Dipsas vagus (JAN, 1863)
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Dipsas vagus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Jan's Tree Snake |
| Synonym | Leptognathus vagus JAN 1863: 100 Leptognathus vaga — COPE 1868: 136 Pareas vagus — BOETTGER 1888: 145. Pseudopareas vagus — BOULENGER 1896: 462 Pseudopareas vagus — WERNER 1922: 200 Pseudopareas vagus — DUNN 1923: 187 Pseudopareas vagus vagus — AMARAL ‘‘1929’’a [1930]: 33 Pseudopareas vagus vagus — AMARAL ‘‘1929’’b [1930]: 201 Pseudopareas vagus vagus — AMARAL ‘‘1929’’c [1930]: 75 Sibynomorphus vagus — PETERS 1960: 164 Sibynomorphus vagus — LEHR et al. 2002 Sibynomorphus vagus — CADLE 2007: 242 Sibynomorphus vagus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 671 Dipsas vagus — ARTEAGA et al. 2018 |
| Distribution | Peru (Piura: Huancabamba), elevation 1,810 to 1,920 m. Type locality: Hong Kong (in error, designated as South America by Dunn 1923: 187) |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: MSNM (Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Milan) (probably destroyed during the bombing of 1943). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Sibynomorphus vagus is characterized by a relatively low number of ventrals (144–152 in males, 151–158 in females) and subcaudals (60–65 in males, 56–60 in females), a dorsal pattern lacking well-defined crossbands or with narrow irregular crossbands (much narrower than interspaces anteriorly), and a venter heavily marked with large squarish spots, often concentrated laterally on the ventral plates (Figs. 34, 35). The top of the head is relatively unmarked or has an obscure pattern. Dorsal crossbands, when present, are usually not well defined, are often present only anteriorly, and usually have irregular borders. Sibynomorphus vagus differs from other species of the genus in northern South America except S. vagrans and S. oligozonatus in having a low number of ventral scales. Sibynomorphus vagrans is similar to S. vagus in ventral counts (Table 1) but has bold, well-defined anterior crossbands that are much broader than the interspaces (Figs. 28, 29), has more subcaudals (80– 87 in males, 72–79 in females), and has a longer tail than S. vagus (Table 1). Sibynomorphus oligozonatus differs from S. vagus in having well-defined bold anterior crossbands that are much broader than the interspaces (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5) and a relatively unpatterned venter (heavily marked in S. vagus), and in lacking a preocular scale (present in S. vagus). Sibynomorphus petersi and S. williamsi have 160 and 170 ventrals, respectively (sexes combined), and different color patterns. Male and female S. oneilli have 152–168 and 163–173 ventrals, respectively. (Cadle 2007). Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 1835 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Synonymy that of PETERS & OREJAS-MIRANDA 1970 Diet: primarily molluscs (T. de Lema, pers. comm., 16 Oct 2015). Distribution: See map in Cadle 2007: 229 (Fig. 25) Habitat: fully arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018). |
| Etymology | Named after Latin “vagus” = wandering or roaming. However, the word can also mean diffuse or indefinite (as in vague). Cadle (2007) suspects that this is a reference to the diffuse dorsal pattern of Sibynomorphus vagus compared with other species of Leptognathus known at the time of its description—as seen especially by comparing the illustration of S. vagus with the other species illustrated on the same plate by Jan and Sordelli (1860–1881): Dipsas incerta, S. mikanii, and the Asian colubrid Pareas laevis (all in the genus Leptognathus at the time); these are much more boldly marked than S. vagus. |
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