Amphisbaena Varia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae): New Distributional Records from Western Panamá

Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 191-196 (2015) (published online on 10 April 2015)

Amphisbaena varia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae): new distributional records from western Panamá

Julie M. Ray1,2,*, Melquiades Castillo H.3, John G. Himes1, Patty Ruback1 and James L. Knight4,5,6

Amphisbaenians are secretive, predominantly limbless in the IUCN category Data Deficient by Jaramillo et squamates that presumably spend the majority of their al. (2010). Consequently, very little is known of the time below ground in burrow systems of their own distribution and ecology of these burrowing species. construction, although they also have been collected To date, specimens of A. varia have been reported underground in the colonies of leaf-cutter ants (Atta primarily from central Panamá near the former Canal spp.; Gans, 1969; Riley et al., 1986). When found Zone (Colón and Panamá Provinces) and eastward into aboveground it is usually at night (Köhler, 2008). South America (Myers and Rand, 1969; Rand and Myers, Because of their secretive lifestyle, they are rarely 1990; Köhler, 2008; localities denoted by the number observed or collected (Ribeiro et al., 2008). 1 in Fig. 1). However, Ibáñez et al. (1996) reported Two species of amphisbaenians, Amphisbaena individuals from approximately 50 km southeast of the spurrelli and A. varia (= A. fuliginosa or A. f. varia in Canal Zone, in Altos de Campana, Panamá Province literature before 2005; Gans, 2005) have been confirmed (8.70°N, 79.95°W; Locality 2 in Fig. 1), and two from Panamá (Vanzolini, 1951; Gans, 2005; Köhler, specimens from the same area are accessioned in the 2008; Jaramillo et al., 2010). Only a single specimen collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History of A. spurrelli (MCZ R-39784) has been vouchered. A (FLMNH 121759, 154431; identities confirmed by G. third species, A. alba, was listed for Panamá by Jaramillo Köhler). Furthermore, another specimen was reported et al. (2010), but distributional data are unavailable and from an additional 25 km to the southwest in El Valle Köhler (2008) doubted its presence because no vouchers de Antón in the extreme eastern part of Coclé Province from Panamá are known. All three taxa were included

1 La MICA Biological Station, El Copé de La Pintada, Coclé Province, Republic of Panamá. 2 Towson University, Department of Biological Sciences, Towson, Maryland 21252, USA. 3 Universidad de Panamá, Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Technología, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá Province, Republic of Panamá. 4 Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, 476 University Parkway, Aiken, South Carolina 29801, USA. 5 Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Figure 1. Distribution of records for Amphisbaena varia in Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA. Panamá. Open circles designate museum records or those 6 Azuero Earth Project, Pedasí, Los Santos Province, Republic found in the literature. Closed circles are sites where animals of Panamá. reported in this paper were found. Numbers designate sites * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] mentioned in the text. 192 Julie M. Ray et al.

Figure 2. Specimens of Amphisbaena varia found in the Republic of Panamá and included in this paper. (A) Live adult from Cerro Azul, Panamá Province (UTADC 8420). (B) Dead-on-road male from Coclé Province (UTADC 7414). This specimen had been frozen by the time picture was taken. (C) Dead-on-road male from Coclé Province (UTADC 7632). (D) Live adult from Colón Province (UTADC 7634).

(8.58°N, 80.17°W; Locality 3 in Fig. 1; Quezada, but we suspect that individuals occur throughout eastern 2006). Panamá Province in suitable habitat because the species Here we document four additional captures, including ranges south into Colombia and Ecuador (Uetz and the first records of A. varia from western Panama, w Hošek, 2014). The individual was found just off the – hich constitute the westernmost occurrence for this shoulder along a dirt road in a presumably self-made species in Central America. All distances were measured burrow under a large stump at the corner of a coffee from the Altos de Campana site using Google Maps. plantation, and near a small wooded ravine with a creek. Museum abbreviations follow Sabaj Pérez (2014), and When captured it bit repeatedly. The individual was not photographic images have been accessioned in the measured or sexed, but it has the characteristic black University of Texas at Arlington Digital Catalogue and white mottling of the species (Figs. 3A–D). (UTADC). A second live individual (digitally vouchered only; JGH found one live individual (digitally vouchered UTADC 7634; Fig. 2D) was collected by MCH on 26 only; UTADC 8420; Fig. 2A) in eastern Panama (ca. August 2010 at 0937 h in Campamento Botija, near Río 2.5 km by road NE Cerro Azul, Panamá Province; Botija, Colón Province (8.81°N, 80.58°W; elevation ca. 9.20°N, 79.40°W; elevation ca. 700 m; Locality 4 in 40 m asl; Locality 5 in Fig. 1). This location is ca. 70 km Fig. 1) on 20 December 2010 at 1230 h. This location WNW of Altos de Campana. It was collected while it is the easternmost point reported to date for Panamá, was moving in leaf litter in an open area near the river. Amphisbaena varia: new distributional records from western Panamá 193

