Sunday, July 9, 2017

Mapapie Balsain, Bothrops atrox (Family Viperidae)

Trigollocephalus asper var, n. C. lallceolati Garman. Type locality: Opispo, Isthmus of Darien, Panama.
Trigonocephlus jacaraca: Court, 1858:441.
Bothrops lallceolatus: Cope, 1879:276.
Lachesis lallceolara: Boettger, 1898:137.
Bothrops atrox: Mole and Urich, 1894a:87.
Lachesis atrox: Mole, 1924:271.
Bothrops atrox atrox: Beebe, 1952: 175.
Bothrops asper: Campbell and Lamar, 1989:250.

The Trinidad population of Bothrops cf. atrox is in need of systematic reassessment. It is a member of a widespread and trans-Andean species complex. It ranges from Yucatan southward through Middle America to the Pacific versant of Colombia and Ecuador and across northern Venezuela to the Orinoco River and occurs on Trinidad. This snake is a serious threat to human health should they be bitten.

Size. 2.5 m TL; females larger than males; 140 mm at birth. Identification. Rostral quadrangular and barely visible from above; nasals lateral, divided; nostrils open posterior lateral; nasals separated by two internasals which overlap from the dorsal to lateral face. Scales on crown small, overlapping and keeled. Supraoculars with an outer lateral ridge, separated by 7–9 small scales; 2–3 preoculars, 1–3 suboculars, 2–4 postoculars; labial pit surrounded by three or four scales, upper labials 6–8, 4–5 largest, 3–4. or just the third under orbit but separated by the suboculars and other rows of small scales; lower labials 8–11, first three contacts first pair of chin shields; the first pair of chin shields largest; the second pair are separated by small scales; dorsal scales at mid-body heavily keeled in 27 rows, and reduced to 19 rows near the vent. Ventrals number 199–212; cloacal plate is single; 57–68 paired subcaudals. A dark postocular streak present with some individuals having a light margin above the dark streak. Dorsum with 19–23 dark rhomboidal or triangular blotches outlined in white or yellow; venter mottled with yellow and black-brown pigment. Venter of tail similar to belly; distal portion mostly yellow. Juvenile tail tip yellow above.

Bothrops cf atrox. JCM

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