Thamnosophis epistibes (CADLE, 1996)
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Thamnosophis epistibes
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| Higher Taxa | Pseudoxyrhophiidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Liopholidophis epistibes CADLE 1996: 384 Liopholidophis epistibes — GLAW et al. 2001 Bibilava epistibes — GLAW et al. 2007 Thamnosophis epistibes — CADLE & INEICH 2008 Thamnosophis epistibes — WALLACH et al. 2014: 727 |
| Distribution | E Madagascar (Fianarantsoa) Type locality: “Talatakely, Ranomafana National Park, 950–1,000 m elevation, Fivondronana Ifanadiana, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar [21°16’S, 47°25’E].” |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: MCZ 180322 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A species of Liopholidophis distinguished from all other species by the following combination of features: scales in 19 rows at midbody, reducing to 17 posteriorly; relatively long tail and high number of subcaudals (27-34% of total length and 86-104, respectively, sexes combined); dorsolateral light stripe on rows 5-7 or 5-6 on neck, 5-6 on anterior part of body, present or absent posteriorly (rows 4-5 when present); dark post ocular stripe more or less continuous with series of dark blotches on side of neck, separating dorsolateral light stripe from light color of throat; anterior 10-30 ventral plates with series of black spots, usually elongate, inset 20-25% the width of the plate from lateral edge (venter otherwise may be more or less immaculate, but usually heavily spotted and/or suffused with black or dark gray, especially posteriorly). Liopholidophis epistibes differs from members of the sexlineatus group in having 19-19-17 dorsal scale rows (vs. 17-17-15). It differs from other members of the stumpffi group, stumpffi, lateralis, and infrasignatus, primarily in aspects of color pattern. Liopholidophis epistibes and L. stumpffi are separable by the disposition of the dorsolateral light stripes and other pattern characteristics (see "Remarks" for more detailed comparison of specimens of both species from the region of sympatry). In epistibes, the light stripe occupies scale rows 5-6 or 5-7 anteriorly, 5-6 at midbody and, when present posteriorly, rows 4-5; the stripes are not continuous with the light color of the throat (separated by confluence of postocular dark stripe and dark pigment on lateral surface of neck; Fig. 8). In stumpffi, the dorsolateral stripe occupies rows 4-5 anteriorly and at midbody (posteriorly indistinct in adults I have seen, but appears to be restricted to row 4; see "Remarks" in species account for stumpffi); it is confluent with the light coloration of the throat (Fig. 8). The dark postocular stripe is comparatively broad in epistibes, is confluent with dark blotches on the side of the neck (occasionally briefly interrupted), and occupies the middle to lower half of the ultimate supralabial (Fig. 8); the postocular stripe in stum,pffi is narrower, occupies the upper portion and/or suture line of the ultimate and penultimate supralabials, and does not continue posterior to the jaw angle (Fig. 8). The dark head cap does not extend well below the jaw line in epistibes, whereas in stum,pffi the dark head cap curves around the angle of the jaw (Fig. 8). The two species also differ in ventral pattern (cf. Figs. 7, 11, and 24): virtually immaculate in stum,pffi except for encroachment of dark flank pigment laterally, and usually a series of indiscrete punctations at extreme anterolateral edge of ventral plates (not inset from edge); usually heavily spotted or suffused with dark gray or black in epistibes, especially posteriorly, and with series of discrete, elongate black spots on each side of anterior 10-30 ventral plates, inset 20-25% from the lateral edges of the plates (Fig. 8). Liopholidophis epistibes averages about 10 more ventral plates in both sexes than stumpffi, and the ranges in the two species are virtually nonoverlapping (Table 2). Hemipenes of epistibes and stumpffi (described in detail later) also differ: epistibes has about three rows of enlarged spines on the outer surface at the base of each hemipenial lobe, whereas stumpffi has only a single row; in addition, nude areas between the lobes are more extensive in epistibes than in stumpffi. Liopholidophis epistibes differs from L. lateralis in the position of the lateral stripes: in epistibes on dorsal rows 5-6 or 5-7 anteriorly, 5-6 at midbody, usually fading posteriorly (and nearly always indistinct on tail); and anteriorly separated from the light color of the throat by dark pigment on the side of the neck (Figs. 8, 23). In lateralis, the lateral stripes are centered on row 4, with adjacent rows usually involved; the stripes are distinct the length of the body, continue to the tail tip, and are continuous with the light color of the throat (occasionally barely separated by a narrow extension of the dark flank color; Figs. 23, 26; see also Glaw and Vences, 1994:fig. 505).The venter of epistibes may or may not be generally speckled with black (Figs. 7, 11), whereas that of lateralis never appears to be (black spots sometimes present at lateral edges of ventral plates). Liopholidophis epistibes has a longer tail (27-34% of total length, sexes combined) and more subcaudals (91-104, males; 86-96, females) than infrasignatus (tail 21-27%; subcaudals 66-81, males; 62-73, females) (see Table 2, including footnote 1 for possible amplification of ranges for epistibes). Liopholidophis epistibes is also of more gracile habitus than infrasignatus, and the anterior dorsal colors are predominately contrasting black and yellow (browns, olive browns, to olive gray in infrasignatus). The orientation of the postocular dark bar also differs somewhat in epistibes and infrasignatus. In epistibes, the bar extends more or less horizontally posterior to the eye, passing across the upper portion of the penultimate supralabial (Figs. 8, 23); in infrasignatus, the bar extends at an angle downward across the penultimate supralabial, usually having a somewhat separated portion on the lower portion of the ultimate supralabial (Figs. 23,28) (Cadle 1996: 386). |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The specific epithet is an adjective meaning "on the trail," modeled after the Greek apostibes ("off the path"; Liddell and Scott, 1968). From epi ("upon") + stibos ("trail"), in reference to the usual circumstances in which I encountered this species. |
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