title: A new species of the genus Opisthotropis Gunther, 1872 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Guangdong Province, China.
abstract: A new natricid snake of the genus Opisthotropis Gunther, 1872, Opisthotropis laui sp. nov., is described from Mt. Gudou, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the combination of the following characters: dorsal scales weakly keeled throughout, in 25:23:23 rows; 10 supralabials; 11 infralabials; two internasals, longer than wide, not touching the loreal; one loreal, not touching the eye; one preocular; two postoculars; one anterior temporal scale; 152 ventrals; 53 subcaudals; body and tail dark olive above, with light yellow crossbars.
authors.affiliation: Kadoorie Conservation China, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, PR China. jhyang@kfbg.org
authors.forename: Jian-huan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yik-hei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Bosco Pui-Lok
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D012911:Snakes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*