Sibon lamari SOLORZANO, 2001
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Sibon lamari
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Sibon lamari SOLORZANO 2001 Sibon sp. — SAVAGE 2002: plate 395 Sibon lamari — MCCRANIE 2006 Sibon lamari — WALLACH et al. 2014: 667 |
| Distribution | Costa Rica, Panama Type locality: “Guayacán de Siquirres, al noreste de la provincia de Limón (83° 32’ 30’’ N y 10° 02’ 10’’NE)” |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: UCR 13983, macho adulto, Museo de Zoología, Universidad de Costa Rica |
| Diagnosis | Description: Scutellation: There are 7/8 supralabials, 10/10 infralabials, 15 rows of smooth dorsal scales without reduction, 0 preoculars, 2 postoculars, and 1 + 3 temporals. There are 3 pairs of geneial shields (1 long, 2 small), the first two which border the mental groove; 2 postmentals; the fourth and fifth supralabials border the orbit (also the sixth on one side); 168 ventrals, anal entire, and 112 divided subcaudals. The hemipenes are small, simple, unicapitate, with bifurcate sulcus spermaticus; the extremity is clearly bilobed but not divided; the apical third (asurcate surface) to the halfway point (surcate surface) covered with calyculate spines; the central sector is covered with spines of moderate size distally, and long hooks anteriorly; two or three long basal hooks, the remaining anterior portion of the basal sector is smooth. It is important to note that a significant degree of resemblance exists in the general hemipenial morphology of the species of the genus Sibon. Coloration: The dorsum of head is profusely pigmented with green, white (or pale yellow), red, and black spots, irregularly dispersed and descending laterally to the nasal, loreal, postocular, and temporal scales. The posterior parietal region (approximately 5 dorsal scales in length) is more intensely pigmented with red, laterally reaching the postemporal region. The supralabial scales are pale yellow in color, with half or one third black in color. However the last supralabial is almost completely red (one side) and with the posterior one third red (other side). The mental scale and first three infralabials are completely black, while the remaining infralabials are pale yellow in color with black pigment irregularly present. A series of consecutive red spots after the last supralabials forms a continual posterior line that is diffusely joined with the red tone of the lateral postparietal borders. Dorsally there is a series of 29 to 33 alternate, reddish, irregular bands over a green ground color, the scales of which are profusely speckled with small dots, spots, or dark-or-pale (white or pale yellow) irregular lines that at times cover up to half of each scale. The reddish bands are bordered on the outer edges by an irregular black tone, at times mixed with white or pale yellow spots that also may border the outer edge of the dark pigment. The venter is pale yellow medially and mostly white in the lateral areas, and the red bands encroach on the venter, forming irregular blotches, alternate or disjunct and with dark borders that in some cases join to form a continuous dark stripe. The dorsal scales are smooth and lacking apical pits, as is characteristic for the genus, the vertebral scale row is slightly enlarged. The iris is red, being darker medially, and the pupil is dark and vertically elliptic. The tongue is pale reddish brown on the posterior portion, dark brown on the stem, and nearly translucent on the forks. |
| Comment | S. lamari is not too well diagnosed morphologically. Lotzkat (2014: 698-701) provided a list of sources where (alledged) S. lamari are pictured (e.g. Savage 2002: plate 395; Solórzano 2002: Figs. 1–2; Solórzano 2004: Figs. 163, 165; McConnell 2014: Figs. 342–343). Habitat: fully arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018). |
| Etymology | Named after William Wylly Lamar (b. 1950) is Adjunct Professor of Biology at the University of Texas, Tyler. |
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