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Historic catchup
A herpetologist in the making
Herpetological Laboratory
Story and records 1965-2016
Muhammad Sharif Khan
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Herpetological Laboratory, 306 N. Morton Avenue, Morton, PA 19070, USA
2016
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ِ ُ‫ﺪ‬‫اﻟﺤﻤ‬
All Thanks to Allah Almighty
Acknowledgements
Since 1963, when I started working in field of herpetology, I enjoyed support of my family.
None except me, were lovers of frogs and lizards, especially my late wife Rashida Tasnim
(Professor of Persian language), with neat and clean habits, tolerated the smell of formalin, scattered
jars and papers at my table, and dust everywhere in my study; over several years of our relationship. She
generously Okayed devoting much of my time in the field and laboratory, taking care of four kinds single
handedly. Her protests had always been short-lived. I am thankful for her immense understanding and
meticulous care. Nobody in the family objected to live under the same roof, in the neighborhood
of a herp collection. Thank you all very much!
My special thanks go to my mentor late Professor Dr. Ahsan ul Islam (1927-1974), my university
professor and guide, who suggested herpetology of Pakistan for my lifelong project. And also to late
Professor Dr. Robert Mertens (1894-1975), curator Natur-Museum and Forschungs-Institute
Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and to late Professor Dr. Sherman A. Minton, Jr. (1919-
1999), Department of Microbiology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA, for their help with literature
and identifications and understanding of various morphological terms used in herpetological studies. They
taught how to tread safely through maze of synonymy, and identify amphibians and reptiles correctly.
I specially acknowledge support of my countless students in field collections, translations,
typing of manuscripts and for valuable gifts, all were always so ready to help, thank you very
much you all.
Muhammad Sharif Khan
Morton, PA 19070, USA
4 September, 2016
About myself
1939- Born to Pakistani parents, in East Africa Tanzania, where my
Father Dr. Habib Ullah Khan, I.M.D., served in health department. 1941- Moved with
family in Qadian, India, started early education. 1947- Migrated to Pakistan.
1955- Completed school.
1956- F.Sc. pre-med from Talim ul Islam College, Rabwah,
Pakistan.
1959- BS, Islamia College (c.l), Lahore, Pakistan.
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1963- MS in Zoology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
1996- Ph.D. University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
1963-1999- Professor of Zoology, Talim ul Islam College,
Rabwah, Pakistan.
1999, 11th
August: Retired from service.
Honors and Awards
1963- Islamia College (c. l), Lahore: College medal and Roll of Honor
for topping in subject of Zoology in BS examination.
1964- “Sir. William Roberts Gold medal” for topping in MS
Zoology, Exam, 1963.
2002- “Zoologist for the year 2002” award, Zoological Society of
Pakistan.
2014- “Life time Achievement” award, Zoological Society of
Pakistan.
<<>>
1999-August 11th
. Retired from service in Pakistan.
1999-September 11th
Immigrated to USA.
<<>>
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Mission statement
Herpetological Laboratory (15/6 Darul Saddar N. Rabwah, Pakistan) was
established in 1973 to introduce my research results to interested herpetologists in the
subcontinent herpetology.
I personally had been involved from collections, preservation, tagging maintaining record
in the logbook by recording tag-numbers of the specimens, studying, defining new taxa,
writing and submitting papers for publication; receiving/returning loans and depositing type
specimens in museums all over the world.
When I immigrating to USA in September 1999, I carried with me the written
records. Since then it has been lying with me. As time passes, wear and tear has started by
eating corners of the documents.
Since the herpetological Laboratory is now internationally known, type-specimens
described are deposited in museums all over the world. Fearing losing important depository
records, I have transferred the data in the present document, for future consultation.
Copies of communications with museums are being appended.
Muhammad Sharif Khan,
306 N. Morton Avenue, Morton, PA 19070, USA.
http://muhammadskhan.wildlifeofpakistan.com
<<>>
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My induction into school of herpetology
The story of my initiation in the study of amphibians and reptiles (herpetology-a long
neglected field in Pakistan) dates back to1965. For my Master degree in zoology (1961-63), I
studied external morphological changes a fertilized amphibian egg undergoes during its
subsequent normal development undergoes till four-legged creature. I used egg of the common
toad Bufo stomaticus. The work was supervised by Professor Dr. Ahsan ul Islam (Government
College Lahore, Pakistan) who identified the toad as Bufo melanostictus. It was published in
1965 under the title “A normal table of Bufo melanostictus based on external morphological
criteria.” Biologia (Lahore), 11:1-39.
The first response to the publication, came from world’s renowned German herpetologist
Prof. Dr. Robert Mertens (Forschungsinstitut, Natur-Museum Senckenberg, Frankfurt em main,
Germany), he corrected name of the toad as Bufo stomaticus Lűtken. The revelation came to me
as a sort of shock, thinking perhaps I did something big wrong!
Checking from key and description in the Amphibia Reptilia volume (Fauna of British India
series), found Mertens was correct. Answering my question regarding status of our knowledge of
the amphibians and reptiles in Pakistan, Dr Ahsan told me “Yet nobody in Pakistan has worked
in this field.” He suggested, “Since you are just starting your carrier in zoology, I wish you to
initiate in this field.” He promised, “Whatever assistance you may need I will help.”
Acknowledging his scholarship and hard work that he did in shaping me into an ardent
biologist, I named a new species of snake in his honor: Indotyphlops (Typhlops) ahsani Khan, 1999,
(Ahsan’s Blind-snake). (Two new species and a subspecies of blind snakes of genus Typhlops from Azad Kashmir
and Punjab, Pakistan (Sepentes: Typhlopidae). Russian J. Herpetol., 6(3):231-240.
Prof. Dr. Ahsan ul Islam
1927-1974
Prof. Dr. Robert Mertens
1894-1975
Prof. Dr. Sherman A. Minton, M.D.
Mrs. Madge Minton
1919-1999
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Talim ul Islam College Rabwah, Pakistan
Meanwhile, I joined Talim ul Islam College Rabwah, as lecturer in Zoology, determined to
work in herpetology, I started figuring what I needed to start:
1. Pertinent literature, and
2. Working material from the field.
Literature quest
Explored libraries in the town (about six), found few volumes of Proceedings of the Asiatic
Society Bengal and Journal of Bombay Natural History Society in Fazal-a-Omar Research
Institute library, I copied the relevant material.
A friend in the Punjab University Library, helped to get Amphibian and Reptile volume in
the Fauna of British India series, which proved of immense value in laying foundations of my
knowledge in the herpetology of the subcontinent.
Dr. Mertens, provided me with a bunch of his papers on Pakistan herpetology. Unfortunately
all were in German language. I tried to learn the language, soon I realized I am very bad in
learning languages, despite efforts with the dictionary I could not progress beyond “und.”
Dr. Mertens introduced me to Dr Sherman A. Minton, Indiana University, USA. (Who was
advisor and visiting professor in newly established Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Karachi), a
physician, as hobby collected amphibians and reptiles from around Karachi, later expanding his
interest to all over the country. He wrote first ever papers exclusive on Pakistan herpetology.
His papers, updated my knowledge. We extensively corresponded, exchanging ideas on
different herpetological issues I was facing in Pakistan, guided me with the identifications and
understanding scientific terms used in herpetological descriptions.
As my sphere of acquaintances grew in the herpetological community, literature came pouring
from several sources, in different languages including German, French, Russian, Italian etc. Thus
my literature library grew fast, all thanks to the generosity of the herpetological community.
Translations
Now the big big issue was getting papers in German translated in English. One of my BSc
students, Malik Zubair Ahmad came as God’s help (he learned German language from his
German mother). I found him so fluent in the language that he would hold the paper in hands
and start dictating in fluent English as if reading directly from an English document, I diligently
went on putting down word by word as he uttered.
Later Mr. Zubair astounded me with his exceptional talent with several other languages, a
real natural multi-linguist, Italian, Russian etc. He could have translated French papers, however,
not to burden him more, the job was done by students from Mauritius: Dr. Mahmood Bhunno,
Mr. Din, and a student in missionary college, Ahmad Shamir Sukhia.
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Field work - getting working material
Rabwah town, is located on the right bank of the River Chenab, in temperate central Punjab,
Pakistan (31° 32′ 59″ N, 74° 20′ 37″ E). It covers an area of about 24 km2
, is situated at an
elevated platform from the low-lying surrounding country. The terrain is arid, stony, salt-petri,
surrounded by low rocky, barren hills. The river circumvallates the town from East to South;
(thus the raised location of the town is aptly reflected in its name "Rabwah" - meaning raised
area). Its elevation protects the town from floods, when river flows at its highest level during
monsoons, every year.
Several lizard species were seen scurrying from bush to bush during day in the town, and
frogs jumping by night fall, geckos chased each other on house walls. Most of our collection was
done by practical-class weakly tours, to study nature in and around the town. We studied and
observed, collected invertebrate, vertebrates, and plants from the surrounding hills, and along
River banks.
Moreover, as my interest in amphibians and reptiles came to be known all over the college
campus, several students volunteered to help. With instructions how to handle and preserve they
were provided with plastic jars and preservative; those coming daily from villages around,
brought killed or living snakes and lizards in plastic bags, while those leaving for homes for
summer and winter breaks, took preservatives returning with preserved material.
Yearly Biology Society tours: Under Biological Society, we made yearly a week long study
tour to different parts of the country, to study nature and making collections.
Self-financed collection tours: I used my personal savings, over the year; to tour different
areas of my research interest in southern Punjab, Azad Kashmir and Baluchistan.
Research grants: Meanwhile, research grant awarding agencies in Pakistan, acknowledged
my research efforts, granted me finances for herpetological explorations in some remote areas of
the country:
WWP-Pakistan: awarded two years research grant to collect and describe
amphibians and reptiles of the sub-Himalayan Potwar table land.
Pakistan Science Foundation: awarded to study, collect and record herps from Dera
Ghazi Khan and Kohsulaiman range, in western Punjab.
Establishment of Herpetological Laboratory
Now that considerable number of specimens of frogs, lizards and snakes had accumulated in
the museum. I would stay in the lab well into evening after college, studying the material.
However, with the nationalization of the college in 1973, security conditions in college premises
deteriorated. Fearing loos of my precious collection I transferred it in the safety of my home.
Where I established:
“Herpetological Laboratory” 15/6 Darul Saddar North, Rabwah 35460, Pakistan.
I arranged my laboratory and set working. Noticing my research orientation from the reprints
of papers, my college Principal Qazi M. Aslam, he readily wrote an introductory letter to his
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counterpart in Government College Lahore (see copy below). It helped me get binocular
dissection microscopes, camera lucida etc. on loan, making things easier for me to record and
present.
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Manuscript preparation and submission
In the beginning my manuscripts were typed by one of my student Munawar Ahmad Anees
(now Dr, Anees). Until I had my personal type-writer, which was soon replaced by an electric
type-writer and a printer. Things became much easier: preparation, typing, proof reading etc.,
with a gift of second hand computer from one of my students Salahuddin (now Dr. Salahuddin).
Thus gradually my problems with preparation of manuscript were solved. Meanwhile, internet
access became available in Pakistan, I was one of the first subscribers, so problem of
communications with editors etc., were resolved with use of my personal email address: khan@
kherps. brain.com.pk.
Visitors
Herpetology has been a long neglected field in Pakistan. As my studies progressed, my
publications in Urdu and English attracted students and teachers, there was a general awakening
of interest in herpetological studies. Students from various institutions in Pakistan (Government
College, Lahore; Agriculture University, Faisalabad; Qaid-a-Azam University Islamabad,
Karachi university) frequently visited or contacted me by email, seeking help and guidance in
this field.
Distinguished herpetologists visiting Herp Laboratory
 Dr. Sherman A. Minton, Jr., M.D.
Dr. Sherman A. Minton, serving as visiting professor of microbiology at the newly established
Basic Medical Science Institute Karachi. Minton family stayed in Karachi from 1958 to 1962.
Apart from regular teaching duties, Minton spent his leisure time in traveling around Pakistan,
studying and collecting herpetological specimens as hobby. Thus these four years would inextricable
linked Sherman and Madge Minton with the herpetofauna of Pakistan. Since I started working in
herpetology, I had been in constant contact with Dr. Sherman, corresponding and exchanging
reprints.
Dr. Minton and his family was invited to take part in 25th
anniversary celebrating of the
institute in early December 1984. Sometimes that year Dr. Minton wrote to inform me that he
and Madge intended to spend Christmas (December 23-26) with us in Rabwah. They were to
arrive from Karachi at Faisalabad by plane, I was to drive them to Rabwah. However, due to
an unfortunate misunderstanding about the arrival time of the plane; when I reached the
airport the Mintons had already left for Rabwah by hiring a taxi. We crossed each other in the
way!
The couple was greeted by my wife (wisely she had called one of my former students from
USA currently visiting the town, thinking she may have difficulty to understand American
accent). When back in Rabwah, I was relieved to find the guests seated comfortably, enjoying
cup of tea and local sweets.
