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Metlapilcoatlus mexicanus (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854)

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Higher TaxaViperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Central American Jumping Pit Viper
S: Nauyaca Saltadora 
SynonymAtropos mexicanus DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 1521
Bothriechis nummifer var. notata FISCHER 1880: 222
Bothrops mexicanus — MÜLLER 1882: 154
Bothrops nummifer mexicanus MERTENS 1952: 79
Bothrops nummifer mexicanus — PETERS & OREJAS-MIRANDA 1970: 52
Bothrops nummifera — VILLA et al. 1988
Atropoides nummifer — WERMAN 1992
Porthidium nummifer mexicanum — WELCH 1994: 101
Atropoides nummifer — CAMPBELL 1998
Atropoides mexicanus — PORRAS & SOLÓRZANO 2006
Atropoides mexicanus — GROEN 2008
Atropoides mexicanus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 85
Metlapilcoatlus mexicanus — CAMPBELL et al. 2019 
DistributionS Mexico (Chiapas), Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama

Type locality: Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.  
Reproductionovovivparous 
TypesHolotype: MNHN-RA 7612 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (2155 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentVenomous!

Synonymy partly after SMITH & TAYLOR 1945. This species was previously included in A. nummifer, so that there may be still contradictory statements about the distribution of both species.

Type species: Atropos mexicanus DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 1521 is the type species of the genus Metlapilcoatlus CAMPBELL et al. 2019. The erection of this genus became necessary as the type species of Atropoides, A. picadoi, is only distantly related to the other members, and actually paraphyletic in some studies.

Distribution: Not in Querétaro fide Tepos-Ramírez et al. (2023). 
EtymologyNamed after its alleged occurrence in Mexico, which is correct for M. nummifer, to which this species was previously assigned.

The genus name Metlapilcoatlus is derived from the náhuatl metlapil, referring to the thick mortar used with a grinding stone called metate, and coatl, meaning "serpent." Throughout much of their range, species in this genus have various names referring to this instrument. 
References
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