Leptophis dibernardoi Albuquerque, Santos, Borges-Nojosa, Ávila, 2022

Albuquerque, Nelson Rufino De & Fernandes, Daniel S., 2022, Taxonomic revision of the parrot snake Leptophis ahaetulla (Serpentes, Colubridae), Zootaxa 5153 (1), pp. 1-69 : 27-28

Leptophis dibernardoi Albuquerque, Santos, Borges-Nojosa, Ávila, 2022

( Fig. 15 )

Thalerophis richardi richardi — Oliver 1948: 219 (in part).

Leptophis ahaetulla ahaetulla — Peters & Orejas-Miranda 1970: 161 (in part).

Leptophis ahaetulla liocercus — Lima-Verde, 1971: 215.

Leptophis ahaetulla — Vanzolini et al. 1980: 33; Vitt & Vangilder 1983: 276; Loebmann & Haddad 2010: 240; Pereira Filho & Montingelli, 2011: 148; Alves et al. 2012: 5; Mesquita et al. 2013: 14; Borges-Leite et al. 2014: 409; Guedes et al., 2014: 3863 (in part); Ribeiro et al. 2014: 339; Silva et al. 2015: 443; Roberto & Loebmann 2016: 142; Pereira Filho et al. 2017: 141.

Leptophis aff. ahaetulla — Borges-Nojosa 2007: 236.

Leptophi s gr. ahaetulla — Borges-Nojosa et al. 2010: 324.

Leptophis dibernardoi Albuquerque, Santos, Borges-Nojosa & Ávila 2022: 10 . Male holotype ( CHUFC 1104 ; examined). Type locality: Messejana (03°49ʹ51″S, 38°29ʹ10″W, 28 m asl), municipality of Fortaleza , state of Ceará, Brazil.

Diagnosis. Leptophis dibernardoi can be distinguished from its congeners by the following unique combination of character states: (1) head scales not edged with black and with no black spots; (2) adult color pattern with no dark dorsal bands; (3) two dorsolateral stripes separated from each other by vertebral stripe one to one and a half scales wide in adults, at least anteriorly; (4) dorsals keeled, except first dorsal row on each side; keels not black; (5) no loreal scale; (6) ventrals 158–171 in males, 160–177 in females; (7) subcaudals 137–160 in males, 144–162 in females; (8) dorsal scales of tail keeled until point at which reduction from six to four scales occurs; (9) maxillary teeth 21–24; (10) TL/SVL: 95% CI = 0.585 –0.611 (n = 24); (11) small spines at first basal row of hemipenial body; (12) asulcate side of hemipenis similar to sulcate side.

Comparisons. Leptophis dibernardoi is distinguished from all members of the L. ahaetulla complex, except L. ahaetulla , by having two dorsolateral stripes separated from each other by a vertebral stripe extending onto the tail (vs. no dorsolateral stripes). Leptophis dibernardoi is similar to L. ahaetulla in its dorsal coloration, with both species sharing the pattern of two green dorsolateral stripes separated by a vertebral stripe, at least anteriorly. However, in life, the first (on the anterior region of trunk) to fourth (middle to posterior region) dorsal scale rows are White to Pale Sulphur Yellow (92) in L. dibernardoi (vs. second to fourth rows Sulphur Yellow [80]). The Jet Black (300) postocular stripe is wider in L. dibernardoi than in L. ahaetulla , occupying the lower half or two-thirds of the anterior temporal and most of the lower posterior temporal (vs. lower edge of the anterior temporal, with lower edge to one-third of lower posterior temporal pigmented). The snout is wider and shorter in L. dibernardoi than in L. ahaetulla . In life, the dorsal background color of L. dibernardoi is Light Emerald Green (142) to Robin’s Egg Blue (161) (vs. Light Grass Green [109] to Light Emerald Green [142] in L. ahaetulla ). It is further distinguished from the occasionally sympatric L. liocercus by having supracephalic scales not edged with black (vs. edged with black, Figs. 16A , 17 ).

Variation and sexual dimorphism. We refer to Albuquerque et al. (2022) for variation and sexual dimorphism.

Hemipenial morphology. We refer to Albuquerque et al. (2022) for hemipenial morphology.

Coloration in life. We refer to Albuquerque et al. (2022) for coloration in life.

Distribution and natural history. We refer to Albuquerque et al. (2022) for distribution and natural history.

Remarks. Prior to its recognition as a distinct species, several studies (see cresonymy above) had already recorded Leptophis dibernardoi as L. ahaetulla . However, Albuquerque et al. (2022) recognized the composite nature of Oliver’s (1948) ahaetulla and documented the existence of a new species apparently endemic to the semi-arid region of Brazil.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Color pattern and color tones of Leptophis dibernardoi: An uncataloged CHUFC female from Parnaíba, state of Piauí, Brazil. Photo by R.W. Ávila.

FIGURE 16. Color pattern and color tones of Leptophis liocercus: Male holotype AMNH 3531, SVL 1144 mm (incomplete tail), from an unspecified locality in the tropical forests of Brazil. Dorsal (A) and (B) ventral views of the head; dorsal (C) and ventral (D) views of the holotype. Scale bars = 0.5 cm. Photos by N.R. Albuquerque.

FIGURE 17. Color pattern and color tones of Leptophis liocercus: (A) MZUFV 2082, SVL 1594 mm, a female from Linhares, Espírito Santo. Note the head scales slightly edged with black (indicated by the arrow); (B) IBSP 88574, SVL 1072 mm, a female from the municipality of São Mateus, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Photos by M.R. Moura (A) and R.D. Moysés (B).