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Later my wife described: “answering to the knock, when I opened the door Dr Minton,
keeping his eyes low asked “is this Dr. Khan’s bungalow?” “Yes, yes, please, come in.” Dr.
Minton recounts his visit in his autobiography, “We spent Christmas with Dr. M. Sharif Khan at
Rabwah, the Punjab. Dr. Khan is Pakistan’s leading herpetologist. He took us in the field, but it
was too cold for most reptiles. The lowland along Chenab River is cultivated but surrounding
hills are bare and rocky. Mynas and crows were the only common birds, but we also saw green
parrot, Indian roller, rufous shrikes, and a small owl. The Ahmadi Mouslems of Rabwah have a
strict dress code for women, and Mrs. Khan had made some suitable clothes made so Madge
could appear in public”, page 135. (Life, love and reptiles. 2001-Krieger Publishing Company,
Malabar, Florida).
Three species of snakes are named in honor of Dr. Minton and Madge Minton:
 Platyceps karelini mintonorum (Mertens, 1969) (Pakistan spotted desert racer) (Colubridae)
 Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae (Khan, 1999) (Typhlopidae)
o Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae madgemintonae (Khan, 1999) (Madge Minton's
blind-snake)
o Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae shermani (Khan, 1999) (Sherman's blind-
snake). (Two new species and a subspecies of blind snakes of genus Typhlops from Azad
Kashmir and Punjab, Pakistan (Sepentes: Typhlopidae). Russian J. Herpetol., 6(3):231-240.
Refer: Khan, M. S. 2001. Obituary: Sherman Anthony Minton Jr. Asiatic Herp. Res. 9:154-155.
Dr. Minton’s contributions to Pakistan herpetology
Minton, S. A. 1962. An annotated key to the amphibians and reptiles of Sind and Las Bela, West
Pakistan. Am. Mus. Novit. (2081):1-21.
Minton, S. A., and J.A. Anderson, 1962. A record of the turtle, Hardella thurjii, from salt water.
Herpetologica 18; 126.
Minton, S. A., and J.A. Anderson, 1963. Feeding habits of the kukri snake, Oligodon taeniolatus.
Herpetologica 19(2):147.
Minton, S. A., and M. R. Minton. 1964. The snake charmers of Sind. Bull. Philadelphia Herp.
Soc. 1964: 33-38.
Minton, S. A., and J. A. Anderson, 1965. A new dwarf gecko (Tropiocolotes) from Baluchistan.
Herpetologica 21(1):59-61.
Minton, S. A. 1966. A contribution to the herpetology of West Pakistan. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.
134(2):31-184.
Minton, S. A., S. C. Anderson, and J.A. Anderson, 1970. Remarks on some geckos from Southwest Asia,
with description of three new forms and a key to the genus Tropiocolotes. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. (4th
Ser.) 37:333-362.
Minton, S. A.. 1983. Snake people of Sind. Animal Kingdom, 86(1):40-46.
Minton, S. A. 1990. Venomous bites by nonvenomous snakes: an annotated bibliography of colubrid
envenomation. J. Wild. Med. 1:119-127.
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Minton, S. A. 2001. Life, love and reptiles. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida, USA.
 Dr. George Zug, Curator Division of amphibians and reptiles, Smithsonian institution
American Museum of Natural History Washington.
I had been writing for reprints of papers and other publications from Dr. George Zug and had
been requesting USNM tag numbers for the holotypes and paratypes of the new species that I
intended to deposit in USNM and to record in the first description accounts of the species.
Zug developed interest in Pakistan herpetology. His proposal for collection and record of
amphibians and reptiles from Thal Desert, northwestern Punjab was approved by American
Science Foundation in 1994. He visited Pakistan to finalize the arrangements, stayed with me for
two days, we discussed and planned. However, because Punjab government was biased, since I
belonged to Ahmadyya community, asked Zug to replace me by some one else, but Dr. Zug
refused, saying there is nobody beside Mr. Khan working in herpetology in Pakistan.
Consequently Dr. Zug diverted the grant to the study of herpetofauna of Myanmar,
contributing several papers to the herpetology of that region.
 Dr. Walter Auffenberg, Curator Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Financed by American Science Foundation, Dr. Walter worked in collaboration with
Zoological Survey Department Karachi. Collected herps from different parts of the country, that
now forms a part of his Pakistan collections at The Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida,
USA. He published several papers on Pakistan herpetology:
Auffenberg, W. 1980. Behavior of Lissemys punctata (Reptilia, Testudinata, Trionychidae) in a drying
lake in Rajasthan, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 78:487-493.
Auffenberg, W. 1981. Combat behaviour in Varanus bengalensis (Sauria, Varanidae).J. Bombay. Nat.
Hist. Soc.78(1):54-72.
Auffenberg, W. 1983a. The burrow of Varanus bengalensis: characteristics and use. Rec. Zool. Survey.
India, 80(3-4):375-385.
Auffenberg, W. 1983b. Courtship behavior in Varanus bengalensis (Sauria: Varanidae). In: Advances in
Herpetology and Evolutionary Biology. Mus. Comp. Zoology, Cambridge:537-551. (A. C. J. Rhodin and
K. Miyata Eds.).
Auffenberg, W. 1984. Notes on feeding behaviour of Varanus bengalensis (Sauria, Varanidae). J.
Bombay, Nat. Hist. Soc. 80:286-302.
Auffenberg, W. and Naeem Ahmad, 1991. Studies of Pakistan reptiles: notes on Kachuga smithi.
Hamadryad 16(1-2):25-29.
Auffenberg, W. and H. Rehman, 1991. Studies on Pakistan Reptiles. Pt. 1. The genus Echis (Viperidae).
Bull. Florida Mus. Nat. Hist. 35(5):263-314.
Auffenberg, W. and H. Rehman, 1993. Studies on Pakistan Reptiles. Pt. 3. Calotes versicolor. Asiat.
Herpetol Res., 5:14-30.
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Auffenberg, W. and H. Rehman, 1977. Geographic variations in Bufo stomaticus, with remarks on Bufo
olivaceus: biogeographical and systematic implications, pp. 351- 372. In: Biodiversity of Pakistan. (S. A.
Mufti, C. A. Woods, and S. A. Hasan Eds.). Pakistan. Mus. Nat. Hist., Islamabad and Gainesville,
Florida.
 Prof. Dr. Roberts Mertens, curator Staatlichen museum, Frankfurt, visited Karachi for
two months November and December 1952, collecting herps and studying ecology around
Karachi.
Refer: Khan, M. S. 1976. Obituary Professor Dr. Roberts Mertens 1894-1975. Biologia, 22(1):155-156.
Dr. Mertens based on his studies on a large collection of herps from Pakistan deposited in the
Staatlichen museum by M. G. Konieczny (a member of oil and gas exploration German team,
explored and collected herps from 1959 to 1068 across Pakistan). The material formed the basis
of following series of papers by him contributing to the herpetology of Pakistan:
Mertens, R. 1959a. Eine neue Wassnernatter aus West Pakistan. Senckenb. Biol. 40(3-4):117-120.
Mertens, R. 1959b. Uber einige seltene Eidechsen aus West Pakistan. Aquar. Terr. Zeit. 12(10):307-310.
Mertens, R. 1965. Wenig bekannte "Seitenwinder" unter den Wustenottern Asiens. Natur und Museum,
59(8): 346-352.
Mertens, R. 1969. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. (197):1-96.
Mertens, R. 1969. Eine neue Rasse der Dachschildkrote, Kachuga tecta. Senckenb. Biol. 50:23-30.
Mertens, R. 1970. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. 1. Nachtrag. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk.
(216):1-5.
Mertens, R. 1971. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. 2. Nachtrag. Senckenb. biol.52 (1-2):7-
15.
Mertens, R. 1972. Nachtrage zum Krokodil-Katalog der senckenbergischen Sammlungen. 3. Nachtrag.
Senckenb. Biol. 53:21-35.
Mertens, R. 1974. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. Senckenb. Biol. 55(1-3):35-38.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>
HERP LABORATORY
Log book records
Reference specimens deposited in Museums
Newly described amphibians and reptiles species
(MSK=Muhammad Sharif Khan, herpetological collection)
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This section is based on records in the log-book maintained in the Herpetological Laboratory.
The Appendix (at the end of this document) includes copies of scans of original communications
with museums, and recordings of the tag numbers of the specimens donated:
 The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London. (Ref. E. N. Arnold, 2 June 1986; A. F. Stimson,August 1,
1990).
BMNH 1985.1451 Bungarus sindanus razai (MSK 0312)
BMNH 1985.1449 Cyrtodactylus indusoani (MSK 0414.85)
BMNH 1985. 1450 Cyrtodactylus monmtiumsalsorum
BMNH 1990.1 Tenuidactylus kohsulamanai (MSK 0776.89)
BMNH 1990.2 Tenuidactylus batalensis (MSK 0764.89)
BMNH 1990.3 Tenuidactylus baturensis, holotype (MSK )
BMNH 1990.4 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (Holotype MSK 0626.90)
BMNH 1990.5 Eumeces indothalansis
BMNH 1996.6 Tenuidactylus rohtasfortai (MSK 0686.88)
BMNH 1996.7 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai (MSK0776.89)
BMNH 1996. 8 Rana barmoachensis
BMNH 1990.7 Cyrtodactylus kachhensis ingoldbyi [MSK 273.90]
BMNH 1990.6 Eumeces indothalansis (MSK 0423.84 Holotype)
BMNH 1978.795 Rana hazarensis
BMNH 1990.8 Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis microspinulata (Holotype MSK 0603.82), Paratype MSK 0609.81)
 California Academy of Sciences (CAS) (ref. Alan E. Leviton, June 11, 1988)
CAS 170525 Tenuidactylus batalensis
CAS 170526 Typhlops (goaie) diardii plaryventris (MSK 0901)
CAS 170527 Typhlops leucosubcauda (Holotype)
CAS 170529 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0768.87)
CAS 170530 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0642.90)
CAS 168427 Cyrtopodion indusoani (MSK 0484.86)
CAS 168428 Cyrtopodion. montiumsalsorum (MSK 0475.86)
CAS 170534 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai
CAS 170525 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0766.89)
CAS 170529 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0768.87)
CAS 170531 Cyrtodactylus kachhensis ingoldbyi (HOLOTYPE: MSK 271.90)
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CAS 170532 Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis microspinulata (MSK 0615.81)
CAS 170532 Cyrtodactylus potoharensis (MSK 0639.87)
 The Field Museum Natural History (FMNH), Chicago, Illinois, (Ref. Alan Resetar, June
30, 1994)
FMNH 235532 Tenuidactylus kohsulaiman (MSK0774.89)
FMNH 235532 (MSK 0566.87), (MSK 0567.87) Tenuidactylus rohtasfortai (Ref: Herpetologica, 1990, 46:142-148)
FMNH 235533 Tenuidactylus battalensis (MSK 0765.89)
FMNH 235534 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0636.90)
FMNH 229,900 Tenuidactylus indusoani (paratype)
FMNH 235535 Cyrtopodion khahhensis ingoldbyi (MSK 0274.90)
FMNH 229,899 Crtodactylus montiumsalsorum
FMNH 207,872 Rana hazarensis
FMNH 235532 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai
FMNH 235536 Typhlops ductuliformes (HOLOTYPE, MSK 0650.97)
 US National Museum of Natural History (Ref. Hymen Marx, 6 April 1988)
USNM 284132 Rana hazarensis (MSK
USNM 257533 Cyrtodactylus indusoani (MSK
USNM 257535 Cyrtodactylus montiumsalsorum (MSK
USNM 284134 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai (MSK 2841.34)
USNM 284135 Tenuidactylus battalensis (MSk 0767.89)
USNM 284136 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0769.87)
USNM 284137 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0634.90)
 Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Ref. Franz Tiedeman, Oct 5, 1989)
NMW 31719 Tenuidactylus kohsulamanai
NMW 31720 Tenuidactylus batalensis (MSK 0768.89)
NMW 31721 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0635.90)
 Forschungsinstitut, Natur-Museum Senckenberg, Frankfurt em main (Ref, Konrad Klemmer, 31 January,
1979)
SMF 69579 Rana hazarensis
SMF 69580 Gymnodactylus dattanensis (holotype)
SMF 73012 Cyrtodactylus indusoani (paratype)
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SMF 73013 Cyrtodactylus montiumsalsorum
 Institute of zoology, Academy of Sciences, Kiev-30, USSR (Ref. N. N. Szczerbak)
SR 3046.20251 Tenuidactylus kohsulamanai
SR 3046. 20252 Tenuidactylus batalensis (MSK 0737.89)
SR 3046.20253 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0635.90)
 The Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida (Ref. David L. Auth, April 13, 1988)
UF 71793 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0637.90)
UF 71794 Cyrtopodion kachhensis ingoldbyi (MSK 0638.90)
UF 63375 Cyrtopodion montiumsalsorum
UF 63376 Cyrtopodion indusoani
UF 71792 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai
UF 71795 Typhlops ductuliformes (MSK 0265.93)
 Museum National d’Histoires Naturelle Laboratotoire des Repiles et Amphibiens,
25 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris (Ref. A. Dubois , 11 March
1986)
MNHN 1978.3057-3064 Rana hazarensis
MNHN 1979.7745 Cyrtodatylus dattanensis
MNHN 1986.66 Cytrodactylus indusoani (MSK 0410.85)
MNHN 1986.67 Crtodactylus montiumsalsorum (MSK 0432.85)
<<<<<<>>>>>
Current status of new taxa described from Herpetological
Laboratory
Since descriptions of following taxa generic changes (recorded in bold) have taken place
Amphibians
Allopaa (Rana) hazarensis (Dubois and Khan, 1979)
Allopaa (Rana) barmoachensis (Khan and Tasnim, 1989)
Euphlyctis (Rana) cyanophlyctis microspinulata Khan, 1997
Pseudepidalea (Bufo) siachinensis (Khan, 1997)
Duttaphrynus (Bufo) hazarensis (Khan, 2000)
17
Geckos
Siwaligekko (Cyrtodactylus) dattanensis (Khan, 1980)
Indogekko (Cyrtodactylus) indusoani (M. S. Khan, 1980)
Indogekko (Cyrtodactylus) rohtasfortai (M. S. Khan and Tasnim, 1990)
Cyrtopodion (Cyrtodactylus) kohsulaimanai (M. S. Khan, 1991)
Altigekko (Tenuidactylus) baturensis (Khan and Baig, 1992)
Indogekko (Cyrtodactylus) fortmunroi (M. S. Khan, 1993)
Siwaligekko (Cyrtodactylus) battalensis (M. S. Khan, 1993)
Cyrtopodion kachhense ingolbyi M. S. Khan, 1997
Cyrtopodion potoharensis M. S. Khan, 2001
Lizard
Novoeumeces (Eumeces) indothalensis (M.S. Khan and M.R.Z.Khan, 1997)
Snakes
Bungarus sindanus razai M.S.Khan, 1985
Indotyphlops (Typhlops) diardii platyventris M.S.Khan, 1998
Indotyphlops (Typhlops) ahsanuli M.S.Khan, 1999
Indotyphlops (Typhlops) ductuliformes M.S. Khan, 1999
Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae madgemintonae M.S.Khan, 1999
Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae shermanai M.S.Khan, 1999
Platyceps (Coluber) rhodorachis kashmirensis M.S.Khan and A.Q.Khan, 2000
Platyceps (Coluber) ventromaculatus. bengalensis M. S. Khan and A. Q. Khan, 2000
<<>>
18
When news of my USA immigrating reached to the colleagues in Lahore, the curator of Zoology
Museum of Government College, Lahore, requested to donate my collection to their museum (see the
pictures).
