A Revision of Snakes of the Genus Conophis (Family Colubridae, from Middle America) — John Shaqi
A Revision of Snakes of the Genus Conophis (Family Colubridae, from Middle America)Wellman, John
Science
A Revision of Snakes of the Genus Conophis (Family Colubridae, from Middle America)
Wellman, John
Conophis; Snakes -- Central America
Usually the 1st row of dorsal scales is dark brown; in some specimens
the brown on the 1st or 7th row has faded in preservative. A few
specimens have small black spots on the moderate brown background of
the 1st row; in others the 1st row is only a somewhat darker brown
than the ground-color. The 2nd row sometimes is a medium brown, and
appears to be an additional stripe.
The ventrals usually have more or less conspicuous dark spots
laterally; in some specimens there are no spots. Except for the
lateral spots (when present) the ventrals are immaculate white. The
dorsal ground-color is pale brownish-white, white or pale blue between
the 4th and 7th rows of dorsal scales and dorsally between the 7th
rows on each side. Stripes are never present on the uniformly pale
colored 8th, 9th and vertebral scale-rows.
Usually there are eight supralabials on each side; however, seven of
the 27 specimens examined have seven supralabials on each side, and
three others have seven on one side, and eight on the other. Never is
more than the lower third of the supralabials dark brown. In many
specimens little or no brown is on the supralabials. There is little
or no brown on the chin.
Variation in coloration and in number of supralabials appears to be of
no geographic significance.
Although no juveniles have been collected, I expect that juveniles
resemble adults in coloration. Probably there would be a greater
contrast between the dark stripes and the pale ground-color in
juveniles.
In life an adult from three miles northwest of Lerdo de Tejada,
Veracruz, México (UMMZ 114484), had black stripes on the 4th and 7th
rows of dorsal scales, and black spots on a brown background on the
1st row. The 2nd row had a medial, pale to medium brown auxiliary
stripe on a brownish-white background. Posterior to the nape the 3rd
row was medium brown. The area between the 4th and 7th rows and the
dorsum between the 7th row of scales on each side was a pale
brownish-white. Posterior to the place of scale-reduction the primary
stripes were displaced downward by one row to the 3rd and 6th rows and
secondary stripes originated as elongated spots on the 4th and 7th
rows. Near the tail the secondary stripes were broad and continuous.
The head was white or tannish-white with three dark brown or black
stripes.
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