Ficimia ramirezi SMITH & LANGEBARTEL, 1949
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Ficimia ramirezi
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Ramirez's Hooknose Snake S: Nariz de Gancho de Ramirez |
| Synonym | Ficimia ramirezi SMITH & LANGEBARTEL 1949: 411 Ficimia ramirezi — LINER 1994 Ficimia ramirezi — LINER 2007 Ficimia ramirezi — WALLACH et al. 2014: 296 |
| Distribution | SE Mexico Type locality: Mexico: 1 league N Niltepec, Oaxaca |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: INHS (= UIMNH) 3767; adult male, J. Ramirez; March 6, 1949. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis. A member of the genus Ficimia, with 20 poorly defined chocolate-brown blotches on back, separated from one another by spaces two to three times their own length, very incom pletely bordered with black; no dark markings on head; two internasals; two postoculars; ventrals 136, caudals 38 in single known male (Smith & Langebartel 1949: 411). Description of type. Rostral large, in contact with frontal, suture with latter one-half maximum width of rostral; internasals well developed, about size of preocular; anterior half of nasal fused with 1st supralabial; prefrontal broadly in contact with second supralabial; 1-1 preoculars; 2-2 postoculars; eye relatively large, its vertical diameter equal to its distance from labial border, its longitudinal diameter one-fourth longer; temporals 1-2, the anterior elongate, the second aries similar in shape to dorsals; frontal as long as broad, equally as long as its distance from tip of snout; supralabials 7-7; infralabials 7-7, the anterior 3 in contact with chinshields; 1 pair of chinshields. Dorsals in 17-17-17 rows, smooth even in supraanal area, each with a single apical pit; ventrals 136, caudals 38; total length 325 mm, tail 54. Hemipenis 10 caudals long, simple and with simple sulcus; 2 large basal spines; spines occu pying basal third, becoming smaller distally and merging with calyces; several longitudinal plicae extending through both spinous and calyculate zones (Smith & Langebartel 1949: 411). Coloration: Dorsal color a light slate; head tan above; 20 light chocolate brown blotches on body, each If to 2 scales in length, 5 to 8 scale rows wide, sepa rated from one another by spaces two to three times as long as the blotches; a very incomplete black border on the blotches; some blotches, especially toward rear of body, preceded and succeeded by a small, poorly defined light spot on the midline; a few scattered, dark lateral streaks; median dorsal blotches showing a tendency to have the lateral edges split off (as typical of most species of this genus); 8 dorsal blotches on tail; ventral surfaces immaculate; no markings on head (Smith & Langebartel 1949: 411). Comparisons. The present species differs remark ably in pattern from all other species of the genus. While publia is known to have as few as 21 blotches, they are approximately as broad as the interspaces, while in ramlrezi the anterior blotches are separated by interspaces twice their own length, the interval gradually increasing poste riorly to three times as the blotches decrease in size. This feature of the pattern is not approached by other members of the genus. Other features distinguishing this specimen from pvhlia is the absence of lateral blotches and of any pattern on the head (Smith & Langebartel 1949: 412). |
| Comment | The derivation of this specimen from an area where publia is to be expected casts some doubt upon its validity. Only further specimens can prove beyond reasonable doubt the validity of the supposed species. Certainly a sufiicient number of unique features in pattern occur in the type of ramlrezi to warrant the provisional assumption of the existence of a distinct species (Smith & Langebartel 1949: 412). |
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