19
My specimen deposited in American Museum of Natural History….?
The main bulk of my luggage I carried while immigrating to USA included: some important literature
items which I never expected to be available in USA, and some specimens I was studying. With intention
to complete my study while in USA, and some tagged specimens I wanted to deposit in museums in USA
and UK (due to lack of time I could not post in Pakistan).
However, in USA I found conditions unexpected, while hectically looking for a suitable home, we
changed from one apartment to another. Fearing loss of the material in these unsettled conditions, I
decided to deposit it somewhere safe, from where it could be retrieved. The safe depository for the
specimens, that came into my mind was, Dr. George Zug, Curator American National History Museum.
Washington. I posted the packet with following covering letter:
Contents of Email to Dr. G. Zug, Curator American Museum of Natural History
3 June 2001
Dear Dr. Zug:
Please, find included in this packet following material, keep the specimens with USNM tag numbers.
Please, help me distribute rest according to the tags:
Typhlops type material
Typhlops ahsananuli
Holotype: MSK 0903.93
Typhlops ductuliformes
FMNH 235536 (MSK 0650.97)
UF 717995 (MSK 265.93)
Extra specimens MSK 0678.89, 0759.93
Typhlops madgemintonai madgemintoni Holotype: MSK 0904.93. Paratype 0931.94
Typhlops madgemintoni shermanai Holotype: MSK 0357.95, Paratypes: MSK 0648.97, 0651.97
Typhlops diardi platyventris CAS 170526 (MSK 0902.93), Paratypes: 0930.94, 0933.94, 0605.96, 0901.93, 0932.94.
Additional material
Cyrtopodion potoharensis Holotype CAS 170532 (MSK 0639.87); Paratypes MSK 0643.87, 0640.87.
20
Answer received from Mr. Addison Wynn
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 5:44 PM
To: typhlops99@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: typhlops material from Pakistan
Dear Dr. Khan,
We have not yet had the time to catalogue your specimens (we have a large backlog of material awaiting to be catalogued, and
due to the retirement of
Ron Crombie and the promotion of our cataloger, cataloguing has recently proceeded at a snail's pace). When I
complete cataloguing a large collection of several thousand salamanders, which I have taken responsibility
of, sometime later this year, I'll personally catalogue your specimens and let you know once I have finished. Feel
free to keep checking, though. I have been examining your Typhlops types as part of a revision of T. porrectus that
I am working on. I'll let you know when I finish. Addison
<<>>
>> "muhammad sharif Khan" <typhlops99@hotmail.com> 01/13 11:23 AM >>
Bismillah irrahaman irrahim
dear dr wynn:
perhaps you remember of exchanging emails some time ago regarding typhlops material that I deposited in your
museum back on 2 June, 2001, through Dr George Zug. than later you informed that you have located the material
and you will soon let me know the depository numbers of the material. since I am waiting for your reply!
hope you would have catalogued the material by this time. If somebody has studied the material please, let me
know, similarly if there is some publication based on the material I shall like to know and have a pdf copy. hope
you will acknowledge this message asp.
regards
Khan, Muhammad Sharif, Ph.D.
Apt # A17
151- South Bishop Avenue,
SECANE, PA 19018, USA
Ever since I am waiting information about the packet and fate of its contents!
Locality: Holotype: CAS 170532 (MSK 0639.87), an adult male, collected from crevices among bricks under road bridge, and cracks
in the surrounding mudflats, near Lawrancepur Town, District Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi-Attock Grand Trunk Road, 5th July, 1987,
M. S. Khan .
Paratypes: MSK 0640, adult male; MSK 0643, adult female, data for all as for holotype.
Return of the specimens from British Museum Natural History loan material:1931.6.18.1 & 1931.6.18.2
Typhlops ?? MSK 8609. 98 & MSK 8610, from the sides of a recently tilled field, near Ghakkhar Mandi Town, 15 Km N,
Gujranwala, Punjab; M.S. Khan 25 August, 1998.
Typhlops ?? MSK 862.99 from Rabwah, Punjab, collected at different dates during 1999, M.S. Khan.
Leptotyphlops macrhynchus From Rabwah City MSK 3563.96; 0757.72; 0909.94; 8586.97 from different localities, all in moist
soil around water pipes.
Thanks M. S. Khan.
21
Securing literature from Pakistan
The first depository that came to my mind was: Breck Bartholomew, since for some time I knew him
because of his informative newsletter “Bibliomania,” and his collection of herpetological memorabilia. I
included copies of my correspondence with Dr. Minton and Dr. Mertens etc., with half of my published
material, in a box and mailed to “Breck Bartholomew, 7021 South 400 West, Midvale, UT 84047.”
Unfortunately the packing gave away in the transit, everything was lost! Even today I regret losing my
correspondence (see copy of the parcel search form telling the story):
With Prof. Dr. Aaron Bauer, Villanova University
Having thus lost a part of my valuable material, I thought of Prof. Dr. Aaron Bauer, Villanova
University, as safe depository for the rest of the documents. He has been longtime friend (we have been
exchanging reprints since I started publishing in 1965). I visited him and personally handed over the
literature collection in his custody. Now, whenever I need a paper, he is prompt to respond with pdf copy.
Hat off to him for proving best friend over the years!
<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<,
22
Publications from Herpetological Laboratory, Rabwah, Pakistan
1965 to 2016
Research papers
 1965-1970
Khan, M. S. 1965. A normal table of Bufo stomaticus (Bufo melanostictus).
Biologia, 11:1-39.
----1968. Morphogenesis of digestive tract of Bufo stomaticus. Pakistan J. Sci.
Res.20:93-106.
----1968. Amphibian fauna of District Jhang with notes on habits. Pakistan J. Sci.
20 (5-6):227-233.
----1969. A normal table of Rana tigerina Daudin. 1. Early development (Stages
1-27). Pakistan J. Sci. 2(1-2):36-50.
 1971-1980
23
-----1971. An interesting abnormality in the arterial system of Uromastyx
hardwickii Gray and its possible evolutionary
Significance. Pakistan J. Sci.,23(1):78-80.
----1972a. The “commonest toad" of West Pakistan and a note on Bufo
melanostictus Schneider. Biologia, 18(2):131-133.
----1972b. Checklist and key to the lizards of Jhang District, West Pakistan.
Herpetologica, 28(2):94-98.
----1973. Food of tiger frog Rana tigerina Daudin. Biologia, 19(1-2):93-107.
----1974. Discovery of Microhyla ornata (Dumeril & Bibron) from the Punjab,
Pakistan. Biologia, 179-180.
----and Mirza, M. R. 1976. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Pakistan.
Part I: Chelonia and Crocodelia. Biologia,
22 (2):211-219.
----1976. An annotated checklist and key to the amphibians of Pakistan. Biologia,
22(2):201-210.
---- And Mirza, M. R. 1977. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of
Pakistan. Part II: Sauria (Lacertalia). Biologia,
23(1):41-64.
----1977. Checklist and key to the snakes of Jhang District, Punjab, Pakistan.
Biologia, 23(2):145-157.
----1978. A double-headed monster of Hemidactylus flaviviridis Rupell. Biologia,
24(1):31-36.
----1979. On a collection of amphibians from northern Punjab and Azad Kashmir,
with ecological notes. Biologia, 25:37-50.
Dubois, A. and Khan, M. S. 1979. A new species of frog (genus Rana, subgenus
Paa) from northern Pakistan (Amphibia, Anura).
J. Herpetol., 13 (4):403-410
----1980a. A new species of gecko from northern Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool.
12(1):11-16.
----1980b. Affinities and Zoogeography of herpetiles of Pakistan. Biologia, 26:113-
171.
24
 1981-1990
----1982a. Key for the identification of amphibian tadpoles from the plains of
Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 14:133-145.
----1982b. Collection, preservation and identification of amphibian eggs from the
plains of Pakistan. Pakistan. J. Zool., 14:241-
243.
----1982c. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Pakistan. Part III:
Serpentes (Ophidia). Biologia, 28:215-254.
----1983. Venomous terrestrial snakes of Pakistan. The Snake, 15:101-105.
----1984a. Validity of the natricine taxon Natrix sancti-johannis Boulenger. J.
Herpetol., 18:198-200.
----1984b. Rediscovery and validity of Bungarus sindanus Boulenger. The
Snake, 16:43-48.
---1984c. A cobra with an unusual hood pattern. The Snake, 16:131-134.
----1985a. An interesting collection of amphibians and reptiles from Cholistan
Desert, Punjab, Pakistan. J. Bombay. Nat. Hist.
Soc., 82:144-148.
----1985b. Taxonomic notes on Bungarus caeruleus (Schneider) and Bungarus
sindanus Boulenger. The Snake, 17:71-78.
----1986. A noteworthy collection of amphibians and reptiles from northwestern
Punjab, Pakistan. The Snake, 18:118-125.
----1987. Checklist, distribution and zoogeographical affinities of herpetofauna of
Balochistan. Proc. 7th
Pakistan Zool. Cong.:105-
112.
---- & Ahmed, Naeem, 1987. On a collection of amphibians and reptiles from
Baluchistan, Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool.,19:361-
370.
-----& Malik, S. A. 1987a. Buccopharyngeal morphology of tadpole larva of
Rana hazarensis Dubois and Khan 1979, and
Its torrenticole adaptations. Biologia, 33:45-60.
25
----&----1987b. Reproductive strategies in a subtropical anuran population in arid
Punjab, Pakistan. Biologia, 33:279-303.
----& Baig, K. J., 1988. Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of District Jhelum,
Punjab, Pakistan. The Snake, 20:156-161.
----1988. A new cyrtodactylid gecko from northwestern Punjab, Pakistan. J.
Herpetol., 22:241-243.
----1989. Rediscovery and description of the highland ground gecko, Tenuidactylus
montiumsalsorum (Annandale, l913).
Herpetologica, 45:46-54.
----1990. Venomous terrestrial snakes of Pakistan and snake bite problem. In:
Snakes of Medical importance (Asia-Pacific
Region):419-446. (Ed.) P. Gopalakrishnakone and L. M. Chou. National
University of Singapore.
