Sibon miskitus MCCRANIE, 2006
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Sibon miskitus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Sibon miskitus MCCRANIE 2006 Sibon miskitus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 668 |
| Distribution | NE Honduras (Mosquitia region) Type locality: Warunta Tingni Kiamp, 14° 55.336’ N, 84° 41.471’ W, 150 elevation, Departamento de Gracias a Dios, Honduras. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: UF 142076), adult female, Florida State Museum of Natural History |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Sibon miskitus differs from all other species of the S. annulatus group, except S. dimidiatus and S. linearis, many S. sanniolus,and occasional S. annulatus, in having a single post-mental scale (Fig. 2). The new species can be distinguished from S. dimidiatus by its smaller size (maximum known TOL 477 mm in two females [including one with well-developed eggs], 499 mm in male vs. females to about 800 mm, males to 751 mm), its low numbers of ventrals (168-171 in females, 172 in single male vs. 174-189 in females, 184-200 in males), subcaudals (95-100 in females, 112 in single male versus 101-120 in females, 113-126 in males), and ventrals plus subcaudals (263-271 in females, 284 in single male vs. 281-317 in females, 303-323 in males). Sibon miskitus differs from S. sanniolus and S. linearis in lacking a preocular preoculars present in S. sanniolus and S. linearis) with the loreal bordering the eye (loreal separated from eye by a preocular) and 168-171 ventrals in females, 172 in single male (144-162 in females, 143-162 in males) and 95-100 subcaudals in females, 112 in single male (57-79 in females, 58-88 in males). Sibon annulatus usually has two postmentals, but rarely has only a single or partially fused postmental. Sibon miskitus differs from the occasional S. annulatus with a single postmental in having the dorsal components of the rings or bands paler and much narrower than the dorsal components of the interspaces (dorsal components of the rings or bands darker and much broader than dorsal components of the interspaces in S. annulatus and in having fewer subcaudals in females (95-100 vs. 113-126) and ventrals plus subcaudals in females (263-271 vs. 282-302; for S. miskitus and the other species of the S. annulatus group (McCranie 2006: 16; see Table 1 for diagnostic data). |
| Comment | Sibon miskitus is a member of the Sibon annulatus species group. Within this group, the new species appears most closely related to Sibon dimidiatus. By comparison to S. dimidiatus, the new species can be distinguished by its fewer ventrals, subcaudals, total number of ventrals plus subcaudals, and smaller adult size. Habitat: fully arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018). |
| Etymology | Named after the Miskito, the name of one of the ethnic groups of people living in the region, and the Latin suffix -us (of, pertaining to). The name is used in appreciation of the Miskito peoples who have lived in, and shown respect for, the forests in their area for hundreds of years. |
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