Hypsiscopus indonesiensis

The Lake Towuti paddle-tailed water snake was described in 2023 from specimens collected in Lengkona Bay and other parts of Lake Towuti. It is a small Hypsiscopus, under 70 cm from snout to vent, with a laterally compressed tail. Its back is blotched and its belly mottled, and it has unusually high scale-row and ventral counts for the genus (Reptile Database; Hamidy and colleagues 2023).

Known specimens come from South Sulawesi, including Lake Towuti localities around 321 m elevation. Diagnostic counts include 24–25 scale rows at the neck, 25–27 at midbody, 20–22 near the vent and 152–159 ventrals. The opened description summary supplied no verified prey, activity, reproductive mode, litter size or gestation. Its common name reflects the distinctive compressed tail and freshwater type locality (Reptile Database diagnosis).