----1990a. The impact of human activities on the status and distribution of
amphibians in Pakistan. Hamadryad, 15:21-24.
----1990b. Discovery of a new gecko! Natura-WWF-Pakistan, Lahore, 9: 2.
---& Tasnim, Rashida, 1986a. A note on tail injury in Eryx johnii. The Snake, 18:57-
58.
----& Tasnim, Rashida, 1986b. Balling and caudal luring in young Bungarus
caeruleus. The Snake, 18:42-46.
---- & Tasnim, Rashida. 1986c. Notes on the Himalayan pit viper, Agkistrodon
himalayanus (Gunther). Litteratura Serpentium.
(Eng. Ed.) 6:46-55.
---- &Tasnim, Rashida.1987a. Observations on distress behavior of an injured Eryx
johnii. The Snake, 19:144-145.
----& Tasnim, Rashida.1987b. A field guide to the identification of herps of
Pakistan. Part I: Amphibia, Monograph No. 14.
Biological Society of Pakistan, Lahore, pp.1-27.
----& Tasnim, Rashida, 1989. A new frog of the genus Rana, subgenus Paa, from
southwestern Azad Kashmir. J. Herpetol., 23:419-
423.
26
----1990. “Venomous terrestrial snakes of Pakistan and snake bite problem.” In:
Snakes of Medical importance (Asia-Pacific Region):419-446. (Ed.) P.
Gopalakrishnakone and L. M. Chou. National University of Singapore.
----& Tasnim, Rashida, 1990. A field guide to the identification of herps of
Pakistan. Part: II Chelonia. Biological Society of
Pakistan, Lahore, pp.15.
 1991-2000
----1991a. Morphoanatomical specialization of the buccopharyngeal region of the
anuran larvae and its bearing on the mode of
larval feeding. Ph.D. diss., University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
pp. 99.
----1991b. Endangered species of reptiles of Pakistan and suggested
conservation measures.:42-45. In Handbook published
to mark second seminar on "Nature conservation and environmental
protection", 12 March, 1991, Islamabad.
Pakistan Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Islamabad.
----1991c. Amphibians, lizards, turtles and snakes. Chapter 3 In: Pakistan ki Jangli
Hayat (Wildlife of Pakistan): 61-
124. Publication No.241. Urdu Science Board, 299 Upper Mall, Lahore
(in Urdu).
----1991d. A new Tenuidactylus gecko from the Sulaiman Range, Punjab, Pakistan.
J. Herpetol., 25:199-204.
----1991e. “Amphibians, turtles, crocks, lizards, and snakes.” Chapter 3 In: ‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن‬
‫ﺣﯿﺎت‬ ‫ﺟﻨﮕﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﮐﯽ‬Pakistan ki Jangli Hayat (Wildlife of Pakistan): 61-124.
Publication No.241. Urdu Science Board, 299 Upper Mall, Lahore (in Urdu).
----1991f. Additions of new species to the herpetofauna of Pakistan. Species: 56.
----1991g. New additions to the herpetofauna of Pakistan. Hamadryad, 16 (1-2):48-
49.
----1992. Validity of the mountain gecko Gymnodactylus walli Ingoldby, 1922.
Herptol. J., 2:106-109.
27
----& Baig, K. J.1992. A new tenuidactylid gecko from northeastern Gilgit
Agency, North Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 24:273-
277.
----1993a. ‫ﻧﭗ‬ ‫ﺳﺎ‬ ‫ﮐﮯ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ﮐﺴﺘﺎ‬ ‫ﭘﺎ‬ ‫زﻣﯿﻦ‬ ‫ﺳﺮ‬ (Snakes of Pakistan). Publication # 276. Urdu
Science Board, 299 Upper Mall, Lahore, pp.229, (in Urdu).
----1993b. A new angular-toed gecko from Pakistan, with remarks on the taxonomy
and a key to the species belonging to genus
Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia:Sauria:Geckkonidae). Pakistan J. Zool, 25:67-
73.
----1993c. Hemipeneal morphology of Varanus flavescens Hardwicke and Gray,
1927), and its phylogenetic implications.
Pakistan J. Zool., 25:135-138.
----1993d. A new sandstone gecko from Fort Munro, Dera Ghazi Khan District,
Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 25:217-221.
----1993f. A checklist and key to the gekkonid lizards of Pakistan. Hamadryad,
18:35-41.
----1994a. Validity and description of Tenuidactylus yarkandensis (J.
Anderson). Pakistan J. Zool., 26:139-143.
----1994b. Key for identification of amphibians and reptiles of Pakistan. Pakistan
J. Zool., 26:249-255.
----1994c. A revised checklist and key to the amphibians of Pakistan. Hamadryad,
19:11-14.
----1995. A report on an unborn litter of chain viper Vipera russelli (Shaw and
Nodder, 1797). Pakistan J. Zool., 27(2):119-
122.
----1996. Oropharyngeal morphology of tadpole of southern cricket frog Rana
syhadrensis Annandale, 1919, and its ecological
Correlates. Pakistan J. Zool., 28:133-138.
----1997a. The oropharyngeal morphology and feeding habits of tadpole of tiger frog
Rana tigerina Daudin. Russian J. Herpetol.,
2:163-171.
28
----1997b. A new toad from the foot of Siachin Glacier, Baltistan, northeastern
Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 29(1):43-48.
----1997c. Taxonomic notes on Pakistani snakes of Coluber-karelini-rhodorachis-
ventromaculatus species complex: a new
Approach to the problem. Asiatic Herpetol. Res. 7:51-60.
----1997d. A new subspecies of common skittering frog Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis
(Schneider, 1799) from Balochistan, Pakistan.
Pakistan J. Zool., 29(2):107-112.
----1997e. A report on an aberrant specimen of Punjab Krait Bungarus sindanus
razai Khan 1985 (Ophidia:Elapidae) from Azad
Kashmir. Pakistan J. Zool., 29:203-205.
----1997f. Validity, generic redesignation, and taxonomy of western rock gecko
Gymnodactylus ingoldbyi Proctor, 1923. Russian
J. Herpetol., 4(2):83-88.
----1997g. Biodiversity of gekkonid fauna of Pakistan.383-389. In: Biodiversity of
Pakistan. Edits: Mufti, S. A., Woods, C. A. and
Hasan, S. A. 1997. Pakistan Mus. Nat Hist. Islamabad, Pakistan.
----& Khan, M.R.Z. Khan, 1997. A new skink from the Thal Desert of Pakistan.
Asiatic. Herpetol. Research, 7:61-67.
----& Rosler, H. (1999). Generic redesignation and redescription of Gymnodactylus
stoliczkai Steindachner, 1869. J. Asiatic
Research, 8:60-68
----1998. Notes on Typhlops diardi Schlegel, 1839, with description of a new
subspecies (squamata, Serpentes, Scolecophidia).
Pakistan J. Zool., 30(3):213-221.
----1999a. A checklist and key to the Phrynocephalid lizards of Pakistan, with
ethnological notes (Squamata:Agamidae). Pakistan
J. Zool., 31(1):14-24.
----1999b. Food particle retrieval in amphibian tadpoles. Zoo’Print J., 14(5):17-20.
29
----1999c. Typhlops ductuliformes a new species of blind snakes from Pakistan,
with notes on extralimital T. porrectus
Stoliczka, 1871 (Serpentes:Typhlopidae). Pakistan J. Zool.,31(4):385-
390.
----1999d. Herpetology of habitat types of Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool. 31(3):275-
289.
-----2000a. ‫ﺧﺰﻧﺪے‬ ‫اور‬ ‫ک‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻨﮉ‬ ‫ﮐﮯ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ﮐﺴﺘﺎ‬ ‫ﭘﺎ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻦ‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ﺳﺮ‬ (Amphibians and reptiles of
Pakistan). Publication # 366. Urdu Science board, 299-
Upper Mall, Lahore. [in Urdu].
----2000b.The oropharyngeal morphology and feeding habits of tadpole of
Microhyla ornata. Asiatic Herpetol. Res., vol. 9:130-138.
----& Khan, A.Q. 2000. Three new subspecies of snakes of genus Coluber from
Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zoology. 32(1): 49-52.
 2001-2010
----2001. Taxonomic notes on angular-toed gekkota of Pakistan, with description
of a new species of genus Cyrtopodion. Pakistan
J. Zool., 33(1):13-24.
----2002a. A guide to the snakes of Pakistan. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am
Main, pp. 265.
----2002b. Die Schlangen Pakistans. Edition Chimaera, Frankfurt am Main,
pp. 265.
----- 2002c. A checklist and key to the Amphibia of Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp.
Soc. 37(9):158-163.
-----2002c. Riparian tadpoles of Punjab, Pakistan: Bufo stomaticus Lütkin,
1862. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 37(12):216-219
30
-----2003a. Morphology of the tadpole of Microhyla ornata, with notes on its
feeding ecology and breeding habits. Bull.
Chicago Herp. Soc. 38(3):49-51.
-----2003b. Morphology of riparian tadpoles: Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis
(Schneider, 1799). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 38(5):95-
98.
-----2003c. Morphology of the Limnonectes tadpole, with notes on its feeding
ecology and on the breeding habits
of Limnonectes frogs in riparian Punjab. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
38(9):177-179.
------2003d. Hyobranchial apparatus of amphibian tadpoles and its ecological
correlates. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 35(4):263-
269.
------2004a. Riparian tadpoles: Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin, 1802) with
notes on breeding habits and feeding
Ecology. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 39(6):101-104.
-----2004b. Lung morphology and its significance in riparian tadpoles. Bull.
Chicago Herp. Soc. 39(9):169-172.
-----2004c. Notes on high altitude geckos of the genus Altigekko in northeastern
Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 39(12):221-
224.
------2005a. Notes on geckos of the genus Siwaligekko Khan, 2003 (Reptilia:
Gekkonidae) in Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
40(3):54-57.
------2005b. Addition of a frog of the family Megophryidae to the amphibian
fauna of Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
40(4):70-71.
31
-----2005c. Notes on New Taxa of Typhlopid Snakes from Pakistan (Serpentes:
Typhlopidae). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
40(8):145-147.
----2006. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pakistan. Krieger Publishing Company,
Malabar, Florida, pp. 311.
----2008. Biology and distribution of geckos of genus indogekko Khan, 2003
(sauria:gekkonidae). Russian J. Herpetology, 15 (2):
87-92.
-----210. Gecos de dedos angulosos del Himalaya Major: El genero Altigekko.
Reptilia 64-67.
 2011-2016
2011. Herpetology of Pakistan. Part 1. ‫ﻣﯿﻨﮉک‬ (Frogs). Nia Zamana Publications,
Lahore, pp. 96. (in Urdu).
-----2002. A checklist and key to the Amphibia of Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp.
Soc. 37(9):158-163.
-----2013. An addition to geckos of the genus Hemidactylus Oken 1817 in
Pakistan, with notes on morphology, ecology and distribution of species.
Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 48(10):130-134.
-----2014a. Notes on reproduction and defense mechanisms of the common
Indo-Pakistan wolf snake Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Ophidia:
Colubridae). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 49(3):33-34.
-----2014b. The filter feeding mechanism in tadpoles. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
49(8):116-119.
-----2014c. Snakes in Pakistani folklore. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
49(10):137-141.
-----2014d. The snakebite problem in Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
49(12):165-167.
---- 2014e. Notes on reproduction and defense mechanism of the common indo-
Pakistan wolf snake Lycodon aulicus (linnaeus
1758) (Ophidia: Colubridae) bull. Chicago herp soc. 49(4)33-34.
32
-----2014f. Snakes in Pakistani folklore. Bull. Chicago Herp Soc. 49(10)137-141.
-----2014g. The filter feeding mechanism in tadpoles. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc.
49(8):116-119.
----- 2015. Status and distribution of freshwater turtles in Pakistan. Bull. Chicago
Herp. Soc. 50(4):51-53.
<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>
Herpetology of Pakistan
Internet published field guide series
In addition to the journal published papers (listed above), I started writing series of
Pictorial field guides circumvallating the editorial and publishing hassle
Up-loading in Research Gate, Academia Edu. and Google
33
2014 -
2016
The present e-series of Field Guides, in pdf format, is intended to bring latest scientific
information about Amphibians & Reptiles of Pakistan, within grasp of students and
interested biodiversity workers.
A document with scientific, common English and Urdu names of the taxa (Pakistan J. Zool. Suppl. Ser.,
No.11, pp.1-12, 2012) is appended.
