By Helicops Angulatus (Squamata: Dipsadidae) with Notes on Defensive Behavior
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Herpetological Journal SHORT NOTE
Volume 28 (April 2018), 93-95 SHORT NOTE Herpetological Journal Published by the British Intersexuality in Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865 Herpetological Society (Dipsadidae: Hydropsini) Ruth A. Regnet1, Fernando M. Quintela1, Wolfgang Böhme2 & Daniel Loebmann1 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vertebrados. Av. Itália km 8, CEP: 96203-900, Vila Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 2Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum A. Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Germany Herein, we describe the first case of intersexuality in the are viviparous, and interestingly, H. angulatus exhibits Hydropsini tribe. After examination of 720 specimens both reproductive modes (Rossman, 1984; Aguiar & Di- of Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865, we discovered Bernardo, 2005; Braz et al., 2016). Helicops infrataeniatus one individual that presented feminine and masculine has a wide distribution that encompasses south- reproductive features. The specimen was 619 mm long, southeastern Brazil, southern Paraguay, North-eastern with seven follicles in secondary stage, of different shapes Argentina and Uruguay (Deiques & Cechin, 1991; Giraudo, and sizes, and a hemipenis with 13.32 and 13.57 mm in 2001; Carreira & Maneyro, 2013). At the coastal zone of length. The general shape of this organ is similar to that southernmost Brazil, H. infrataeniatus is among the most observed in males, although it is smaller and does not abundant species in many types of limnic and estuarine present conspicuous spines along its body. Deformities environments (Quintela & Loebmann, 2009; Regnet found in feminine and masculine structures suggest that et al., 2017). In October 2015 at the Laranjal beach, this specimen might not be reproductively functional. municipality of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (31°46’S, 52°13’W), a remarkable aggregation of reptiles Key words: Follicles, hemipenis, hermaphroditism, water and caecilians occurred after a flood event associated to snake. -
Ecological Functions of Neotropical Amphibians and Reptiles: a Review
Univ. Sci. 2015, Vol. 20 (2): 229-245 doi: 10.11144/Javeriana.SC20-2.efna Freely available on line REVIEW ARTICLE Ecological functions of neotropical amphibians and reptiles: a review Cortés-Gomez AM1, Ruiz-Agudelo CA2 , Valencia-Aguilar A3, Ladle RJ4 Abstract Amphibians and reptiles (herps) are the most abundant and diverse vertebrate taxa in tropical ecosystems. Nevertheless, little is known about their role in maintaining and regulating ecosystem functions and, by extension, their potential value for supporting ecosystem services. Here, we review research on the ecological functions of Neotropical herps, in different sources (the bibliographic databases, book chapters, etc.). A total of 167 Neotropical herpetology studies published over the last four decades (1970 to 2014) were reviewed, providing information on more than 100 species that contribute to at least five categories of ecological functions: i) nutrient cycling; ii) bioturbation; iii) pollination; iv) seed dispersal, and; v) energy flow through ecosystems. We emphasize the need to expand the knowledge about ecological functions in Neotropical ecosystems and the mechanisms behind these, through the study of functional traits and analysis of ecological processes. Many of these functions provide key ecosystem services, such as biological pest control, seed dispersal and water quality. By knowing and understanding the functions that perform the herps in ecosystems, management plans for cultural landscapes, restoration or recovery projects of landscapes that involve aquatic and terrestrial systems, development of comprehensive plans and detailed conservation of species and ecosystems may be structured in a more appropriate way. Besides information gaps identified in this review, this contribution explores these issues in terms of better understanding of key questions in the study of ecosystem services and biodiversity and, also, of how these services are generated. -
Short Communication Non-Venomous Snakebites in the Western Brazilian
Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Journal of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine Vol.:52:e20190120: 2019 doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0120-2019 Short Communication Non-venomous snakebites in the Western Brazilian Amazon Ageane Mota da Silva[1],[2], Viviane Kici da Graça Mendes[3],[4], Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro[3],[4] and Paulo Sérgio Bernarde[5] [1]. Instituto Federal do Acre, Campus de Cruzeiro do Sul, Cruzeiro do Sul, AC, Brasil. [2]. Programa de Pós-Graduação Bionorte, Campus Universitário BR 364, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brasil. [3]. Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brasil. [4]. Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brasil. [5]. Laboratório de Herpetologia, Centro Multidisciplinar, Campus Floresta, Universidade Federal do Acre, Cruzeiro do Sul, AC, Brasil. Abstract Introduction: In this study, we examined the clinical manifestations, laboratory evidence, and the circumstances of snakebites caused by non-venomous snakes, which were treated at the Regional Hospital of Juruá in Cruzeiro do Sul. Methods: Data were collected through patient interviews, identification of the species that were taken to the hospital, and the clinical manifestations. Results: Eight confirmed and four probable cases of non-venomous snakebites were recorded. Conclusions: The symptoms produced by the snakes Helicops angulatus and Philodryas viridissima, combined with their coloration can be confused with venomous snakes (Bothrops atrox and Bothrops bilineatus), thus resulting in incorrect bothropic snakebite diagnosis. Keywords: Serpentes. Dipsadidae. Snakes. Ophidism. Envenomation. Snakes from the families Colubridae and Dipsadidae incidence of cases is recorded (56.1 per 100,000 inhabitants)2. Of are traditionally classified as non-poisonous, despite having these, bites by non-venomous snakes are also computed (Boidae, the Duvernoy's gland and the capacity for producing toxic Colubridae, and Dipsadidae) which, depending on the region, secretions, which eventually cause envenomations1. -
(Wiegmann, 1835) (Reptilia, Squamata, Dipsadidae) from Chile
Herpetozoa 32: 203–209 (2019) DOI 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e36705 Observations on reproduction in captivity of the endemic long-tailed snake Philodryas chamissonis (Wiegmann, 1835) (Reptilia, Squamata, Dipsadidae) from Chile Osvaldo Cabeza1, Eugenio Vargas1, Carolina Ibarra1, Félix A. Urra2,3 1 Zoológico Nacional, Pio Nono 450, Recoleta, Santiago, Chile 2 Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile 3 Network for Snake Venom Research and Drug Discovery, Santiago, Chile http://zoobank.org/8167B841-8349-41A1-A5F0-D25D1350D461 Corresponding author: Osvaldo Cabeza ([email protected]); Félix A. Urra ([email protected]) Academic editor: Silke Schweiger ♦ Received 2 June 2019 ♦ Accepted 29 August 2019 ♦ Published 10 September 2019 Abstract The long-tailed snake Philodryas chamissonis is an oviparous rear-fanged species endemic to Chile, whose reproductive biology is currently based on anecdotic reports. The characteristics of the eggs, incubation time, and hatching are still unknown. This work describes for the first time the oviposition of 16 eggs by a female in captivity at Zoológico Nacional in Chile. After an incubation period of 59 days, seven neonates were born. We recorded data of biometry and ecdysis of these neonates for 9 months. In addition, a review about parameters of egg incubation and hatching for Philodryas species is provided. Key Words Chile, colubrids, eggs, hatching, oviposition, rear-fanged snake, reproduction Introduction Philodryas is a genus composed of twenty-three ovipa- especially P. aestiva (Fowler and Salomão 1995; Fowl- rous species widely distributed in South America (Grazzi- er et al. 1998), P. nattereri (Fowler and Salomão 1995; otinet al. -
Zootaxa 2173
Zootaxa 2173: 66–68 (2009) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Correspondence ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2009 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) On the status of the snake genera Erythrolamprus Boie, Liophis Wagler and Lygophis Fitzinger (Serpentes, Xenodontinae) FELIPE F. CURCIO1,2, VÍTOR DE Q. PIACENTINI1 & DANIEL S. FERNANDES3 1Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 11.461, CEP 05422-970, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. 