Ophryacus smaragdinus GRÜNWALD, JONES, FRANZ-CHÁVEZ & AHUMADA-CARiLLO, 2015
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Ophryacus smaragdinus
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| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Emerald Horned Pitviper |
| Synonym | Ophryacus smaragdinus GRÜNWALD, JONES, FRANZ-CHÁVEZ & AHUMADA-CARILLO 2015 Ophryacus undulatus — FLORES-VILLELA et al. 1992: 249. Ophryacus undulatus — CAMARILLO 1995: 196. Ophryacus undulatus — CAMPBELL & LAMAR 2004: 454 (in part). Ophryacus undulatus — MENDOZA-PAZ et al. 2006: 109 (in part). Ophryacus undulatus — RAMÍREZ-BAUTISTA et al. 2010: 77 Ophryacus undulatus — SOLANO-ZAVALETA et al. 2010: 381 Ophryacus undulatus — RAMÍREZ-BAUTISTA et al. 2014: 177 |
| Distribution | Mexico (Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Oaxaca), elevation 1,400 - 2,400 m Type locality: Los Ocotes (20.601542, -98.469708; datum WGS 84; elev. 2,150 m asl), Zilacatipan, Municipio de Huayacocotola, Veracruz, Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: MZFC 29290, adult female, collected by Jason M. Jones and Iván T. Ahumada-Carrillo on 2 November 2013. Paratypes: Seven specimens. MEXICO: HIDALGO: El Potrero, Municipio de Tenango de Doria (20.314922, -98.229653; datum WGS 84; elev. 2,200 m), an adult male collected 25 August 1990 by students of the Escuela Nacional Estatal y Profesional de Iztacala, UNAM (MZFC 21140); “Doria,” Municipio de Tengano de Doria (20.314922, -98.229653; datum WGS 84; elev. 2,200 m), an adult male collected on 14 July 1990 by Efraín Hernández-García (MZFC 04825). OAXACA: San Martín Caballero, Municipio de San José Tenango (18.108175, -96.633981; datum WGS 84; elev. 1,360 m), an adult male collected 25 May 1994 by Mario Mancilla-Moreno (MZFC 13556); San Martín Caballero, Municipio de San José Tenango (18.108175, -96.633981; datum WGS 84; elev. 1,360 m), a juvenile female collected 28 May 1994, collector unknown (MZFC 13557). PUEBLA: Xucayucan, Municipio de Tlatlauquitepec (19.895744, -97.471700; datum WGS 84; elev. 1,630 m), a juvenile female collected 27 May 2005 by Israel Solano-Zavaleta (MZFC 17663). VERACRUZ: Cerro La Campana, Ticuautipan, Municipio de Xico (19.439500, -97.078078; datum WGS 84; elev. 2,045 m), a subadult female collected on 26 October 2003 by Itzel Durán Fuentes (MZFC 20582); and Zilacatipan, Municipio de Huayacocotla (20.655761, -98.424894; datum WGS 84; elev. 1,790 m), a subadult female, collected on 2 November 2013 by Jason M. Jones and Iván T. Ahumada-Carrillo (MZFC 29289). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Ophryacus smaragdinus can be distinguished from all other pitvipers in North America by the combination of the following characters: absence of a rattle; divided subcaudal scales; presence of a supraocular horn that is not in immediate contact with the eye; fewer than 30 interrictal scales; and usually fewer than 10 supralabials on each side of the head (Fig. 2). A distinctive white, cream, or pale yellow triangular marking is present on the lateral surfaces of the head, starting just below the suboculars and extending diagonally onto the 5th and 6th supralabials; this pale marking often extends onto the 7th and 8th (if present) supralabials. Secondary pale markings also are present on the 1st and 3rd supralabials, whereas the color of the 2nd and 4th supralabials is the same as the ground color of the head. This pale-colored triangular marking and the associated secondary pale markings are diagnostic for this species, and when viewing photographic material are helpful in distinguishing it from its congeners (Fig. 9A, B, C in Grünwald et al. 2015). Additional details (3649 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word smaragdinus, an adjective meaning “emerald-green,” in reference to the emerald green ground coloration exhibited by most individuals of this species. |
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