(Photo credit: Personal + www)
Muhammad Sharif Khan
Herpetological Laboratory
34
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
35
Depositories of published herpetological literature from Herp Laboratory
1. Khalafat library, Rabwah 35460, Punjab, Pakistan.
2. Majlis Tahquiqi, Jamia Ahmadyyah, Rabwah 35460, Punjab, Pakistan.
3. Prof. Aaron M. Bauer, Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA.
<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>
Any question?
typhlops99@outlook.com
typhlops2004@yahoo.com
muhammad.sharifkhan@gmail.com
http://muhammadskhan.wildlifeofpakistan.com
Published @ Academia. Edu
https://www.academia.edu/s/863fd88b1b/historic-catchup-a-herpetologist-in-the-making-herpetological-
laboratory-story-and-records-1965-2016?source=link
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
APPENDEX
COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH MUSEUMS
HISTORIC RECORD
APPENDIX
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM COMMUNICATIONS
HERPETOLOGICAL LABORATORY
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Historic catch up comp +

  • 1. 1 Historic catchup A herpetologist in the making Herpetological Laboratory Story and records 1965-2016 Muhammad Sharif Khan
  • 2. 2 Herpetological Laboratory, 306 N. Morton Avenue, Morton, PA 19070, USA 2016
  • 3. 3 ِ ُ‫ﺪ‬‫اﻟﺤﻤ‬ All Thanks to Allah Almighty Acknowledgements Since 1963, when I started working in field of herpetology, I enjoyed support of my family. None except me, were lovers of frogs and lizards, especially my late wife Rashida Tasnim (Professor of Persian language), with neat and clean habits, tolerated the smell of formalin, scattered jars and papers at my table, and dust everywhere in my study; over several years of our relationship. She generously Okayed devoting much of my time in the field and laboratory, taking care of four kinds single handedly. Her protests had always been short-lived. I am thankful for her immense understanding and meticulous care. Nobody in the family objected to live under the same roof, in the neighborhood of a herp collection. Thank you all very much! My special thanks go to my mentor late Professor Dr. Ahsan ul Islam (1927-1974), my university professor and guide, who suggested herpetology of Pakistan for my lifelong project. And also to late Professor Dr. Robert Mertens (1894-1975), curator Natur-Museum and Forschungs-Institute Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and to late Professor Dr. Sherman A. Minton, Jr. (1919- 1999), Department of Microbiology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA, for their help with literature and identifications and understanding of various morphological terms used in herpetological studies. They taught how to tread safely through maze of synonymy, and identify amphibians and reptiles correctly. I specially acknowledge support of my countless students in field collections, translations, typing of manuscripts and for valuable gifts, all were always so ready to help, thank you very much you all. Muhammad Sharif Khan Morton, PA 19070, USA 4 September, 2016 About myself 1939- Born to Pakistani parents, in East Africa Tanzania, where my Father Dr. Habib Ullah Khan, I.M.D., served in health department. 1941- Moved with family in Qadian, India, started early education. 1947- Migrated to Pakistan. 1955- Completed school. 1956- F.Sc. pre-med from Talim ul Islam College, Rabwah, Pakistan. 1959- BS, Islamia College (c.l), Lahore, Pakistan.
  • 4. 4 1963- MS in Zoology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan. 1996- Ph.D. University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. 1963-1999- Professor of Zoology, Talim ul Islam College, Rabwah, Pakistan. 1999, 11th August: Retired from service. Honors and Awards 1963- Islamia College (c. l), Lahore: College medal and Roll of Honor for topping in subject of Zoology in BS examination. 1964- “Sir. William Roberts Gold medal” for topping in MS Zoology, Exam, 1963. 2002- “Zoologist for the year 2002” award, Zoological Society of Pakistan. 2014- “Life time Achievement” award, Zoological Society of Pakistan. <<>> 1999-August 11th . Retired from service in Pakistan. 1999-September 11th Immigrated to USA. <<>>
  • 5. 5 Mission statement Herpetological Laboratory (15/6 Darul Saddar N. Rabwah, Pakistan) was established in 1973 to introduce my research results to interested herpetologists in the subcontinent herpetology. I personally had been involved from collections, preservation, tagging maintaining record in the logbook by recording tag-numbers of the specimens, studying, defining new taxa, writing and submitting papers for publication; receiving/returning loans and depositing type specimens in museums all over the world. When I immigrating to USA in September 1999, I carried with me the written records. Since then it has been lying with me. As time passes, wear and tear has started by eating corners of the documents. Since the herpetological Laboratory is now internationally known, type-specimens described are deposited in museums all over the world. Fearing losing important depository records, I have transferred the data in the present document, for future consultation. Copies of communications with museums are being appended. Muhammad Sharif Khan, 306 N. Morton Avenue, Morton, PA 19070, USA. http://muhammadskhan.wildlifeofpakistan.com <<>>
  • 6. 6 My induction into school of herpetology The story of my initiation in the study of amphibians and reptiles (herpetology-a long neglected field in Pakistan) dates back to1965. For my Master degree in zoology (1961-63), I studied external morphological changes a fertilized amphibian egg undergoes during its subsequent normal development undergoes till four-legged creature. I used egg of the common toad Bufo stomaticus. The work was supervised by Professor Dr. Ahsan ul Islam (Government College Lahore, Pakistan) who identified the toad as Bufo melanostictus. It was published in 1965 under the title “A normal table of Bufo melanostictus based on external morphological criteria.” Biologia (Lahore), 11:1-39. The first response to the publication, came from world’s renowned German herpetologist Prof. Dr. Robert Mertens (Forschungsinstitut, Natur-Museum Senckenberg, Frankfurt em main, Germany), he corrected name of the toad as Bufo stomaticus Lűtken. The revelation came to me as a sort of shock, thinking perhaps I did something big wrong! Checking from key and description in the Amphibia Reptilia volume (Fauna of British India series), found Mertens was correct. Answering my question regarding status of our knowledge of the amphibians and reptiles in Pakistan, Dr Ahsan told me “Yet nobody in Pakistan has worked in this field.” He suggested, “Since you are just starting your carrier in zoology, I wish you to initiate in this field.” He promised, “Whatever assistance you may need I will help.” Acknowledging his scholarship and hard work that he did in shaping me into an ardent biologist, I named a new species of snake in his honor: Indotyphlops (Typhlops) ahsani Khan, 1999, (Ahsan’s Blind-snake). (Two new species and a subspecies of blind snakes of genus Typhlops from Azad Kashmir and Punjab, Pakistan (Sepentes: Typhlopidae). Russian J. Herpetol., 6(3):231-240. Prof. Dr. Ahsan ul Islam 1927-1974 Prof. Dr. Robert Mertens 1894-1975 Prof. Dr. Sherman A. Minton, M.D. Mrs. Madge Minton 1919-1999
  • 7. 7 Talim ul Islam College Rabwah, Pakistan Meanwhile, I joined Talim ul Islam College Rabwah, as lecturer in Zoology, determined to work in herpetology, I started figuring what I needed to start: 1. Pertinent literature, and 2. Working material from the field. Literature quest Explored libraries in the town (about six), found few volumes of Proceedings of the Asiatic Society Bengal and Journal of Bombay Natural History Society in Fazal-a-Omar Research Institute library, I copied the relevant material. A friend in the Punjab University Library, helped to get Amphibian and Reptile volume in the Fauna of British India series, which proved of immense value in laying foundations of my knowledge in the herpetology of the subcontinent. Dr. Mertens, provided me with a bunch of his papers on Pakistan herpetology. Unfortunately all were in German language. I tried to learn the language, soon I realized I am very bad in learning languages, despite efforts with the dictionary I could not progress beyond “und.” Dr. Mertens introduced me to Dr Sherman A. Minton, Indiana University, USA. (Who was advisor and visiting professor in newly established Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Karachi), a physician, as hobby collected amphibians and reptiles from around Karachi, later expanding his interest to all over the country. He wrote first ever papers exclusive on Pakistan herpetology. His papers, updated my knowledge. We extensively corresponded, exchanging ideas on different herpetological issues I was facing in Pakistan, guided me with the identifications and understanding scientific terms used in herpetological descriptions. As my sphere of acquaintances grew in the herpetological community, literature came pouring from several sources, in different languages including German, French, Russian, Italian etc. Thus my literature library grew fast, all thanks to the generosity of the herpetological community. Translations Now the big big issue was getting papers in German translated in English. One of my BSc students, Malik Zubair Ahmad came as God’s help (he learned German language from his German mother). I found him so fluent in the language that he would hold the paper in hands and start dictating in fluent English as if reading directly from an English document, I diligently went on putting down word by word as he uttered. Later Mr. Zubair astounded me with his exceptional talent with several other languages, a real natural multi-linguist, Italian, Russian etc. He could have translated French papers, however, not to burden him more, the job was done by students from Mauritius: Dr. Mahmood Bhunno, Mr. Din, and a student in missionary college, Ahmad Shamir Sukhia.
  • 8. 8 Field work - getting working material Rabwah town, is located on the right bank of the River Chenab, in temperate central Punjab, Pakistan (31° 32′ 59″ N, 74° 20′ 37″ E). It covers an area of about 24 km2 , is situated at an elevated platform from the low-lying surrounding country. The terrain is arid, stony, salt-petri, surrounded by low rocky, barren hills. The river circumvallates the town from East to South; (thus the raised location of the town is aptly reflected in its name "Rabwah" - meaning raised area). Its elevation protects the town from floods, when river flows at its highest level during monsoons, every year. Several lizard species were seen scurrying from bush to bush during day in the town, and frogs jumping by night fall, geckos chased each other on house walls. Most of our collection was done by practical-class weakly tours, to study nature in and around the town. We studied and observed, collected invertebrate, vertebrates, and plants from the surrounding hills, and along River banks. Moreover, as my interest in amphibians and reptiles came to be known all over the college campus, several students volunteered to help. With instructions how to handle and preserve they were provided with plastic jars and preservative; those coming daily from villages around, brought killed or living snakes and lizards in plastic bags, while those leaving for homes for summer and winter breaks, took preservatives returning with preserved material. Yearly Biology Society tours: Under Biological Society, we made yearly a week long study tour to different parts of the country, to study nature and making collections. Self-financed collection tours: I used my personal savings, over the year; to tour different areas of my research interest in southern Punjab, Azad Kashmir and Baluchistan. Research grants: Meanwhile, research grant awarding agencies in Pakistan, acknowledged my research efforts, granted me finances for herpetological explorations in some remote areas of the country: WWP-Pakistan: awarded two years research grant to collect and describe amphibians and reptiles of the sub-Himalayan Potwar table land. Pakistan Science Foundation: awarded to study, collect and record herps from Dera Ghazi Khan and Kohsulaiman range, in western Punjab. Establishment of Herpetological Laboratory Now that considerable number of specimens of frogs, lizards and snakes had accumulated in the museum. I would stay in the lab well into evening after college, studying the material. However, with the nationalization of the college in 1973, security conditions in college premises deteriorated. Fearing loos of my precious collection I transferred it in the safety of my home. Where I established: “Herpetological Laboratory” 15/6 Darul Saddar North, Rabwah 35460, Pakistan. I arranged my laboratory and set working. Noticing my research orientation from the reprints of papers, my college Principal Qazi M. Aslam, he readily wrote an introductory letter to his
  • 9. 9 counterpart in Government College Lahore (see copy below). It helped me get binocular dissection microscopes, camera lucida etc. on loan, making things easier for me to record and present.
  • 10. 10 Manuscript preparation and submission In the beginning my manuscripts were typed by one of my student Munawar Ahmad Anees (now Dr, Anees). Until I had my personal type-writer, which was soon replaced by an electric type-writer and a printer. Things became much easier: preparation, typing, proof reading etc., with a gift of second hand computer from one of my students Salahuddin (now Dr. Salahuddin). Thus gradually my problems with preparation of manuscript were solved. Meanwhile, internet access became available in Pakistan, I was one of the first subscribers, so problem of communications with editors etc., were resolved with use of my personal email address: khan@ kherps. brain.com.pk. Visitors Herpetology has been a long neglected field in Pakistan. As my studies progressed, my publications in Urdu and English attracted students and teachers, there was a general awakening of interest in herpetological studies. Students from various institutions in Pakistan (Government College, Lahore; Agriculture University, Faisalabad; Qaid-a-Azam University Islamabad, Karachi university) frequently visited or contacted me by email, seeking help and guidance in this field. Distinguished herpetologists visiting Herp Laboratory  Dr. Sherman A. Minton, Jr., M.D. Dr. Sherman A. Minton, serving as visiting professor of microbiology at the newly established Basic Medical Science Institute Karachi. Minton family stayed in Karachi from 1958 to 1962. Apart from regular teaching duties, Minton spent his leisure time in traveling around Pakistan, studying and collecting herpetological specimens as hobby. Thus these four years would inextricable linked Sherman and Madge Minton with the herpetofauna of Pakistan. Since I started working in herpetology, I had been in constant contact with Dr. Sherman, corresponding and exchanging reprints. Dr. Minton and his family was invited to take part in 25th anniversary celebrating of the institute in early December 1984. Sometimes that year Dr. Minton wrote to inform me that he and Madge intended to spend Christmas (December 23-26) with us in Rabwah. They were to arrive from Karachi at Faisalabad by plane, I was to drive them to Rabwah. However, due to an unfortunate misunderstanding about the arrival time of the plane; when I reached the airport the Mintons had already left for Rabwah by hiring a taxi. We crossed each other in the way! The couple was greeted by my wife (wisely she had called one of my former students from USA currently visiting the town, thinking she may have difficulty to understand American accent). When back in Rabwah, I was relieved to find the guests seated comfortably, enjoying cup of tea and local sweets.
