Dipsas elegans (BOULENGER, 1896)
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Dipsas elegans
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | S: Caracolera subtropical |
| Synonym | Leptognathus elegans BOULENGER 1896: 452 Dipsas elegans — PARKER 1926: 206 Dipsas elegans — SMITH & TAYLOR 1945: 51 Dipsas elegans — PETERS 1960: 86 Dipsas elegans — PETERS 1965: 3 Dipsas elegans — MIYATA 1982: 16 Sibynomorphus elegans — AMARAL 1926: 9 Leptognathus maxillaris — AMARAL 1929: 29 Dipsas elegans — KOFRON 1982 Dipsas ellipsifera — KOFRON 1982 Dipsas oreas elegans — ORCÉS & ALMENDÁRIZ 1987 Dipsas elegans — CADLE 2005 Dipsas elegans — HARVEY et al. 2008 Dipsas elegans — WALLACH et al. 2014: 232 |
| Distribution | Ecuador (western versant of the Andes, inter-Andean valley of the upper Río Guayllabamba east of Quito) Type locality: unknown, see comment. |
| Reproduction | oviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Holotype: BMNH 1946. 1. 21. 77 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Dipsas elegans is characterized by a moderate number of ventrals (177–189 in eight males, 166–178 in five females) and subcaudals (94–105 in males, 68–88 in females). Its color pattern consists of 26 to 46 narrow dark dorsal bands which, except in small juveniles, have light centers. The bands have more or less vertical edges. The anterior five or six bands are broader than more posterior bands and are equivalent to, or broader than, the light interspaces. Posterior bands are narrower than the interspaces. (Cadle 2005) Additional details (975 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Synonymy mostly after CADLE 2005. Behavior: Dipsas elegans is nocturnal. The type locality ‘‘Tehuantepec’’ [Mexico] is in error. The type locality was discussed by Kofron (1982), who concluded that the specimen must have come from Ecuador. The holotype was illustrated by Kofron (1982: Fig. 1). ORCÉS & ALMENDÁRIZ 1987: 139 unjustifiably inferred that Perucho (Pichincha Province) ‘‘could be considered the type locality (fide CADLE 2005). Habitat: fully arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018). |
| Etymology | The name elegans (Latin) means tasteful, choice, fine, select or elegant and appears to refer to the color pattern or body shape. |
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