The snake fauna of Khabr National Park, southeast of Iran

Khabr National Park and Ruchun Wildlife Refuge are situated in the southeast of Iran, Kerman Province. Although snakes are an important group in the studied area, little isknown regarding their diversity. The present study was carried out from March 2009 to late summer 2010. In this study, 74 specimens were collected (or observed) andidentified, belonging to four families, 14 genera, and 17 species, including Typhlopidae: Typhlops vermicularis; Colubridae: Boiga trigonatum melanocephala, Hemorrhois ravergieri, Lytorhynchus diadema gaddi, Lytorhynchus ridgewayi, Platyceps rhodorachis ladacensis, Platyceps ventromaculatus ventromaculatus, Psammophis schokari, Pseudocyclophis persicus, Spalerosophis diadema cliffordii, Spalerosophis microlepis, Telescopus rhinopoma, Eirenis punctatolineatus; Viperidae: Echis carinatus sochureki, Macrovipera lebetina cernovi, Pseudocerastes persicus; Elapidae: Walterinnesia morgani. The records of Spalerosophis microlepis, Lytorhynchus diadema gaddi, Pseudocyclophis persicus and Walterinnesia morgani are reported for the first time from southeast of Iran.

Keywords:

Diversity , Snake fauna , Khabr National Park , Conservation , Iran