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| Tantilla lydia Antúnez-Fonseca, Castro, España, Townsend & Wilson, 2020 |
Abstract
A new species of Tantilla is described from the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Barras de Cuero y Salado (RVSBCS), on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. Assigned to the Tantilla taeniata group, this species differs from others in this group in color pattern, numbers of scales, measurements, and habitat. An incomplete pale nuchal collar and a pale mediodorsal stripe extending to the proximal edge of the paravertebral rows on the anterior third of the body are present. The lateral extension of the head cap does not completely separate the postocular pale spot from the pale nuchal collar. A pale lateral stripe is present on the adjacent halves of dorsal scale rows 3 and 4. The ventrolateral ground color is much darker than that of the dorsolateral ground color. The ventral + subcaudal number of 244 is the highest figure for the males of species in the group. The RVSBCS is an important coastal protected area in Mesoamerica, due to its signifcant coastal diversity, including iconic species, in addition to harboring this centipede snake.
Keywords. Centipede snake, Departamento de Atlántida, protected area, Reptilia, Río Salado, taxonomy
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| Fig. 1. Dorsolateral view of the holotype of Tantilla lydia sp. nov. (UVS-V 1189) in life. Photo by Cristopher Antúnez-Fonseca. |
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| Fig. 2. Dorsal (A), lateral (B), and ventral (C) views of the head and nape of the holotype of Tantilla lydia sp. nov. (UVS-V 1189). Photos by Cristopher Antúnez-Fonseca. |
Tantilla lydia sp. nov.
Suggested common name. Lydia’s Little Snake.
Diagnosis. Tantilla lydia sp. nov. is a member of the
Tantilla taeniata species group, but distinguished
from all other congeners by possessing the following
combination of characteristics: (1) pale middorsal
stripe dark-edged, occupying middorsal scale row and
adjacent third of paravertebral rows on anterior third
of body, reducing to median half of vertebral row on
remainder of body, beginning approximately on tenth
middorsal scale past parietals, posterior to more or
less circular pale spot just posterior to dark nape band
located behind pale nuchal collar; (2) pale nuchal
collar incomplete dorsally, divided by dark coloration
on vertebral scales and connecting to dark posterior
border of dark head cap and dark nape band; (3) lateral
extension of dark head cap incomplete, not completely
separating postocular pale spot from pale nuchal band;
(4) subocular dark spot present, not extending to lip;
(5) ventrolateral region of body a much darker shade
of brown than dorsolateral region; (6) pale lateral stripe
well defned, dark edged, located on adjacent halves of
dorsal scales 3 and 4; (7) paraventral scale completely
pale on anterior portion, gradually darkening dorsally,
until becoming completely dark at the beginning of tail;
(8) postnasal and preocular narrowly separated; (9) 169
ventrals, 75 subcaudals, and 244 ventrals + subcaudals
in the single male holotype.
...
Etymology. We are privileged to name this new species
of snake in honor of Dr. Lydia Allison Fucsko who
resides in Melbourne, Australia, and is an amphibian
conservationist and environmental activist. As an
internationally published photographer, she has taken
countless pictures of amphibians, including photo
galleries of mostly southeastern Australian frogs. Dr.
Fucsko has a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from
La Trobe University (Bundoora, Victoria, Australia),
and a Diploma in Education from The University
of Melbourne (Parkville, Victoria, Australia). She has
postgraduate diplomas in computer education and in
vocational education and training from The University
of Melbourne (Parkville). Additionally, Dr. Fucsko
holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Monash
University (Clayton, Victoria, Australia). She received
her Ph.D. on environmental education, which promoted
habitat conservation, species perpetuation, and global
sustainable management, from Swinburne University
of Technology (Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia),
while being mentored by the late world-renowned
Australian herpetologist and academic Dr. Michael
James Tyler (Order of Australia recipient). Dr. Fucsko,
an educational consultant, was responsible for major
enhancements in the quality of the images provided
herein and is also a research collaborator with the fifth
author (LDW). Dr. Fucsko’s academic interests include:
clinical psychology, focusing on psychopathology;
neuroscience and empathy; environmental education for
sustainable development; sentient ecology; academic
writing; and creative writing, including poetry and
creative nonfiction books for children and young
adults. We use Dr. Fucsko’s given name as a noun in
apposition, with the spelling of the Latin transliteration
from the Ancient Greek Λυδία (Ludia), meaning
“beauty, beautiful, noble one.” Thus, the snake named
here as Tantilla lydia sp. nov. can be envisioned as the
“beautiful one.”
Cristopher A. Antúnez-Fonseca, Jocelyn A. Castro, Farlem G. España, Josiah H. Townsend and Larry D. Wilson. 2020. A New Species of Tantilla of the taeniata group (Squamata: Colubridae) from Refugio de Vida Silvestre Barras de Cuero y Salado in Caribbean coastal Honduras. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. 14(3) [Taxonomy Section]: 86–102 (e258).
Resumen.—Describimos una nueva especie de Tantilla del Refugio de Vida Silvestre Barras de Cuero y Salado (RVSBCS), en la costa caribeña de Honduras. Asignada al grupo Tantilla taeniata, esta especie difere de otras en este grupo en cuanto a patrón de color, número de escamas, medidas y hábitat. Están presentes un collar nucal pálido incompleto y una franja mediodorsal pálida que se extiende hasta el borde proximal de las flas paravertebrales en el tercio anterior del cuerpo. La extensión lateral de la tapa de la cabeza no separa completamente la mancha pálida postocular del collar nucal pálido. Una franja lateral pálida está presente en las mitades adyacentes de las flas de escamas dorsales 3 y 4. El color de fondo ventrolateral es mucho más oscuro que el color de fondo dorsolateral. El número ventral + subcaudal de 244 es la cifra más alta para los machos de las especies del grupo. El RVSBCS es una importante área costera protegida en Mesoamérica, ya que tiene una importante diversidad costera, incluidas especies icónicas, además de albergar a esta serpiente tragaciempiés.
Palabras Claves. Área protegida, Departamento de Atlántida, Reptilia, Río Salado, serpiente ciempiés, taxonomía