2E-mail: [email protected] 3Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941–590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] The genus Erythrolamprus Boie (1826) comprises six species of Central and South American false coral snakes (Peters & Orejas-Miranda 1970; Zaher 1999; Curcio et al. 2009). It is traditionally allocated in the tribe Xenodontini (subfamily Xenodontinae), along with the genera Liophis, Lystrophis, Umbrivaga, Waglerophis and Xenodon (sensu Dixon 1980; Cadle 1984; Myers 1986; Ferrarezzi 1994; Zaher 1999). Although Xenodontini is supported by morphological and molecular evidence, phylogenetic relationships and classification within the tribe have been the subject of recent debate. Molecular phylogenetic studies have recovered clades with Erythrolamprus nested within some representatives of the genus Liophis (Vidal et al. 2000; Zaher et al. 2009), partly corroborating previous hypotheses based on morphology (e.g. Dixon 1980). Vidal et al.’s (2000) and Zaher et al.’s (2009) sampling of taxa of Erythrolamprus and Liophis is far from comprehensive, each including five species of traditional Liophis (only one of which is common to the two studies) and one species of Erythrolamprus. -
0314 Farancia Abacura.Pdf
314.1 REPTILIA: SQUAMATA: SERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE F ARANCIA ABACURA Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. • FOSSILRECORD. In part, because of osteological similari• ties and past and present sympatry between F. abacura and the V. RICKMcDANIELand JOHNP. KARGES. 1983. Faranciaaba• congeneric F. erytrogramma, fossil specimens are difficult to as• cura. sign to species. Pleistocene and/or Recent materials from archaic deposits in Florida are reported in Gilmore (1938), Brattstrom Faranda abacura (Holbrook) (1953), Holman (1959), and Auffenberg (1963). Mud snake • PERTINENTLITERATURE. Recent taxonomic reviews are provided by Smith (1938) and Karges and McDaniel (1982). Neill (1964) discussed evolution and subspeciation. Comprehensive Coluber abacurus Holbrook, 1836:119. Type-locality "South Car• natural history information is found in Wright and Wright (1957) olina," restricted to Charleston, South Carolina by Schmidt and Tinkle (1959). Reproductive information is summarized in (1953). Holotype, Acad. Natur. Sci. Philadelphia 5146, fe• Fitch (1970), and Riemer (1957) described natural nests. Neill male, collected in South Carolina, collector and date unknown (1951), Mount (1975), and Martof et al. (1980) described habitat (not examined by authors). preferences. Other important references include: food (Dabney, Homalopsis Reinwardtii Schlegel, 1837:173, 357-358. Type-lo• 1919; Buck, 1946; Tschambers, 1948; Sisk, 1963; Mount, 1975), cality restricted to the range of Farancia abacura reinwardti predators (Auffenberg, 1948; Rossman, 1959), aberrant individ• by Karges and McDaniel (1982). Lectotype, Museum Nation• uals (Heiser, 1931; Etheridge, 1950; Hellman and Telford, 1956; al D'Historie Naturelle, Paris 3399, adult female donated by Hensley, 1959; Neill, 1964), habits (Meade, 1935; Schmidt and Teinturier before 1837, collector, date and exact locality Davis, 1941; Davis, 1948; Smith, 1961; Anderson, 1965; Mount, unknown (not examined by authors). -
(Leptophis Ahaetulla Marginatus): Characterization of Its Venom and Venom-Delivery System
(This is a sample cover image for this issue. The actual cover is not yet available at this time.) This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the author's institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/authorsrights Author's Personal Copy Toxicon 148 (2018) 202e212 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Toxicon journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/toxicon Assessment of the potential toxicological hazard of the Green Parrot Snake (Leptophis ahaetulla marginatus): Characterization of its venom and venom-delivery system Matías N. Sanchez a, b, Gladys P. Teibler c, Carlos A. Lopez b, Stephen P. Mackessy d, * María E. Peichoto a, b, a Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Ministerio de Ciencia Tecnología e Innovacion Productiva, Argentina b Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT), Ministerio de Salud de la Nacion, Neuquen y Jujuy s/n, 3370, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina c Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV), -
Geographic Variation in the Bahamian Brown Racer, Alsophis Vudii A
