Salvadora lemniscata ( Cope, 1895 )

Hernández-Jiménez, Carlos A., Flores-Villela, Oscar, Aguilar-Bremauntz, Aranzazú & Campbell, Jonathan A., 2021, Phylogenetic relationships based on morphological data and taxonomy of the genus Salvadora Baird & Girard, 1853 (Reptilia, Colubridae), European Journal of Taxonomy 764 (1), pp. 85-118 : 91

Salvadora lemniscata ( Cope, 1895)

Fig. 3

Drymobius lemniscatus Cope, 1895: 203 .

Drymobius (Eudryas) pulcherrimus Bocourt 1890: 725–726 .

Salvadora lemniscata – Bogert 1939b: 142.

Diagnosis

Rostral slightly elongated and projecting toward the back; 9 supralabials, 3 supralabials in contact with the eye, the fourth, fifth and sixth; generally 12 infralabials, sometimes 11 or 13; single preocular; single loreal; prenasal separated from the second supralabial; a second pair of chinshields larger than the first one in contact with each other or separated by a row of scales; 194–206 ventrals; 128–141 subcaudals; tail is 29 to 34% of total length; 14–15+3 maxillary teeth. Color pattern consists of a pale vertebral line extending from the parietal region, and is three rows wide on the first third of the body and one row wide on the rest of the body, flanked by a pair of dark dorsolateral lines two to four scales wide, interrupted at the neck without touching the head; two dark lateral lines, sometimes slightly interrupted in the neck region or continuing toward the sides of the head, passing by the eyes to the nasal scales.

Differs from the other species in the genus by having more maxillary teeth (14–15 +3); a single preocular scale; tail length 29 to 34% of total length; 4 longitudinal lines along the body, dorsolaterals interrupted on the neck region; 194 to 206 ventral scales.

Etymology

The species name comes from the Latin ‘ lemniscatus ’, which means ‘adorned with bands’, doubtless in reference to the stripes along its body.

Type material MEXICO • “Mexique occidental” [Western Mexico], locality uncertain, probably from Tehuantepec, Oaxaca; F. Sumichrast leg.; MNHN 1891.0260 .

Distribution and conservation

From Acapulco in the state of Guerrero southward the Pacific coast, across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the coast of Chiapas, the Central Depression of the Grijalva River, and Huehuetenango, Guatemala ( Fig. 3 ).

Within its distribution it occurs in at least two protected natural areas. Mexican legislation has listed this species as subject to Special Protection and the IUCN has it listed as a species of Least Concern.

Remarks

Three additional specimens examined (UTA 45840 Guatemala: Huehuetenango, 2.4 km from Nenton on Road to la Trinidad; UTA 45842 Guatemala: Huehuetenango, 0.3 km S Cuatro caminos, La Democracia- Nenton Road; UTA 45843 Guatemala Nenton, Hacienda Miramar, La Fortuna near Pozo) represent the first records of Salvadora lemniscata for Guatemala.

Figures

Fig. 3. Locality records of Salvadora lemniscata (Cope, 1895).