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| Dipsas aparatiritos Ray, Sánchez-Martínez, Batista, Mulcahy, Sheehy, Smith, Pyron & Arteaga, 2023 |
Abstract
A new species of Dipsas Laurenti, 1768, from Central Panama is described based on molecular analyses, hemipenial morphology, and external characters. This is the sixth species of Dipsas to be described for the country; the snake has been suspected to exist since 1977 and has not been thoroughly studied until now. Additionally, morphological comparations including scale counts are done with other species within the genus, and the current geographic distribution of Dipsas temporalis (Werner, 1909), the sister species, is updated. Finally, a key to the species of Dipsas currently known from Middle America is presented.
Keywords: Dipsadini, Dipsas temporalis, new species, phylogeny, snail-eating snake, systematics
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| Live individual of Dipsas aparatiritos sp. nov. in Parque Nacional General de División Omar Torrijos Herrera photographed in the wild and not collected. Photography by Kevin Enge. |
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| Photographs of species of Dipsas previously subsumed under D. temporalis a Dipsas aparatiritos sp. nov. from Cerro Gaital, Antón, Coclé province, Panama b D. temporalis ZSFQ 5063 & c D. temporalis ZSFQ 5062 from Durango, Esmeraldas province, Ecuador. |
Dipsas aparatiritos sp. nov.
Proposed standard English name: Hidden Snail-eating Snake
Proposed standard Spanish name: Caracolera Escondida
Diagnosis: Dipsas aparatiritos sp. nov. is placed in the genus Dipsas based on phylogenetic evidence (Fig. 1) and the absence of a labial that is noticeably higher than other labials. The species is diagnosed based on the following combination of characters: (1) 15/15/15 smooth dorsals with enlarged vertebral row (1.5–2.4× as wide as adjacent rows); (2) loreal and a preocular in contact with orbit; (3) 7 supralabials with 4th and 5th contacting orbit, 1st supralabial fused with nasal scale; (4) 8–9 infralabials with 3rd to 6th in contact with chin shields, first pair of infralabials not in contact behind symphysial due to presence of two postmentals; (5) 191–196 ventrals in males, 177–197 in females; (6) 122–136 divided subcaudals in males, 111–126 in females; (7) dorsal and ventral color consisting of 17–20 dark brown to black white-bordered body bands (10–12 dorsal scales long anteriorly to 3–5 dorsal scales long posteriorly) separated from each other by white to pale yellow (anteriorly) to pale brown (posteriorly) interspaces measuring 2–6 dorsal scales long, ventral surfaces white with encroachment from the dorsal dark blotches and with smaller blackish marks in-between the blotches, dorsal aspect of head dark reddish brown with small blotches on the labial and temporal scales as well as a pale nuchal collar, throat white with small dark brown to blackish markings, iris pale brown with minute black speckles; (8) 310–465 mm SVL in males, 169–424 mm females; (9) 122–260 mm TL in males, 65–247 mm in females.
Etymology: The species name is an adjective formed from the Greek word aparatíritos (απαρατήρητος), which means unnoticed. The snake has hidden in plain sight for more than forty years at a very well-studied field site for herpetological research. We suggest the common name “Hidden Snail-eater” (“Caracolera Escondida” in Spanish).
Julie M. Ray, Paola Sánchez-Martínez, Abel Batista, Daniel G. Mulcahy, Coleman M. Sheehy III, Eric N. Smith, R. Alexander Pyron and Alejandro Arteaga. 2023. A New Species of Dipsas (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) from central Panama. ZooKeys. 1145: 131-167. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1145.96616
Resumen: Describimos una nueva especies de Dipsas Laurenti, 1768 de la región central de Panamá en base a análisis moleculares, morfología hemipenial y caracteres de morfología externa. Esta es la sexta especie del género Dipsas descrita para el país. Se sospechaba su existencia desde 1977 pero no había sido estudiada exhaustivamente hasta ahora. Adicionalmente, presentamos comparaciones morfológicas (incluyendo lepidosis) con otras especies del género y actualizamos la distribución geográfica de su especie hermana Dipsas temporalis (Werner, 1909). Finalmente, presentamos una clave para las especies de Dipsas distribuidas en Centroamérica.
