Bogertophis subocularis (BROWN, 1902)
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Bogertophis subocularis
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Lampropeltini, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | Bogertophis subocularis amplinotus WEBB 1990 Bogertophis subocularis subocularis (BROWN 1901) |
| Common Names | E: subocularis: Trans-Pecos Rat Snake G: Transpecos-Kletternatter, Transpecos-Rattennatter S: Ratonera de Trans-Pecos |
| Synonym | Coluber subocularis BROWN 1902: 492 Elaphe subocularis — STEJNEGER & BARBOUR 1917: 84 Elaphe sclerotica SMITH 1941 (nom. subst.) Elaphe subocularis — AXTELL 1959 Elaphe subocularis — REYNOLDS & SCOTT 1977 Elaphe subocularis — WORTHINGTON 1981 Elaphe subocularis — NIEDERHAUSER 1984 Elaphe subocularis — STEBBINS 1985: 186 Elaphe subocularis — TANNER 1985: 630 Bogertophis subocularis — DOWLING & PRICE 1988 Bogertophis subocularis — CONANT & COLLINS 1991: 200 Bogertophis subocularis — LINER 1994 Bogertophis subocularis — CROTHER 2000: 57 Bogertophis subocularis — ERNST & ERNST 2003: 49 Bogertophis subocularis — CROTHER et al. 2012 Bogertophis subocularis — WALLACH et al. 2014: 100 Bogertophis subocularis amplinotus WEBB 1990 Elaphe subocularis amplinotus WEBB 1990 Bogertophis subocularis subocularis (BROWN 1901) Coluber subocularis BROWN 1901 Bogertophis subocularis subocularis — CROTHER 2000: 57 |
| Distribution | USA (S New Mexico, W Texas), Mexico (NE Chihuahua, Coahuila, NE Durango, Nuevo León) amplinotus: Mexico (Durango, Coahuila); Type locality: Mexico: 90.5 mi N of City of Durango, Durango; R. Arndt and W. Sherbrooke; June 26, 1963. subocularis: USA (W Texas, New Mexico), Mexico (Coahuila) Type locality: USA: Texas, Jeff Davis County, Davis Mountains, 50 miles s-w from Pecos (Brown, 1901) |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Type. ANSP 13733 Holotype: INHS (= UIMNH) 62817 [amplinotus] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus). Bogertophis may be morphologically distinguished from Pituophis by its lack of an epiglottal structure, its divided anal scute, and by the absence of canaliculi in the microdermatoglyphic pattern of the dorsal scales. It is distinguished from Arizona by its rounded rostral (slightly pointed, partly separating the internasals in Arizona), lorilabial scales, keeled dorsal scales with paired apical pits (vs smooth with single apical pits), a different hemipenial morphology, divided anal scute, and echinate microdermatoglyphic pattern of Arizona (Price, 1981). It differs from Senticolis in the presence of lorilabial scales, a vastly different hemipenis, a much shorter tail, and lack of regular echinules and the presence of pleating in the microdermatoglyphic pattern of the dorsal scales. It may be distinguished from Elapbe (sensu stricto) by its shorter tail, smaller, spinulose hemipenis, the presence of lorilabial scales, and in the absence of regular echinules and the presence of pleating in the microdermatoglyphic pattern of the dorsal scales. Bogertophis appears to be unique among colubrine snakes in possessing diploid karyotypes of 38 or 40 chromosomes with few metacentric chromosomes, and in lacking any sexual dimorphism in body proportions or scutellation. (Price 1990) Additional details (2508 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Subspecies: Webb 1990 also described intergrades between subocularis and amplinotus from Coahuila and adjacent Nuevo Leon. B. s. amplinotus has been named for its larger body blotches as opposed to subocularis (Latin amplio = enlarge, expand; nota = mark). Type species: Coluber subocularis BROWN 1901: 492 is the type species of the genus Bogertophis DOWLING & PRICE 1988. Phylogenetics: see Dahn et al. 2018 for a phylogeny of Lampropeltini. Similar species: B. rosaliae, |
| Etymology | Named after Latin subocularis, from under/below the eye. [“...A row of small accessory plates below the eye and preocular...”]. B. s. amplinotus was named after Latin amplio, enlarge, augment, intensify, widen + Latin nota, mark, sign. [“...The subspecific name combines two Latin terms— amplio (enlarge, expand, widen) and nota (mark) in allusion to the pattern of larger body blotches than in B. s. subocularis...”]. The genus was named after Charles Mitchill Bogert (1908-1992), US American herpetologist, and Greek ophis (ὄφις), a serpent, snake. |
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