''Myanophis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

in the family

Homalopsidae The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 28 genus, genera and more than 50 species. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as ''ular air'' (lit. "water snake") in ...

that contains the sole species ''Myanophis thanlyinensis''. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

, and was described in 2021 from two male and two female specimens found in the vicinity of the campus of East Yangon University. Aside from genetic differences, it can be distinguished from all other homalopsid genera by its smooth

dorsal scales In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publis ...

, short tail length in relation to the body, separated

nasal scale In reptiles, the nasal scale refers to the scale that encloses the nostril.Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. . Sometimes this ...

s, unique number of ventral and

subcaudal scales In snakes, the subcaudal scales are the enlarged plates on the underside of the tail.Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. . These scales may be either single or divided (pair ...

, and bilobed hemipenis in males. It is most closely related to the genera ''

Myrrophis ''Myrrophis'' is a genus of snakes in the family Homalopsidae.. Species *'' Myrrophis bennettii'' (Gray, 1842) *'' Myrrophis chinensis'' (Gray, 1842) References Further reading * Kumar AB, Sanders KL, George S George may refer to: People ...

'' and '' Gyiophis'', from which it can be distinguished by its bilobed hemipenis as opposed to unilobed in the other two genera.

References

Homalopsidae Reptiles of Myanmar Monotypic snake genera Snakes of Southeast Asia Endemic fauna of Myanmar Reptiles described in 2021 {{Alethinophidia-stub