First Record ofFowlea SanctijohannisBoulenger, 1890 (Serpentes: Colubridae) From Uttarakhand state, North India With a Photographic Plate and Comments on its Taxonomic Status

This short note reports about the occurrence ofFowlea sanctijohannisBoulenger, 1890 in the State of Uttarakhand, North India. Species has been recorded from the Lansdowne Forest Division, which falls under the tropical dry deciduous forest type. Based on the morphological characters and quite a few available records; ecological data and taxonomic status has been illustrated. The species was earlier reported from only northern and northeastern parts of India (the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the States of Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam). This report constitutes the first ever record of a new range ofFowlea sanctijohannisin the North India. Besides, this report also establishes an addition to the herpetofauna of the Uttarakhand State. It is recommended that a baseline study be initiated to demark the geographical distribution and status of the species in India for its better protection and conservation.