Sonora straminea (COPE, 1860)
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Sonora straminea
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | cinctus: E: Variable Sand Snake, Banded Sand Snake cinctus: G: Gebänderte Sandschlange S: Arenera de Modelo Variable |
| Synonym | Chilomeniscus stramineus COPE 1860: 339 Chilomeniscus ephippicus COPE 1867 Carphophis straminea — GARMAN 1884: 99 Chilomeniscus stramineus — VAN DENBURGH 1895: 138 Chilomeniscus punctatissimus VAN DENBURGH & SLEVIN 1921 Chilomeniscus punctatissimus CLIFF 1954 Chilomeniscus punctatissimus — BANTA & LEVITON 1963 Chilomeniscus stramineus — STEBBINS 1985: 244 Chilomeniscus stramineus — LINER 1994 Chilomeniscus punctatissimus — LINER 1994 Chilomeniscus stramineus — MATTISON 2007: 85 Chilomeniscus stramineus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 159 Sonora straminea — COX et al. 2018 Sonora (Chilomeniscus) punctatissima — COX et al. 2018: 974 Chilomeniscus stramineus — LEMOS-ESPINAL et al. 2019 |
| Distribution | Mexico (S Baja California Sur, Sinaloa) Type locality: ‘Cape St. Lucas, Lower California [Baja California Sur]’. punctatissimus: Mexico (Baja California Sur: Partida Island, Espiritu Santo Island); Type locality: “Isla Partida, Espiritu Santo Island, Gulf of California, Mexico’ [= Partida Island] |
| Reproduction | oviparous. |
| Types | Syntypes: ANSP 3405, USNM 4674, 6495 Holotype: SDNHM = SDSNH 30368; paratypes SDNHM = SDSNH 30364-30367, 30369, 30370 [esterensis] Holotype: CAS 49156 [punctatissimus] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Sonora straminea can be distinguished from all other Sonora except for S. fasciata and S. cincta by the presence of an elongated rostrum. Sonora straminea is sympatric or narrowly allopatric only with S. fasciata, which shares the elongated rostrum. S. fasciata can be distinguished from S. straminea by the lack of apical maculations (Cox et al. 2018: 974). Variation: Sonora straminea is one of only three species of Sonora that lack coloured bands or stripes, and is uniformly brown. Accordingly, this species lacks colour polymorphism and coral snake mimicry (Cox et al. 2018: 974). Diagnosis (punctatissima): Sonora punctatissima can be distinguished from all other Sonora except for S. fasciata, S. cincta, S. stramineus and S. savagei by the presence of an elongated rostrum. Perhaps the best way to distinguish S. punctatissima from S. fasciata, S. cincta, S. stramineus and S. savagei is by geographic location; S. punctatissima is the only member of the genus Sonora on Partida and Espiritu Santo Islands. However, S. punctatissima can be distinguished from S. stramineus by lacking apical maculations on dorsal body scales (Holm 2008), although Grismer et al. (2002) noted the presence of blotches on scales of some morphs. Sonora punctatissima can be distinguished from S. savagei by having less than 127 ventral scales, compared to greater than 127 for S. savagei (Holm 2008). Sonora punctatissima can be distinguished from S. fasciata and S. cincta by either a gap between the internasals, possessing less than 35 bands and variation in ventral and subcaudal scale numbers summarized in Holm (2008) (Cox et al. 2018: 972). Variation (punctatissima): This is a variable species, especially given the limited geographic range, with Grismer et al. (2002) describing four main pattern classes and individuals with intermediate pattern types. This species can be banded or unbanded, and the expression of bands in the banded individuals varies between a clearly demarcated black bands to grey or brown bands with indistinct margins (Cox et al. 2018: 972). |
| Comment | Synonymy: Chilomeniscus cinctus and C. punctatissimus have been synonymized with C. stramineus by GRISMER et al. (2002) but revalidated by Cox et al. 2018. Type species: Chilomeniscus stramineus COPE 1860 is the type species of the genus Chilomeniscus COPE 1860. All members of the genus Chilomeniscus have an elongated rostrum and are adapted to sandy, scrubby, and arid habitats in northern Mexico and south-western USA. |
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