TABLE 1 in Tropidonotus nicobarensis Sclater, 1891 is a junior synonym of Thamnophis saurita (Linnaeus, 1766) (Squamata: Serpentes: Natricinae)

TABLE 1. Morphological comparison between the type specimens of Tropidonotus nicobarensis, Prymnomiodon chalceus and literature data based on Thamnophis saurita. Data for Th. saurita originate from Rossman (1963) and Rossman et al. (1996). Data noted with an asterisk indicate the tails in specimens were broken or damaged. Data in parentheses indicate rare occurrences, whereas data in brackets indicate data from literature sources.
CharacterTropidonotus nicobarensisPrymnomiodon chalceusThamnophis sauritaMuzzle Length/Frontal Length0.5100.610usually less than 0.700Loreal1/11/11/1Preoculars1/11/11/1Postoculars3/33/33 (2, 4, 5)Supralabials8/78/77–8 (6, 9)Supralabials contacting eye4+5/3+44+5/3+43+4–4+5Anterior Temporals1/11/11 (2)Posterior Temporals2/22/22 (1, 3, 4)Infralabials10/109/109–10 (7, 8, 11, 12)Infralabials contating upper chin shields5/54/54–5Anterior dorsal scales191919 (17, 18)Midbody dorsal scales191919 (17, 18)Posterior dorsal scales171717 (16)Ventrals160152143–177Subcaudals88 [120] *24 *94–136Cloacal plateUndividedUndividedUndividedMaxillary teeth[25 or 24]3127–34Vertebral stripePresent, dark edgesPresent, dark edgesPresent, dark edgesPosition of lateral stripe3rd and 4th dorsal scale rows3rd and 4th dorsal scale rows3rd, 4th dorsal scale rowsWidth of lateral stripes on each dorsal scale0.50.50.5Temporal streakPresentPresentPresent