  • 11. 11 Later my wife described: “answering to the knock, when I opened the door Dr Minton, keeping his eyes low asked “is this Dr. Khan’s bungalow?” “Yes, yes, please, come in.” Dr. Minton recounts his visit in his autobiography, “We spent Christmas with Dr. M. Sharif Khan at Rabwah, the Punjab. Dr. Khan is Pakistan’s leading herpetologist. He took us in the field, but it was too cold for most reptiles. The lowland along Chenab River is cultivated but surrounding hills are bare and rocky. Mynas and crows were the only common birds, but we also saw green parrot, Indian roller, rufous shrikes, and a small owl. The Ahmadi Mouslems of Rabwah have a strict dress code for women, and Mrs. Khan had made some suitable clothes made so Madge could appear in public”, page 135. (Life, love and reptiles. 2001-Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida). Three species of snakes are named in honor of Dr. Minton and Madge Minton:  Platyceps karelini mintonorum (Mertens, 1969) (Pakistan spotted desert racer) (Colubridae)  Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae (Khan, 1999) (Typhlopidae) o Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae madgemintonae (Khan, 1999) (Madge Minton's blind-snake) o Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae shermani (Khan, 1999) (Sherman's blind- snake). (Two new species and a subspecies of blind snakes of genus Typhlops from Azad Kashmir and Punjab, Pakistan (Sepentes: Typhlopidae). Russian J. Herpetol., 6(3):231-240. Refer: Khan, M. S. 2001. Obituary: Sherman Anthony Minton Jr. Asiatic Herp. Res. 9:154-155. Dr. Minton’s contributions to Pakistan herpetology Minton, S. A. 1962. An annotated key to the amphibians and reptiles of Sind and Las Bela, West Pakistan. Am. Mus. Novit. (2081):1-21. Minton, S. A., and J.A. Anderson, 1962. A record of the turtle, Hardella thurjii, from salt water. Herpetologica 18; 126. Minton, S. A., and J.A. Anderson, 1963. Feeding habits of the kukri snake, Oligodon taeniolatus. Herpetologica 19(2):147. Minton, S. A., and M. R. Minton. 1964. The snake charmers of Sind. Bull. Philadelphia Herp. Soc. 1964: 33-38. Minton, S. A., and J. A. Anderson, 1965. A new dwarf gecko (Tropiocolotes) from Baluchistan. Herpetologica 21(1):59-61. Minton, S. A. 1966. A contribution to the herpetology of West Pakistan. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 134(2):31-184. Minton, S. A., S. C. Anderson, and J.A. Anderson, 1970. Remarks on some geckos from Southwest Asia, with description of three new forms and a key to the genus Tropiocolotes. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. (4th Ser.) 37:333-362. Minton, S. A.. 1983. Snake people of Sind. Animal Kingdom, 86(1):40-46. Minton, S. A. 1990. Venomous bites by nonvenomous snakes: an annotated bibliography of colubrid envenomation. J. Wild. Med. 1:119-127.
  • 12. 12 Minton, S. A. 2001. Life, love and reptiles. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida, USA.  Dr. George Zug, Curator Division of amphibians and reptiles, Smithsonian institution American Museum of Natural History Washington. I had been writing for reprints of papers and other publications from Dr. George Zug and had been requesting USNM tag numbers for the holotypes and paratypes of the new species that I intended to deposit in USNM and to record in the first description accounts of the species. Zug developed interest in Pakistan herpetology. His proposal for collection and record of amphibians and reptiles from Thal Desert, northwestern Punjab was approved by American Science Foundation in 1994. He visited Pakistan to finalize the arrangements, stayed with me for two days, we discussed and planned. However, because Punjab government was biased, since I belonged to Ahmadyya community, asked Zug to replace me by some one else, but Dr. Zug refused, saying there is nobody beside Mr. Khan working in herpetology in Pakistan. Consequently Dr. Zug diverted the grant to the study of herpetofauna of Myanmar, contributing several papers to the herpetology of that region.  Dr. Walter Auffenberg, Curator Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Financed by American Science Foundation, Dr. Walter worked in collaboration with Zoological Survey Department Karachi. Collected herps from different parts of the country, that now forms a part of his Pakistan collections at The Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida, USA. He published several papers on Pakistan herpetology: Auffenberg, W. 1980. Behavior of Lissemys punctata (Reptilia, Testudinata, Trionychidae) in a drying lake in Rajasthan, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 78:487-493. Auffenberg, W. 1981. Combat behaviour in Varanus bengalensis (Sauria, Varanidae).J. Bombay. Nat. Hist. Soc.78(1):54-72. Auffenberg, W. 1983a. The burrow of Varanus bengalensis: characteristics and use. Rec. Zool. Survey. India, 80(3-4):375-385. Auffenberg, W. 1983b. Courtship behavior in Varanus bengalensis (Sauria: Varanidae). In: Advances in Herpetology and Evolutionary Biology. Mus. Comp. Zoology, Cambridge:537-551. (A. C. J. Rhodin and K. Miyata Eds.). Auffenberg, W. 1984. Notes on feeding behaviour of Varanus bengalensis (Sauria, Varanidae). J. Bombay, Nat. Hist. Soc. 80:286-302. Auffenberg, W. and Naeem Ahmad, 1991. Studies of Pakistan reptiles: notes on Kachuga smithi. Hamadryad 16(1-2):25-29. Auffenberg, W. and H. Rehman, 1991. Studies on Pakistan Reptiles. Pt. 1. The genus Echis (Viperidae). Bull. Florida Mus. Nat. Hist. 35(5):263-314. Auffenberg, W. and H. Rehman, 1993. Studies on Pakistan Reptiles. Pt. 3. Calotes versicolor. Asiat. Herpetol Res., 5:14-30.
  • 13. 13 Auffenberg, W. and H. Rehman, 1977. Geographic variations in Bufo stomaticus, with remarks on Bufo olivaceus: biogeographical and systematic implications, pp. 351- 372. In: Biodiversity of Pakistan. (S. A. Mufti, C. A. Woods, and S. A. Hasan Eds.). Pakistan. Mus. Nat. Hist., Islamabad and Gainesville, Florida.  Prof. Dr. Roberts Mertens, curator Staatlichen museum, Frankfurt, visited Karachi for two months November and December 1952, collecting herps and studying ecology around Karachi. Refer: Khan, M. S. 1976. Obituary Professor Dr. Roberts Mertens 1894-1975. Biologia, 22(1):155-156. Dr. Mertens based on his studies on a large collection of herps from Pakistan deposited in the Staatlichen museum by M. G. Konieczny (a member of oil and gas exploration German team, explored and collected herps from 1959 to 1068 across Pakistan). The material formed the basis of following series of papers by him contributing to the herpetology of Pakistan: Mertens, R. 1959a. Eine neue Wassnernatter aus West Pakistan. Senckenb. Biol. 40(3-4):117-120. Mertens, R. 1959b. Uber einige seltene Eidechsen aus West Pakistan. Aquar. Terr. Zeit. 12(10):307-310. Mertens, R. 1965. Wenig bekannte "Seitenwinder" unter den Wustenottern Asiens. Natur und Museum, 59(8): 346-352. Mertens, R. 1969. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. (197):1-96. Mertens, R. 1969. Eine neue Rasse der Dachschildkrote, Kachuga tecta. Senckenb. Biol. 50:23-30. Mertens, R. 1970. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. 1. Nachtrag. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturk. (216):1-5. Mertens, R. 1971. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. 2. Nachtrag. Senckenb. biol.52 (1-2):7- 15. Mertens, R. 1972. Nachtrage zum Krokodil-Katalog der senckenbergischen Sammlungen. 3. Nachtrag. Senckenb. Biol. 53:21-35. Mertens, R. 1974. Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. Senckenb. Biol. 55(1-3):35-38. <<<<<<<>>>>>> HERP LABORATORY Log book records Reference specimens deposited in Museums Newly described amphibians and reptiles species (MSK=Muhammad Sharif Khan, herpetological collection)
  • 14. 14 This section is based on records in the log-book maintained in the Herpetological Laboratory. The Appendix (at the end of this document) includes copies of scans of original communications with museums, and recordings of the tag numbers of the specimens donated:  The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London. (Ref. E. N. Arnold, 2 June 1986; A. F. Stimson,August 1, 1990). BMNH 1985.1451 Bungarus sindanus razai (MSK 0312) BMNH 1985.1449 Cyrtodactylus indusoani (MSK 0414.85) BMNH 1985. 1450 Cyrtodactylus monmtiumsalsorum BMNH 1990.1 Tenuidactylus kohsulamanai (MSK 0776.89) BMNH 1990.2 Tenuidactylus batalensis (MSK 0764.89) BMNH 1990.3 Tenuidactylus baturensis, holotype (MSK ) BMNH 1990.4 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (Holotype MSK 0626.90) BMNH 1990.5 Eumeces indothalansis BMNH 1996.6 Tenuidactylus rohtasfortai (MSK 0686.88) BMNH 1996.7 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai (MSK0776.89) BMNH 1996. 8 Rana barmoachensis BMNH 1990.7 Cyrtodactylus kachhensis ingoldbyi [MSK 273.90] BMNH 1990.6 Eumeces indothalansis (MSK 0423.84 Holotype) BMNH 1978.795 Rana hazarensis BMNH 1990.8 Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis microspinulata (Holotype MSK 0603.82), Paratype MSK 0609.81)  California Academy of Sciences (CAS) (ref. Alan E. Leviton, June 11, 1988) CAS 170525 Tenuidactylus batalensis CAS 170526 Typhlops (goaie) diardii plaryventris (MSK 0901) CAS 170527 Typhlops leucosubcauda (Holotype) CAS 170529 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0768.87) CAS 170530 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0642.90) CAS 168427 Cyrtopodion indusoani (MSK 0484.86) CAS 168428 Cyrtopodion. montiumsalsorum (MSK 0475.86) CAS 170534 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai CAS 170525 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0766.89) CAS 170529 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0768.87) CAS 170531 Cyrtodactylus kachhensis ingoldbyi (HOLOTYPE: MSK 271.90)
  • 15. 15 CAS 170532 Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis microspinulata (MSK 0615.81) CAS 170532 Cyrtodactylus potoharensis (MSK 0639.87)  The Field Museum Natural History (FMNH), Chicago, Illinois, (Ref. Alan Resetar, June 30, 1994) FMNH 235532 Tenuidactylus kohsulaiman (MSK0774.89) FMNH 235532 (MSK 0566.87), (MSK 0567.87) Tenuidactylus rohtasfortai (Ref: Herpetologica, 1990, 46:142-148) FMNH 235533 Tenuidactylus battalensis (MSK 0765.89) FMNH 235534 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0636.90) FMNH 229,900 Tenuidactylus indusoani (paratype) FMNH 235535 Cyrtopodion khahhensis ingoldbyi (MSK 0274.90) FMNH 229,899 Crtodactylus montiumsalsorum FMNH 207,872 Rana hazarensis FMNH 235532 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai FMNH 235536 Typhlops ductuliformes (HOLOTYPE, MSK 0650.97)  US National Museum of Natural History (Ref. Hymen Marx, 6 April 1988) USNM 284132 Rana hazarensis (MSK USNM 257533 Cyrtodactylus indusoani (MSK USNM 257535 Cyrtodactylus montiumsalsorum (MSK USNM 284134 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai (MSK 2841.34) USNM 284135 Tenuidactylus battalensis (MSk 0767.89) USNM 284136 Tenuidactylus baturensis (MSK 0769.87) USNM 284137 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0634.90)  Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Ref. Franz Tiedeman, Oct 5, 1989) NMW 31719 Tenuidactylus kohsulamanai NMW 31720 Tenuidactylus batalensis (MSK 0768.89) NMW 31721 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0635.90)  Forschungsinstitut, Natur-Museum Senckenberg, Frankfurt em main (Ref, Konrad Klemmer, 31 January, 1979) SMF 69579 Rana hazarensis SMF 69580 Gymnodactylus dattanensis (holotype) SMF 73012 Cyrtodactylus indusoani (paratype)
  • 16. 16 SMF 73013 Cyrtodactylus montiumsalsorum  Institute of zoology, Academy of Sciences, Kiev-30, USSR (Ref. N. N. Szczerbak) SR 3046.20251 Tenuidactylus kohsulamanai SR 3046. 20252 Tenuidactylus batalensis (MSK 0737.89) SR 3046.20253 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0635.90)  The Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida (Ref. David L. Auth, April 13, 1988) UF 71793 Tenuidactylus fortmunroi (MSK 0637.90) UF 71794 Cyrtopodion kachhensis ingoldbyi (MSK 0638.90) UF 63375 Cyrtopodion montiumsalsorum UF 63376 Cyrtopodion indusoani UF 71792 Tenuidactylus kohsulaimanai UF 71795 Typhlops ductuliformes (MSK 0265.93)  Museum National d’Histoires Naturelle Laboratotoire des Repiles et Amphibiens, 25 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris (Ref. A. Dubois , 11 March 1986) MNHN 1978.3057-3064 Rana hazarensis MNHN 1979.7745 Cyrtodatylus dattanensis MNHN 1986.66 Cytrodactylus indusoani (MSK 0410.85) MNHN 1986.67 Crtodactylus montiumsalsorum (MSK 0432.85) <<<<<<>>>>> Current status of new taxa described from Herpetological Laboratory Since descriptions of following taxa generic changes (recorded in bold) have taken place Amphibians Allopaa (Rana) hazarensis (Dubois and Khan, 1979) Allopaa (Rana) barmoachensis (Khan and Tasnim, 1989) Euphlyctis (Rana) cyanophlyctis microspinulata Khan, 1997 Pseudepidalea (Bufo) siachinensis (Khan, 1997) Duttaphrynus (Bufo) hazarensis (Khan, 2000)
  • 17. 17 Geckos Siwaligekko (Cyrtodactylus) dattanensis (Khan, 1980) Indogekko (Cyrtodactylus) indusoani (M. S. Khan, 1980) Indogekko (Cyrtodactylus) rohtasfortai (M. S. Khan and Tasnim, 1990) Cyrtopodion (Cyrtodactylus) kohsulaimanai (M. S. Khan, 1991) Altigekko (Tenuidactylus) baturensis (Khan and Baig, 1992) Indogekko (Cyrtodactylus) fortmunroi (M. S. Khan, 1993) Siwaligekko (Cyrtodactylus) battalensis (M. S. Khan, 1993) Cyrtopodion kachhense ingolbyi M. S. Khan, 1997 Cyrtopodion potoharensis M. S. Khan, 2001 Lizard Novoeumeces (Eumeces) indothalensis (M.S. Khan and M.R.Z.Khan, 1997) Snakes Bungarus sindanus razai M.S.Khan, 1985 Indotyphlops (Typhlops) diardii platyventris M.S.Khan, 1998 Indotyphlops (Typhlops) ahsanuli M.S.Khan, 1999 Indotyphlops (Typhlops) ductuliformes M.S. Khan, 1999 Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae madgemintonae M.S.Khan, 1999 Indotyphlops (Typhlops) madgemintonae shermanai M.S.Khan, 1999 Platyceps (Coluber) rhodorachis kashmirensis M.S.Khan and A.Q.Khan, 2000 Platyceps (Coluber) ventromaculatus. bengalensis M. S. Khan and A. Q. Khan, 2000 <<>>
  • 18. 18 When news of my USA immigrating reached to the colleagues in Lahore, the curator of Zoology Museum of Government College, Lahore, requested to donate my collection to their museum (see the pictures).
