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| Geophis lorancai
Canseco-Márquez, Pavón-Vázquez, Lòpez-Luna & Nieto-Montes de Oca, 2016
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Abstract
A new species of the Geophis dubius group is described from the mountains of the Sierra Zongolica in west-central Veracruz and the Sierra de Quimixtlán in central-east Puebla. The new species is most similar to G. duellmani and G. turbidus, which are endemic to the mountains of northern Oaxaca and the Sierra Madre Oriental of Puebla and Hidalgo, respectively. However, the new species differs from G. duellmani by the presence of postocular and supraocular scales and from G. turbidus by having a bicolor dorsum. With the description of the new species, the species number in the genus increases to 50 and to 12 in the G. dubius group. Additionally, a key to the species of the G. dubius group is provided.
Keywords: Dipsadidae, Geophis dubius group, Geophis duellmani, Geophis turbidus, Mexico, New species, Puebla, Veracruz
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| Figure 3. Coloration in Geophis lorancai: A adult male paratype (MZFC 28402), photo by Miguel Ángel de la Torre Loranca; and B type series. |
Geophis lorancai sp. n.
Diagnosis: A member of the Geophis dubius group characterized by the following combination of traits: eye relatively small (see below); single supraocular and postocular present on each side; fifth supralabial and parietal in contact; mental scale and anterior chinshields in contact; smooth dorsal scales throughout the body arranged in 17 rows; ventrals 130, n = 1, in females, and 125–130, n = 7, in males; subcaudals in males 33–35, n = 5; dorsal body and tail pattern consisting of dark crossbands on a paler, red-orange background; reddish orange venter; maxillary teeth 7.
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Etymology: The specific name is treated as a noun in the genitive case and honors Biologist Miguel Ángel de la Torre Loranca, who obtained most of the specimens of the new species from the Sierra de Zongolica.
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| Figure 1. Distribution of the species of the Geophis dubius group. Bold lines represent country limits and narrow lines limits of Mexican states. |
Luis Canseco-Márquez, Carlos J. Pavón-Vázquez, Marco Antonio Lòpez-Luna and Adrian Nieto-Montes de Oca. 2016. A New Species of Earth Snake (Dipsadidae, Geophis) from Mexico. ZooKeys. 610: 131-145. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.610.8605
