Erroneous environs or aberrant activities? Reconciling unexpected collection localities for three New Guinea Worm-eating Snakes (Toxicocalamus, Serpentes, Elapidae) using historical account

Abstract

In contrast to birds and large mammals, which can usually be observed and recognized using binoculars and field guides, many reptile and amphibian species are secretive, rarely seen, and difficult to identify from a distance. The characters that separate closely related snakes or lizards often revolve around some finite details of the head or body scalation rather than highly visible color patterns, and these are essentially impossible to discern without close inspection; sometimes these characteristics are difficult to determine even up close, without magnification. Therefore, while many bird and mammal distribution maps may be compiled from non-invasive observations, often by armies of experienced amateurs, the ranges of many reptile species often depend on the locality data that should accompany museum specimens whose identity has been established. If such data are inaccurate or erroneous, it may then easily lead to misconceptions regarding the range and conservation status of a particular species – to use a computing term, garbage in, garbage out!