  • 19. 19 My specimen deposited in American Museum of Natural History….? The main bulk of my luggage I carried while immigrating to USA included: some important literature items which I never expected to be available in USA, and some specimens I was studying. With intention to complete my study while in USA, and some tagged specimens I wanted to deposit in museums in USA and UK (due to lack of time I could not post in Pakistan). However, in USA I found conditions unexpected, while hectically looking for a suitable home, we changed from one apartment to another. Fearing loss of the material in these unsettled conditions, I decided to deposit it somewhere safe, from where it could be retrieved. The safe depository for the specimens, that came into my mind was, Dr. George Zug, Curator American National History Museum. Washington. I posted the packet with following covering letter: Contents of Email to Dr. G. Zug, Curator American Museum of Natural History 3 June 2001 Dear Dr. Zug: Please, find included in this packet following material, keep the specimens with USNM tag numbers. Please, help me distribute rest according to the tags: Typhlops type material Typhlops ahsananuli Holotype: MSK 0903.93 Typhlops ductuliformes FMNH 235536 (MSK 0650.97) UF 717995 (MSK 265.93) Extra specimens MSK 0678.89, 0759.93 Typhlops madgemintonai madgemintoni Holotype: MSK 0904.93. Paratype 0931.94 Typhlops madgemintoni shermanai Holotype: MSK 0357.95, Paratypes: MSK 0648.97, 0651.97 Typhlops diardi platyventris CAS 170526 (MSK 0902.93), Paratypes: 0930.94, 0933.94, 0605.96, 0901.93, 0932.94. Additional material Cyrtopodion potoharensis Holotype CAS 170532 (MSK 0639.87); Paratypes MSK 0643.87, 0640.87.
  • 20. 20 Answer received from Mr. Addison Wynn Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 5:44 PM To: typhlops99@hotmail.com Subject: Re: typhlops material from Pakistan Dear Dr. Khan, We have not yet had the time to catalogue your specimens (we have a large backlog of material awaiting to be catalogued, and due to the retirement of Ron Crombie and the promotion of our cataloger, cataloguing has recently proceeded at a snail's pace). When I complete cataloguing a large collection of several thousand salamanders, which I have taken responsibility of, sometime later this year, I'll personally catalogue your specimens and let you know once I have finished. Feel free to keep checking, though. I have been examining your Typhlops types as part of a revision of T. porrectus that I am working on. I'll let you know when I finish. Addison <<>> >> "muhammad sharif Khan" <typhlops99@hotmail.com> 01/13 11:23 AM >> Bismillah irrahaman irrahim dear dr wynn: perhaps you remember of exchanging emails some time ago regarding typhlops material that I deposited in your museum back on 2 June, 2001, through Dr George Zug. than later you informed that you have located the material and you will soon let me know the depository numbers of the material. since I am waiting for your reply! hope you would have catalogued the material by this time. If somebody has studied the material please, let me know, similarly if there is some publication based on the material I shall like to know and have a pdf copy. hope you will acknowledge this message asp. regards Khan, Muhammad Sharif, Ph.D. Apt # A17 151- South Bishop Avenue, SECANE, PA 19018, USA Ever since I am waiting information about the packet and fate of its contents! Locality: Holotype: CAS 170532 (MSK 0639.87), an adult male, collected from crevices among bricks under road bridge, and cracks in the surrounding mudflats, near Lawrancepur Town, District Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi-Attock Grand Trunk Road, 5th July, 1987, M. S. Khan . Paratypes: MSK 0640, adult male; MSK 0643, adult female, data for all as for holotype. Return of the specimens from British Museum Natural History loan material:1931.6.18.1 & 1931.6.18.2 Typhlops ?? MSK 8609. 98 & MSK 8610, from the sides of a recently tilled field, near Ghakkhar Mandi Town, 15 Km N, Gujranwala, Punjab; M.S. Khan 25 August, 1998. Typhlops ?? MSK 862.99 from Rabwah, Punjab, collected at different dates during 1999, M.S. Khan. Leptotyphlops macrhynchus From Rabwah City MSK 3563.96; 0757.72; 0909.94; 8586.97 from different localities, all in moist soil around water pipes. Thanks M. S. Khan.
  • 21. 21 Securing literature from Pakistan The first depository that came to my mind was: Breck Bartholomew, since for some time I knew him because of his informative newsletter “Bibliomania,” and his collection of herpetological memorabilia. I included copies of my correspondence with Dr. Minton and Dr. Mertens etc., with half of my published material, in a box and mailed to “Breck Bartholomew, 7021 South 400 West, Midvale, UT 84047.” Unfortunately the packing gave away in the transit, everything was lost! Even today I regret losing my correspondence (see copy of the parcel search form telling the story): With Prof. Dr. Aaron Bauer, Villanova University Having thus lost a part of my valuable material, I thought of Prof. Dr. Aaron Bauer, Villanova University, as safe depository for the rest of the documents. He has been longtime friend (we have been exchanging reprints since I started publishing in 1965). I visited him and personally handed over the literature collection in his custody. Now, whenever I need a paper, he is prompt to respond with pdf copy. Hat off to him for proving best friend over the years! <<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<,
  • 22. 22 Publications from Herpetological Laboratory, Rabwah, Pakistan 1965 to 2016 Research papers  1965-1970 Khan, M. S. 1965. A normal table of Bufo stomaticus (Bufo melanostictus). Biologia, 11:1-39. ----1968. Morphogenesis of digestive tract of Bufo stomaticus. Pakistan J. Sci. Res.20:93-106. ----1968. Amphibian fauna of District Jhang with notes on habits. Pakistan J. Sci. 20 (5-6):227-233. ----1969. A normal table of Rana tigerina Daudin. 1. Early development (Stages 1-27). Pakistan J. Sci. 2(1-2):36-50.  1971-1980
  • 23. 23 -----1971. An interesting abnormality in the arterial system of Uromastyx hardwickii Gray and its possible evolutionary Significance. Pakistan J. Sci.,23(1):78-80. ----1972a. The “commonest toad" of West Pakistan and a note on Bufo melanostictus Schneider. Biologia, 18(2):131-133. ----1972b. Checklist and key to the lizards of Jhang District, West Pakistan. Herpetologica, 28(2):94-98. ----1973. Food of tiger frog Rana tigerina Daudin. Biologia, 19(1-2):93-107. ----1974. Discovery of Microhyla ornata (Dumeril & Bibron) from the Punjab, Pakistan. Biologia, 179-180. ----and Mirza, M. R. 1976. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Pakistan. Part I: Chelonia and Crocodelia. Biologia, 22 (2):211-219. ----1976. An annotated checklist and key to the amphibians of Pakistan. Biologia, 22(2):201-210. ---- And Mirza, M. R. 1977. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Pakistan. Part II: Sauria (Lacertalia). Biologia, 23(1):41-64. ----1977. Checklist and key to the snakes of Jhang District, Punjab, Pakistan. Biologia, 23(2):145-157. ----1978. A double-headed monster of Hemidactylus flaviviridis Rupell. Biologia, 24(1):31-36. ----1979. On a collection of amphibians from northern Punjab and Azad Kashmir, with ecological notes. Biologia, 25:37-50. Dubois, A. and Khan, M. S. 1979. A new species of frog (genus Rana, subgenus Paa) from northern Pakistan (Amphibia, Anura). J. Herpetol., 13 (4):403-410 ----1980a. A new species of gecko from northern Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool. 12(1):11-16. ----1980b. Affinities and Zoogeography of herpetiles of Pakistan. Biologia, 26:113- 171.
  • 24. 24  1981-1990 ----1982a. Key for the identification of amphibian tadpoles from the plains of Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 14:133-145. ----1982b. Collection, preservation and identification of amphibian eggs from the plains of Pakistan. Pakistan. J. Zool., 14:241- 243. ----1982c. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Pakistan. Part III: Serpentes (Ophidia). Biologia, 28:215-254. ----1983. Venomous terrestrial snakes of Pakistan. The Snake, 15:101-105. ----1984a. Validity of the natricine taxon Natrix sancti-johannis Boulenger. J. Herpetol., 18:198-200. ----1984b. Rediscovery and validity of Bungarus sindanus Boulenger. The Snake, 16:43-48. ---1984c. A cobra with an unusual hood pattern. The Snake, 16:131-134. ----1985a. An interesting collection of amphibians and reptiles from Cholistan Desert, Punjab, Pakistan. J. Bombay. Nat. Hist. Soc., 82:144-148. ----1985b. Taxonomic notes on Bungarus caeruleus (Schneider) and Bungarus sindanus Boulenger. The Snake, 17:71-78. ----1986. A noteworthy collection of amphibians and reptiles from northwestern Punjab, Pakistan. The Snake, 18:118-125. ----1987. Checklist, distribution and zoogeographical affinities of herpetofauna of Balochistan. Proc. 7th Pakistan Zool. Cong.:105- 112. ---- & Ahmed, Naeem, 1987. On a collection of amphibians and reptiles from Baluchistan, Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool.,19:361- 370. -----& Malik, S. A. 1987a. Buccopharyngeal morphology of tadpole larva of Rana hazarensis Dubois and Khan 1979, and Its torrenticole adaptations. Biologia, 33:45-60.