Two specimens were found in Coclé Province. The first specimen (UTADC 7414; Fig. 2B) was found by Aurelio González in June 2008 (exact date not recorded) in the early afternoon. The dead individual was recovered from the gravel access road in the community of La Barrigón, located between Parque Nacional General de División Omar Torrijos Herrera and El Copé de La Pintada, Coclé Province (8.65°N, 80.59°W; elevation ca. 500 m; Locality 6 in Fig. 1). This is a range extension of ca. 75 km straight-line distance west of Altos de Campana. It was presumed to have died recently because it was still pliable and had not begun to decompose or been harmed by scavenging ants. It showed no signs of being hit by a vehicle or having been killed and thrown into the road. The specimen was found just down the hill from the entrance to a community vegetable and fruit farm in an area of cutover grass and was being pecked at by chickens when collected. The habitat is moderately developed and no recent disturbances suggested why the animal was aboveground and on the road. Our second specimen from Coclé Province (UTADC 7632; Fig. 2C) was a male (total length 424 mm, tail length 22 mm), collected ca. 8 km SE of El Copé de La Pintada (8.61°N, 80.57°W; Locality 7 in Fig. 1) on 17 July 2012 at ca. 0800 h by P. Santana and JMR. It has the characteristic black and white mottled coloration (Fig. 4A-F) and eight precloacal pores just anterior to the cloaca (Fig. 4C). Also presented are close up photographs of the head of this specimen (Figure 4D- F). The habitat at the site was rolling hills of grassy pastures and open scrubby woodland without signs of recent habitat disturbances (Fig. 5). The individual was presumed to be recently dead for the same reasons as the specimen described above and found on the paved two-lane road (vía El Copé) that runs north from the Pan American Highway at Río Grande/Candelaria to El Copé de La Pintada. This is a range extension of ca. 70 km from Altos de Campana. The individual was on the shoulder of the road, just barely protruding onto the pavement. Its head was slightly flattened, but otherwise showed no signs of being run over; perhaps it was struck by a car but not fully hit. The specimen showed no signs of having been killed by a human and tossed in the road. Figure 3. Pictures of a live individual of Amphisbaena varia Another specimen from Barrigón, Coclé Province, found near Cerro Azul, Panamá Province, Panama (UTADC was deposited in the Circulo Herpetologico de Panamá 8420). (A) Shown with human hands to provide a sense of (CHP 4102; identification confirmed by R. Ibáñez). It scale. (B) Lateral view of head. (C) Anterior view of head. was collected at an elevation of 450 m by D. Windsor Photographs by Kevin Enge. and C. Edwards, but little additional information is available. 194 Julie M. Ray et al.

Figure 4. Preserved specimen of Amphisbaena varia from Coclé Province, Panama (UTADC 7632). (A) Dorsal view. (B) Ventral view. (C) Ventral close-up view of the head. (D) Dorsal close-up view of the head. (E) View of the cloacal region showing pre- cloacal pores. This individual was in 70% ethanol for nearly two years after having been fixed in 10% formalin.

Amphisbaena varia is a rarely observed inhabitant of several have occurred the past eight years in La Barrigón the neotropics. Before the records we discuss here, the where the first specimen (UTADC 7414) was collected known geographic distribution of A. varia in Panamá (JMR, pers. obs.). On occasion, these landslides are was from the area of the Panamá Canal eastward into severe enough to result in significant damage (e.g., South America. To date, the senior author has observed forest loss, road closings, house destruction by flow only two individuals of this taxon, even though she has debris, and occasional human deaths). Landslides maintained nearly continuous residence and conducted usually are associated with heavy rainfall events or with regular herpetological surveys in this area since May erosion attributable to the clear-cutting of forests for 2006. Because of the secretive nature of the members of agricultural purposes, such as farming and ranching. It this genus, individuals are undoubtedly more common also has been suggested that heavy rainfall events could than the few records indicate. be a stimulus to bring fossorial animals to the surface Burrowing animals may be forced to the surface by the flooding of their tunnels (e.g., Nussbaum and during disturbances. Other species of amphisbaenians Hoogmoed, 1979). have been found at hydroelectric dam areas or during Because there had been no landslide or heavy rain soil removal for agriculture or road building (Ribeiro et events in the immediate area of any of the encounters al., 2008). Landslides, either as a result of erosion from we report here, it is unclear just what stimulus or stimuli farming or ranching or natural events, are relatively brought these specimens to the surface (although the common events in the steeper areas of Panamá, and specimen located near Cerro Azul was found in its Amphisbaena varia: new distributional records from western Panamá 195

during the day. Furthermore, the two specimens found in Coclé were dead, but the animals were still pliable and not yet decomposing, suggesting that they had not been on the road for long (based on information collected by JMR during road surveys for dead snakes), and they also may have been moving crepuscularly or diurnally. With only chance encounters, any data collected on any individuals will be useful and would add to our understanding of this curious group of reptiles.

Acknowledgements. We thank the staff at the University of Texas at Arlington for cataloging the digital voucher records, C. Bell and S. Lotzkat for providing literature, and A. González, J.A. Santana, P. Santana, and the researchers of the Tropical Amphibians in Streams Project for assistance in field and laboratory. We thank Kevin Enge for usage of his photographs. We thank Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente for collection permits SE/A-119-08 and SE/A-22-12 issued to JMR. Thanks to S. Lotzkat for a review that greatly improved this paper.

Literature Cited

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Accepted by Hinrich Kaiser