Geographic Variation in the Bahamian Brown Racer, Alsophis Vudii A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science Christina Wieg June 2009 © June 2009 Christina Wieg. All Rights Reserved. This thesis entitled Geographic Variation in the Bahamian Brown Racer, Alsophis Vudii by CHRISTINA WIEG has been approved for the Program of Environmental Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences by Matthew W. White Associate Professor of Biological Science Benjamin M. Ogles Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Abstract WIEG, CHRISTINA, M.S., June 2009, Environmental Studies GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN THE BAHAMIAN BROWN RACER, ALSOPHIS VUDII (48 pp.) Director of Thesis: Matthew M. White Nine meristic and fourteen morphometric characters were examined to determine geographic variation in the five subspecies of the insular snake species, Alsophis vudii. In addition, museum specimens from the closely derived species Alsophis cantherigerus were examined. Canonical discriminate analysis determined that, based on the morphological data, significant differences were observed among subspecies. However, significant differences were also observed between island populations. My results suggest that the current subspecies designations oversimplify the variation within the species and are not an adequate reflection of variation present among the island populations. Additional research is required in order to determine the causes of the observed variation within the species. Possible explanations for observed variation may include multiple colonization events or environmental variation among islands. Approved: Matthew M. White Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Dedication I dedicate this work to my husband, Rick Perkins. -
PDF Files Before Requesting Examination of Original Lication (Table 2)
often be ingested at night. A subsequent study on the acceptance of dead prey by snakes was undertaken by curator Edward George Boulenger in 1915 (Proc. Zool. POINTS OF VIEW Soc. London 1915:583–587). The situation at the London Zoo becomes clear when one refers to a quote by Mitchell in 1929: “My rule about no living prey being given except with special and direct authority is faithfully kept, and permission has to be given in only the rarest cases, these generally of very delicate or new- Herpetological Review, 2007, 38(3), 273–278. born snakes which are given new-born mice, creatures still blind and entirely un- © 2007 by Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles conscious of their surroundings.” The Destabilization of North American Colubroid 7 Edward Horatio Girling, head keeper of the snake room in 1852 at the London Zoo, may have been the first zoo snakebite victim. After consuming alcohol in Snake Taxonomy prodigious quantities in the early morning with fellow workers at the Albert Public House on 29 October, he staggered back to the Zoo and announced that he was inspired to grab an Indian cobra a foot behind its head. It bit him on the nose. FRANK T. BURBRINK* Girling was taken to a nearby hospital where current remedies available at the time Biology Department, 2800 Victory Boulevard were tried: artificial respiration and galvanism; he died an hour later. Many re- College of Staten Island/City University of New York spondents to The Times newspaper articles suggested liberal quantities of gin and Staten Island, New York 10314, USA rum for treatment of snakebite but this had already been accomplished in Girling’s *Author for correspondence; e-mail: [email protected] case. -
A New Species of Forest Snake of the Genus Rhadinaea from Tropical Montane Rainforest in the Sierra Madre Del Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico (Squamata, Dipsadidae)
A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeys A813: new 55–65 species (2019) of forest snake of the genus Rhadinaea from Tropical Montane Rainforest... 55 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.813.29617 RESEARCH ARTICLE http://zookeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research A new species of forest snake of the genus Rhadinaea from Tropical Montane Rainforest in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico (Squamata, Dipsadidae) Vicente Mata-Silva1, Arturo Rocha2, Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista3, Christian Berriozabal-Islas3, Larry David Wilson4 1 Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, Texas 79968-0500, USA2 Department of Biological Sciences, El Paso Community College, Texas 79968-0500, USA 3 Centro de Investigaciones Biológi- cas, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca- Tulancingo Km 4.5, Colonia Carboneras, C. P. 42184, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico 4 Centro Zamorano de Biodiversidad, Escuela Agrícola Panamericana Zamorano, Departamento de Francisco Morazán, Honduras; 16010 SW 207th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33187-1056, USA Corresponding author: Vicente Mata-Silva ([email protected]) Academic editor: R. Jadin | Received 9 September 2018 | Accepted 10 December 2018 | Published 7 January 2019 http://zoobank.org/418B781C-1AEE-45CC-ADF0-7B1778FE2179 Citation: Mata-Silva V, Rocha A, Ramírez-Bautista A, Berriozabal-Islas C, Wilson LD (2019) A new species of forest snake of the genus Rhadinaea from Tropical Montane Rainforest in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico (Squamata, Dipsadidae). ZooKeys 813: 55–65. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.813.29617 Abstract Content of the dipsadid genus Rhadinaea has changed considerably since Myers’ 1974 revision. -
Reproduction and Feeding of the Colubrid Snake Tomodon Dorsatus from South-Eastern Brazil
Amphibia-Reptilia 26 (2005): 33-38 Reproduction and feeding of the colubrid snake Tomodon dorsatus from south-eastern Brazil Alessandra Bizerra1,2, Otavio A.V. Marques2,4, Ivan Sazima3 Abstract. Body size, sexual dimorphism, reproductive cycles, fecundity, diet and feeding behaviour of the colubrid snake Tomodon dorsatus from south-eastern Brazil were studied. Females of this viviparous species attained larger body sizes than males, the latter maturing with smaller body size than the former. Vitellogenesis occurred at the onset of rainy season, ovulation by mid rainy season, and parturition from late dry to early rainy season. Reproductive cycle was extended, maybe as a consequence of the low metabolism and food intake. Litter size ranged 4-26 offspring and was correlated with maternal body size. Relative clutch mass ranged 0.48-0.82, and neonates ranged 12-17 cm in snout-vent length. Tomodon dorsatus was shown to feed exclusively on veronicellid slugs quickly swallowed by long excursions of the specialized upper jaw units. Introduction Brazil, from São Paulo (23◦20S) south to Santa Catarina (27◦20S). This area lies within the Atlantic forest domain, The colubrid snake Tomodon dorsatus occurs and has a homogeneous climate characterized by high rain- along the Atlantic forest and surrounding ar- fall levels throughout the year (Nimer, 1989). Nonetheless, eas in south-eastern and southern Brazil (Biz- two “seasons” may be perceived: a rainy one (October-May) with higher rains incidence and temperature, and a dry one erra, 1998). This species belongs to the mono- (June-September) with less rainfall and lower temperatures phyletic Tachymenini, which includes seven (see Marques et al., 2001b). -
Reproductive Ecology and Diet of the Fossorial Snake <I>Phalotris Lativittatus</I> in the Brazilian Cerrado
Volume 24 (January 2014), 49–57 FULL PAPER Herpetological Journal Published by the British Reproductive ecology and diet of the fossorial snake Herpetological Society Phalotris lativittatus in the Brazilian Cerrado Henrique B. Braz, Karina N. Kasperoviczus & Selma Maria Almeida-Santos Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, Brazil Fossorial snakes have attracted little scientific attention in studies of natural history, despite their relevance to capture the range of evolutionary-ecological strategies of snakes. In this study, we examined 62 preserved specimens of Phalotris lativittatus (a member of the fossorial and poorly studied Elapomorphini tribe) to obtain information about sexual dimorphism, reproduction, seasonal activity and diet. Males were smaller than females but had longer tails, larger heads and were more heavy-bodied. Females attained sexual maturity at larger body sizes than males. Reproduction is seasonal in both sexes. Vitellogenesis started in mid-autumn, and peaked from late spring to summer. Oviductal eggs and oviposition were recorded from late spring to early summer, while hatchings occurred from late summer to autumn. Clutch size was low, a recurrent trait in fossorial snakes. Spermatogenesis began in autumn, peaked during spring and testicular quiescence occurred in summer. The ductus deferens contained sperm only in spring, when the sexual segment of the kidneys showed dense secretory granules and males were more active. Thus, we suggest that mating is likely to occur in spring. Diet is specialised in amphisbaenids, and no evidence of ontogenetic shift was detected. This is the first quantitative study on the ecology of an Elapomorphini species. Key words: activity patterns, body sizes, Elapomorphini, food habits, reproductive cycles, sexual dimorphism INTRODUCTION al., 2009).