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Issue: Vol. 24 No. 1: 8 November 2021
Type: Correspondence
Published: 2021-11-08
DOI: 10.11646/bionomina.24.1.5
Page range: 51–53
Abstract views: 413
PDF downloaded: 1

Damsel in distress: is the nomenclature of Lachesis melanocephala Solórzano & Cerdas, 1986 (Serpentes, Viperidae) in need of rescue?

Universidade 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
MICP Instituto ‘Clodomiro Picado’ Costa Rica MZUCR Museum of Zoology University of Costa Rica

Abstract

The neotropical viperid snake genus Lachesis Daudin, 1803 accomodates four venomous species that occur in forested areas from Central America, in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, to most of South America, southwards into southeastern Brazil and Bolivia (Campbell & Lamar 2004). This genus is unique among neotropical crotalines in having a high number of ventrals, dorsal, and cephalic scales, while also being oviparous (Campbell & Lamar 2004). Lachesis melanocephala Solórzano & Cerdas, 1986 is a large-sized viper, distributed from the Pacific coast of southwestern Costa Rica to northwestern Panama (Campbell & Lamar 2004). This species reaches up to 2.4 meters of total length, and can be diagnosed based on its uniformly black dorsal head pattern and inconspicuous postocular black stripe (Fig. 1; Campbell & Lamar 2004).

References

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