Sibon noalamina

description

Description of the holotype. Adult male (Figs. 1 A – C, 2 – 3), as indicated by everted hemipenes; SVL 385 mm, TL 161 mm (but tail incomplete); TOL 546 mm; HL 12.4 mm; HW 8.2 mm; SL 3.5 mm. Head distinct from neck; snout short, blunt in dorsal and lateral outline; rostral wider (2.1 mm) than high (1.3 mm), not extending posteriorly between internasals, its length visible from above one fifth length of median internasal suture (1.0 mm); internasals shorter (1.1 mm) than wide (1.7 mm), their length between one half and two-thirds length of prefrontal suture (1.9 mm); prefrontals shorter (2.5 mm) than wide (2.8 mm), their median suture (2.1 mm) about three-fifths length of frontal; prefrontals bordering eye above loreal; frontal longer (3.6 mm) than wide (3.0 mm), widest anteriorly, length almost two-thirds that of parietal, in contact with prefrontals, supraoculars, and parietals; supraoculars longer (3.4 mm) than wide (1.7 mm), nearly as long as frontal; parietals longer (5.8 mm) than wide (3.8 mm), widest anteriorly, their median suture (4.1 mm) slightly longer than frontal; parietals in contact with frontal, supraoculars, upper postoculars, anterior and posterior temporals, and ni

A new species of Sibon (Squamata: Colubroidea: Dipsadidae) from the Cordillera Central of western Panama, with comments on other species of the genus in the area

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Sibon noalamina differs from all described species of Sibon, and from all other Central American snail-eaters, in its slight keeling on the third to fifth dorsal row at midbody in adults, and, most obviously, in having only five supralabials, with the fifth and ultimate one being the only supralabial posterior to the orbit (versus two supralabials posterior to orbit in all other species of Sibon) and exhibiting a peculiar shape: Its anterior portion is almost twice as high as the remaining supralabials, resembling the enlarged penultimate supralabial of other Sibon. Then it decreases in height towards the posterior portion that is about as high as the third supralabial, resembling the ultimate, usually moderately-sized, supralabial of other Sibon. Additionally, its contrasting color pattern of complete dark rings on light background distinguishes S. noalamina from all Lower Central American Sibon except S. anthracops (Cope), from which it differs by having 15 dorsal rows throughout the body (vs. 13 in S. anthracops). At first sight, especially the more contrastingly colored juveniles of the new species might be confused with the coral snake-mimics Dipsas articulata, D. b

A new species of Sibon (Squamata: Colubroidea: Dipsadidae) from the Cordillera Central of western Panama, with comments on other species of the genus in the area

etymology

Etymology. The specific epithet is a contraction of the exclamation “ no a la mina! ”, Spanish for “ no to the mine ”, in the sense of “ no mining ”. This affirmation was and is used by members of the indigenous Ngöbe communities living in the Serranía de Tabasará in the course of their protests against mining interests aiming to exploit their territory, especially around Cerro Colorado. The specific name is given in recognition and support of the Ngöbe’s struggle to protect their territory and environment, which is home to the new species described herein and many others, from profit-driven destructive interventions.

A new species of Sibon (Squamata: Colubroidea: Dipsadidae) from the Cordillera Central of western Panama, with comments on other species of the genus in the area