Bothrops ammodytoides LEYBOLD, 1873
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Bothrops ammodytoides
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| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Yararanata G: Yararanata |
| Synonym | Bothrops ammodytoides LEYBOLD 1873: 80 Rhinocerophis nasus GARMAN 1881 Bothrops patagonicus MÜLLER 1885 Bothrops burmeisteri KOSLOWSKY 1895: 369 Lachesis ammodytoides — BOULENGER 1896 Bothrops ammodytoides — AMARAL 1929 Bothrops ammodytoides — PETERS & OREJAS-MIRANDA 1970 Bothrops ammodytoides — CEI 1993 Bothrops ammodytoides — WELCH 1994: 31 Bothrops ammodytoides — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 253 Rhinocerophis ammodytoides — FENWICK et al. 2009 Bothrops ammodytoides — CARRASCO et al. 2012 Rhinocerophis ammodytoides — WALLACH et al. 2014: 648 |
| Distribution | Argentina (Tucuman to Chubut and Patagonia, Neuquén, Rio Negro, Mendoza, La Pampa, Buenos Aires, San Juan, San Luis, La Rioja, Córdoba, Catamarca). Type locality: Norte de Argentina |
| Reproduction | ovovivparous |
| Types | Holotype: MCZ R-2063, but unlocated fide MCDIARMID et al. 1999. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Rhinocerophis differs from other South American pitvipers in 27 mitochondrial characters, and in having few (1 or 2) palatine teeth (versus 3–6 teeth), which is a morphological synapomorphy (Table 4). Distribution in southern South America, combined with terrestrial habitat in open areas, grasslands, swamps, or broad-leaf and Araucaria forests, distinguishes this genus from others (see Table 4). Rhinocerophis individuals have the maxillary fang shorter than the height of the maxilla, and show black bars on the gular scales of some species (R. alternatus, R. cotiara, R. fonsecai, and R. jonathani). Rhinocerophis have fewer subcaudals (25– 55) than the other genera (31–86), and some specimens have high numbers of supralabials (7–10, also seen in Bothropoides; other South American genera have 7–8). Rhinocerophis differs from Bothrops and Bothriopsis in having the prelacunal scale separated from the second supralabial. It differs from Bothriopsis in the lack of green coloration, and in the lack of a prehensile tail. It differs from Bothrocophias in the lack of tuberculate keels on posterior dorsal scales. Almost all species differ from Bothrocophias in colour pattern: whereas Bothrocophias species have spadeshaped dorsal markings lacking spots between the spades, Rhinocerophis species have spots between the spades (R. alternatus, R. cotiara, and R. fonsecai), have trapezoidal markings with spots between them (R. itapetiningae), or have a checkered pattern (R. ammodytoides). Only R. jonathani lacks spots between spades, but it can be distinguished by the presence of black bars on the gular scales, as mentioned above. |
| Comment | Venomous! This species might be the southernmost snake species worldwide (to 47°). Type species: Rhinocerophis nasus GARMAN 1881 is the type species of the genus Rhinocerophis GARMAN 1881. Note, however, that Rhinocerophis has been synonymized with Bothrops by CARRASCO et al. 2012. |
| Etymology | Named after Greek ammodutēs = sand-dweller (Bodson 2014), from ammos = “sand”, and dutes = “burrower” or “diver”. The genus name Rhinocerophis is derived from the Latin Rhinoceros, meaning ‘nose-horn’, referring to the strongly upturned snout of R. ammodytoides, and ophis, meaning ‘snake’. Names ending in this suffix are masculine. |
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