. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010), Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) and Srikanthan et al. (2022). We encountered an individual roosting on a Mesua ferra tree about 10 m from the ground inside Teirei Forest IB complex on 12 September 2021 at around 2030 h.
In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from Aizawl, Ngengpui WS, Tamdil, Aizawl and Mamit districts (Pawar & Birand 2001;Lalremsanga et al. 2011Lalremsanga et al. , 2014. Earlier this speciese was reported as Ahaetulla prasina from northeast India. Srikanthan et al. (2022) recently revaluated the taxonomic identity of the northeast Indian populations of the species as A. flavescens.
Reddish-brown or olive brown dorsal in colour; indistinct, small transverse bars on dorsum, Labials edged with faint black bars; labial and chin region whitish. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having dorsal scale rows 19:17:15; ventral 153; subcaudals 69 (paired). We encountered the individual active of slope along the side of a stream on 13 September 2021 at around 1300 h and it tried to hide when encountered.
Yellowish dorsum with series of irregular edged black bars on the two side of mid dorsal line, top of head heavily spotted with black but the mottling is defined within an arrow-head shaped space. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having dorsal scale rows 15:15:15; ventral 192; subcaudals 81 (paired). We encountered the individual on a tree branch above stream at about 5 m from the ground on 14 September 2021 at around 2030 h. Another individual was encountered on the same night on a branch on a roadside vegetation slope at about 1 m from the ground.
Hood markings usually distinct, usually a pale, oval or circular marking, with a dark center and occasionally a narrow dark outer border. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017). We encountered an adult individual during a day trek towards Dampatlang on 5 March 2021 at around 1300 h. The individual was photographed on the spot and left in the area.
Black and yellow banded snake with blunt tail. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017). We encountered the individual active on a thick vegetated slope along a road near Teirei Forest IB Complex on 15 September Dorsal greenish in colouration, eyes yellow; tongue dark brown; ventral yellowish-white; top of tail uninterrupted reddish in colour. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having Dorsal scale rows 25:25:19; ventral 167; subcaudals 65 (paired). We encountered five individuals of this species during the survey on saplings and tree branches along forest trails, and vegetation slopes on roadsides and on roads.
Eyes red, background colour is uniformly green, red ventrolateral stripe below and white stripe above in males, well defined white stripe in females; the ventrolateral stripe become broken down into blotches alongside of the tail. The individual agrees with the description in Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having dorsal 23:21:19;ventral 166;subcaudals 70 (paired). This species was quite common in the study area, we encountered >10 individuals along roadside vegetation, saplings on forest trails and a female individual in an ambush position in a small guava tree near the guest house in Phuldungsei IB complex.
In Mizoram, this species was previously reported from Aizawl and Mamit district (Lalremsanga et al. 2011). Pawar & Birand (2001 reported Trimeresurus cf. stejnegeri from DTR which supposedly would be a misidentification of T. popeiorum.

J TT
Shiny blackish brown dorsum, on the neck and anterior part of body nine to ten dorsal scale rows are dark brown and shiny, little paler below, the two colours are not sharply contrasted. The individual agrees with the description in Das (2010) and Lalremsanga & Lalronunga (2017) in having a mid-row dorsal scale of 28. We encountered a fresh dead individual on the road in West Phaileng village on 12 September 2021 at around 1500 h.

DISCUSSIONS
The first attempt to document the herpetofauna of DTR was made about two decades ago (Pawar & Birand 2001). That study recorded 22 species of amphibians, 16 species of lizards, seven species of snakes, and four species of cheloneans from DTR.  Lalrinchhana et al. (2011), and remain unclear as Gowande et al.

Image 5. Some habitats of reptiles in Dampa Tiger Reserve: A-Dry Streambed | B-Mature Forest | C-Road and roadside vegetation | D-Bamboo grove. © Abhijit Das A-D)
(2021) removed C. versicolor from northeastern India and placed all the northeastern Indian species in C. irawadi clade, therefore, the revaluation of Calotes versicolor group in northeast India is requires further studies. Gowande et al. (2021) stated that males of C. versicolor attain yellowish overall coloration, the trunk and the orbital region turns bright orange, forelimbs and hind limbs turn dark to black, however in present study we documented a displaying male from Teirei river, DTR with a reddish colour around the tympanum that extends till the midbody, which resembles the revived species, Calotes vultuosus (Type locality Kolkata, West Bengal) and the occurrence of this species needs to be checked/ confirmed in Mizoram. Pawar & Birand (2001) also reported four chelonians during their study in DTR which were not encountered in the present study. Among other additions, Vanlalchhuana et al. (2016) reported the nesting and hatchlings of Ophiophagus hannah from DTR.
The maximum number of encounters during our study inhabit roadside vegetation, forest trails and streams flowing along the roadside while there were very few encounters in the oil palm plantation. The roads connecting the villages within DTR are a borderline between the core and buffer zones. The expansion of road networks is one of the major threats for wildlife as a result of habitat destruction and population fragmentation (Mader 1984;Jaarsma et al. 2006). Moreover, the impact of roads is manifested in the direct mortality of wildlife through wildlife-vehicle collisions (Bennett 2017). Vehicle collisions are a major cause of mortality for a wide variety of herpetofauna (Dutta et al. 2016). During our survey at DTR, we observed a roadkilled gravid female Trimeresurus erythrurus. As much as road connectivity is essential for the communities living in the fringe villages of DTR, detailed studies on the impact of roads on the wildlife of DTR in general and herpetofauna, in particular, will help in formulating mitigation measures.
Biodiversity incentivization provides essential baseline data on life forms in space and time (McDiarmid