Braided Shadow Snake

description

Description. Relatively small (~ 200 mm SVL) dipsadine snakes of the Pacific versant of the Andean Highlands of W Colombia, diagnosable by 24 maxillary teeth, 7 or 8 infralabials, 7 or 8 supralabials, fused prefrontals, internasals in contact, loreal present, 1 postocular, nuchal collar present, 144 - 147 ventrals, 79 - 91 subcaudals, dorsal scales in 19 - 19 - 17 weakly keeled rows, neural spines expanded and flattened, and later ally expanded zygapophyses forming a partially interlocking complex. The type locality is a middle elevation (~ 1800 m) cloud forest. Both known specimens were collected in moist leaf litter; one was active at night. The stomach of the holotype contained a Ptychoglossus stenolepis (Sauria: Gymnophthalmidae).

Systematics of Nothopsini (Serpentes, Dipsadidae), with a new species of Synophis from the Pacific Andean slopes of southwestern Ecuador

etymology

Etymology. From the Latin plecto- for " braided " or " woven " and veretbralis for " vertebrae, " referring to the appearance of the interlocking zygapophyses viewed from above (Sheil and Grant 2001).

Systematics of Nothopsini (Serpentes, Dipsadidae), with a new species of Synophis from the Pacific Andean slopes of southwestern Ecuador

description

Range. Pacific Andean slopes of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, ~ 1800 m. Description. Adult size ~ 200 – 210 mm SVL and ~ 80 – 100 mm TL, smooth nuchal scales; nuchal collar; intranasals in contact; 1 postocular; 7 – 8 infralabials; 7 – 8 supralabials; 144 – 147 ventrals; 79 – 91 subcaudals; and 19 - 19 - 19 dorsal scale-rows at midbody, with single, weak keel. Notes. Known only from the holotype and paratype. Not included in our phylogenetic analyses (Fig. 1); its placement is thus unknown. With this re-assessment of species boundaries and taxonomic reassignment of nearly all known specimens of Synophis (Figs. 1 – 4, Tables 1,2), the morphological limits and geographic ranges of the known, extant species are tentatively stabilized. There are likely additional cryptic species in some taxa (e. g., S. lasallei), and there are almost certainly additional new species to be discovered. Our results here should clarify lingering confusion over most species limits, and provide a robust basis for future work. The known species can be informally grouped into at least three species groups. The first is the S. bicolor group (S. bicolor, S. niceforomariae), distributed in the northern Andes, with h

A revision and key for the tribe Diaphorolepidini (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) and checklist for the genus Synophis