Two-lined Mexican Earth Snake

description

Description: A species with divided prefrontals and internasals; loreal scale on each side of head; a pointed rostral; nasal pierced by the nostril on each side of head; a preocular and two postoculars; hexagonal frontal, contacting prefrontals; temporal formula 1 + 2; 7 upper labials and 6 lower labials; 2.5 upper labials before eye; genial shields separated by one scale; a mean of 125.4 ventrals (112 – 146); and 34 subcaudals (26 – 43); 17 rows of smooth scales at midbody; dorsum brown­gray with two series of dots along body, or a tessellated pattern of spots; venter yellowish with a row of medial dots. Measurements: Adult specimens of Conopsis biserialis average 200.3 mm in SVL (110 – 330 mm); 239.92 mm in total length (118 – 377 mm), body diameter 7.6 mm. Variation: This species generally shows divided prefrontal and internasals (97 %, of examined specimens), or fused (3 %). Loreal may be present on both sides of head (60 %), absent (22.4 %), or it may be present only on one side of head (11.6 %). Upper labials 7 (90.6 %), 6 (2.9 %), or 7 / 6 (6.5 %). Upper labials before eye from 2.5 (82.2 %) to 3 (17.8 %). Lowerlabials 6 (69.1 %), 7 (13.1 %), 7 / 6 (1 %), 6 / 5 (4.7 %), or 5

Taxonomic summary of Conopsis, Günther, 1858 (Serpentes: Colubridae)

diagnosis

Diagnosis: This species is characterized by the following combination of characters: divided internasals and prefrontals; brown­gray dorsal coloration, and two series of dots along body, or a tessellated pattern of dorsal spots. Ventrally it is yellowish with a series of black dots medially. Conopsis biserialis can be distinguished from other species in the genus by its characteristic dorsal spots pattern. Conopsis biserialis shares its characteristic dorsal pattern of spots with Conopsis amphisticha, with which it can be confused, but their geographic ranges do not overlap.

Taxonomic summary of Conopsis, Günther, 1858 (Serpentes: Colubridae)

distribution

Distribution: Conopsis biserialis is distributed in central and southern Mexico (fig. 4), in the states of: Distrito Federal, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Estado de México, Michoacán, Morelos, and Puebla; from 1700 to 3080 m; in pine forest, oak forest, and montane cloud forest. It is usually under rocks and logs during January, from June to September and December.

Taxonomic summary of Conopsis, Günther, 1858 (Serpentes: Colubridae)

materials_examined

Type specimen: FMNH 100062. Type locality: 10 miles W Villa Victoria, Estado de México.

Taxonomic summary of Conopsis, Günther, 1858 (Serpentes: Colubridae)