  • 25. 25 ----&----1987b. Reproductive strategies in a subtropical anuran population in arid Punjab, Pakistan. Biologia, 33:279-303. ----& Baig, K. J., 1988. Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of District Jhelum, Punjab, Pakistan. The Snake, 20:156-161. ----1988. A new cyrtodactylid gecko from northwestern Punjab, Pakistan. J. Herpetol., 22:241-243. ----1989. Rediscovery and description of the highland ground gecko, Tenuidactylus montiumsalsorum (Annandale, l913). Herpetologica, 45:46-54. ----1990. Venomous terrestrial snakes of Pakistan and snake bite problem. In: Snakes of Medical importance (Asia-Pacific Region):419-446. (Ed.) P. Gopalakrishnakone and L. M. Chou. National University of Singapore. ----1990a. The impact of human activities on the status and distribution of amphibians in Pakistan. Hamadryad, 15:21-24. ----1990b. Discovery of a new gecko! Natura-WWF-Pakistan, Lahore, 9: 2. ---& Tasnim, Rashida, 1986a. A note on tail injury in Eryx johnii. The Snake, 18:57- 58. ----& Tasnim, Rashida, 1986b. Balling and caudal luring in young Bungarus caeruleus. The Snake, 18:42-46. ---- & Tasnim, Rashida. 1986c. Notes on the Himalayan pit viper, Agkistrodon himalayanus (Gunther). Litteratura Serpentium. (Eng. Ed.) 6:46-55. ---- &Tasnim, Rashida.1987a. Observations on distress behavior of an injured Eryx johnii. The Snake, 19:144-145. ----& Tasnim, Rashida.1987b. A field guide to the identification of herps of Pakistan. Part I: Amphibia, Monograph No. 14. Biological Society of Pakistan, Lahore, pp.1-27. ----& Tasnim, Rashida, 1989. A new frog of the genus Rana, subgenus Paa, from southwestern Azad Kashmir. J. Herpetol., 23:419- 423.
  • 26. 26 ----1990. “Venomous terrestrial snakes of Pakistan and snake bite problem.” In: Snakes of Medical importance (Asia-Pacific Region):419-446. (Ed.) P. Gopalakrishnakone and L. M. Chou. National University of Singapore. ----& Tasnim, Rashida, 1990. A field guide to the identification of herps of Pakistan. Part: II Chelonia. Biological Society of Pakistan, Lahore, pp.15.  1991-2000 ----1991a. Morphoanatomical specialization of the buccopharyngeal region of the anuran larvae and its bearing on the mode of larval feeding. Ph.D. diss., University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. pp. 99. ----1991b. Endangered species of reptiles of Pakistan and suggested conservation measures.:42-45. In Handbook published to mark second seminar on "Nature conservation and environmental protection", 12 March, 1991, Islamabad. Pakistan Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Islamabad. ----1991c. Amphibians, lizards, turtles and snakes. Chapter 3 In: Pakistan ki Jangli Hayat (Wildlife of Pakistan): 61- 124. Publication No.241. Urdu Science Board, 299 Upper Mall, Lahore (in Urdu). ----1991d. A new Tenuidactylus gecko from the Sulaiman Range, Punjab, Pakistan. J. Herpetol., 25:199-204. ----1991e. “Amphibians, turtles, crocks, lizards, and snakes.” Chapter 3 In: ‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن‬ ‫ﺣﯿﺎت‬ ‫ﺟﻨﮕﻠﯽ‬ ‫ﮐﯽ‬Pakistan ki Jangli Hayat (Wildlife of Pakistan): 61-124. Publication No.241. Urdu Science Board, 299 Upper Mall, Lahore (in Urdu). ----1991f. Additions of new species to the herpetofauna of Pakistan. Species: 56. ----1991g. New additions to the herpetofauna of Pakistan. Hamadryad, 16 (1-2):48- 49. ----1992. Validity of the mountain gecko Gymnodactylus walli Ingoldby, 1922. Herptol. J., 2:106-109.
  • 27. 27 ----& Baig, K. J.1992. A new tenuidactylid gecko from northeastern Gilgit Agency, North Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 24:273- 277. ----1993a. ‫ﻧﭗ‬ ‫ﺳﺎ‬ ‫ﮐﮯ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ﮐﺴﺘﺎ‬ ‫ﭘﺎ‬ ‫زﻣﯿﻦ‬ ‫ﺳﺮ‬ (Snakes of Pakistan). Publication # 276. Urdu Science Board, 299 Upper Mall, Lahore, pp.229, (in Urdu). ----1993b. A new angular-toed gecko from Pakistan, with remarks on the taxonomy and a key to the species belonging to genus Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia:Sauria:Geckkonidae). Pakistan J. Zool, 25:67- 73. ----1993c. Hemipeneal morphology of Varanus flavescens Hardwicke and Gray, 1927), and its phylogenetic implications. Pakistan J. Zool., 25:135-138. ----1993d. A new sandstone gecko from Fort Munro, Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 25:217-221. ----1993f. A checklist and key to the gekkonid lizards of Pakistan. Hamadryad, 18:35-41. ----1994a. Validity and description of Tenuidactylus yarkandensis (J. Anderson). Pakistan J. Zool., 26:139-143. ----1994b. Key for identification of amphibians and reptiles of Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 26:249-255. ----1994c. A revised checklist and key to the amphibians of Pakistan. Hamadryad, 19:11-14. ----1995. A report on an unborn litter of chain viper Vipera russelli (Shaw and Nodder, 1797). Pakistan J. Zool., 27(2):119- 122. ----1996. Oropharyngeal morphology of tadpole of southern cricket frog Rana syhadrensis Annandale, 1919, and its ecological Correlates. Pakistan J. Zool., 28:133-138. ----1997a. The oropharyngeal morphology and feeding habits of tadpole of tiger frog Rana tigerina Daudin. Russian J. Herpetol., 2:163-171.
  • 28. 28 ----1997b. A new toad from the foot of Siachin Glacier, Baltistan, northeastern Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 29(1):43-48. ----1997c. Taxonomic notes on Pakistani snakes of Coluber-karelini-rhodorachis- ventromaculatus species complex: a new Approach to the problem. Asiatic Herpetol. Res. 7:51-60. ----1997d. A new subspecies of common skittering frog Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis (Schneider, 1799) from Balochistan, Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool., 29(2):107-112. ----1997e. A report on an aberrant specimen of Punjab Krait Bungarus sindanus razai Khan 1985 (Ophidia:Elapidae) from Azad Kashmir. Pakistan J. Zool., 29:203-205. ----1997f. Validity, generic redesignation, and taxonomy of western rock gecko Gymnodactylus ingoldbyi Proctor, 1923. Russian J. Herpetol., 4(2):83-88. ----1997g. Biodiversity of gekkonid fauna of Pakistan.383-389. In: Biodiversity of Pakistan. Edits: Mufti, S. A., Woods, C. A. and Hasan, S. A. 1997. Pakistan Mus. Nat Hist. Islamabad, Pakistan. ----& Khan, M.R.Z. Khan, 1997. A new skink from the Thal Desert of Pakistan. Asiatic. Herpetol. Research, 7:61-67. ----& Rosler, H. (1999). Generic redesignation and redescription of Gymnodactylus stoliczkai Steindachner, 1869. J. Asiatic Research, 8:60-68 ----1998. Notes on Typhlops diardi Schlegel, 1839, with description of a new subspecies (squamata, Serpentes, Scolecophidia). Pakistan J. Zool., 30(3):213-221. ----1999a. A checklist and key to the Phrynocephalid lizards of Pakistan, with ethnological notes (Squamata:Agamidae). Pakistan J. Zool., 31(1):14-24. ----1999b. Food particle retrieval in amphibian tadpoles. Zoo’Print J., 14(5):17-20.
  • 29. 29 ----1999c. Typhlops ductuliformes a new species of blind snakes from Pakistan, with notes on extralimital T. porrectus Stoliczka, 1871 (Serpentes:Typhlopidae). Pakistan J. Zool.,31(4):385- 390. ----1999d. Herpetology of habitat types of Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zool. 31(3):275- 289. -----2000a. ‫ﺧﺰﻧﺪے‬ ‫اور‬ ‫ک‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻨﮉ‬ ‫ﮐﮯ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ﮐﺴﺘﺎ‬ ‫ﭘﺎ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻦ‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ﺳﺮ‬ (Amphibians and reptiles of Pakistan). Publication # 366. Urdu Science board, 299- Upper Mall, Lahore. [in Urdu]. ----2000b.The oropharyngeal morphology and feeding habits of tadpole of Microhyla ornata. Asiatic Herpetol. Res., vol. 9:130-138. ----& Khan, A.Q. 2000. Three new subspecies of snakes of genus Coluber from Pakistan. Pakistan J. Zoology. 32(1): 49-52.  2001-2010 ----2001. Taxonomic notes on angular-toed gekkota of Pakistan, with description of a new species of genus Cyrtopodion. Pakistan J. Zool., 33(1):13-24. ----2002a. A guide to the snakes of Pakistan. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, pp. 265. ----2002b. Die Schlangen Pakistans. Edition Chimaera, Frankfurt am Main, pp. 265. ----- 2002c. A checklist and key to the Amphibia of Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 37(9):158-163. -----2002c. Riparian tadpoles of Punjab, Pakistan: Bufo stomaticus Lütkin, 1862. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 37(12):216-219
  • 30. 30 -----2003a. Morphology of the tadpole of Microhyla ornata, with notes on its feeding ecology and breeding habits. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 38(3):49-51. -----2003b. Morphology of riparian tadpoles: Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis (Schneider, 1799). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 38(5):95- 98. -----2003c. Morphology of the Limnonectes tadpole, with notes on its feeding ecology and on the breeding habits of Limnonectes frogs in riparian Punjab. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 38(9):177-179. ------2003d. Hyobranchial apparatus of amphibian tadpoles and its ecological correlates. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 35(4):263- 269. ------2004a. Riparian tadpoles: Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin, 1802) with notes on breeding habits and feeding Ecology. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 39(6):101-104. -----2004b. Lung morphology and its significance in riparian tadpoles. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 39(9):169-172. -----2004c. Notes on high altitude geckos of the genus Altigekko in northeastern Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 39(12):221- 224. ------2005a. Notes on geckos of the genus Siwaligekko Khan, 2003 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 40(3):54-57. ------2005b. Addition of a frog of the family Megophryidae to the amphibian fauna of Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 40(4):70-71.
  • 31. 31 -----2005c. Notes on New Taxa of Typhlopid Snakes from Pakistan (Serpentes: Typhlopidae). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 40(8):145-147. ----2006. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pakistan. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida, pp. 311. ----2008. Biology and distribution of geckos of genus indogekko Khan, 2003 (sauria:gekkonidae). Russian J. Herpetology, 15 (2): 87-92. -----210. Gecos de dedos angulosos del Himalaya Major: El genero Altigekko. Reptilia 64-67.  2011-2016 2011. Herpetology of Pakistan. Part 1. ‫ﻣﯿﻨﮉک‬ (Frogs). Nia Zamana Publications, Lahore, pp. 96. (in Urdu). -----2002. A checklist and key to the Amphibia of Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 37(9):158-163. -----2013. An addition to geckos of the genus Hemidactylus Oken 1817 in Pakistan, with notes on morphology, ecology and distribution of species. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 48(10):130-134. -----2014a. Notes on reproduction and defense mechanisms of the common Indo-Pakistan wolf snake Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Ophidia: Colubridae). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 49(3):33-34. -----2014b. The filter feeding mechanism in tadpoles. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 49(8):116-119. -----2014c. Snakes in Pakistani folklore. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 49(10):137-141. -----2014d. The snakebite problem in Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 49(12):165-167. ---- 2014e. Notes on reproduction and defense mechanism of the common indo- Pakistan wolf snake Lycodon aulicus (linnaeus 1758) (Ophidia: Colubridae) bull. Chicago herp soc. 49(4)33-34.
  • 32. 32 -----2014f. Snakes in Pakistani folklore. Bull. Chicago Herp Soc. 49(10)137-141. -----2014g. The filter feeding mechanism in tadpoles. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 49(8):116-119. ----- 2015. Status and distribution of freshwater turtles in Pakistan. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 50(4):51-53. <<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>> Herpetology of Pakistan Internet published field guide series In addition to the journal published papers (listed above), I started writing series of Pictorial field guides circumvallating the editorial and publishing hassle Up-loading in Research Gate, Academia Edu. and Google
  • 33. 33 2014 - 2016 The present e-series of Field Guides, in pdf format, is intended to bring latest scientific information about Amphibians & Reptiles of Pakistan, within grasp of students and interested biodiversity workers. A document with scientific, common English and Urdu names of the taxa (Pakistan J. Zool. Suppl. Ser., No.11, pp.1-12, 2012) is appended. (Photo credit: Personal + www) Muhammad Sharif Khan Herpetological Laboratory
  • 35. 35 Depositories of published herpetological literature from Herp Laboratory 1. Khalafat library, Rabwah 35460, Punjab, Pakistan. 2. Majlis Tahquiqi, Jamia Ahmadyyah, Rabwah 35460, Punjab, Pakistan. 3. Prof. Aaron M. Bauer, Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA. <<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> Any question? typhlops99@outlook.com typhlops2004@yahoo.com muhammad.sharifkhan@gmail.com http://muhammadskhan.wildlifeofpakistan.com Published @ Academia. Edu https://www.academia.edu/s/863fd88b1b/historic-catchup-a-herpetologist-in-the-making-herpetological- laboratory-story-and-records-1965-2016?source=link >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< APPENDEX COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH MUSEUMS HISTORIC RECORD