Atractus cerberus ARTEAGA, MEBERT, VALENCIA, CISNEROS-HEREDIA, PEÑAFIEL, REYES-PUIG, VIEIRA-FERNANDES & GUAYASAMIN, 2017
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Atractus cerberus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Cerberus Groundsnake S: Tierrera cancerbera |
| Synonym | Atractus cerberus ARTEAGA, MEBERT, VALENCIA, CISNEROS-HEREDIA, PEÑAFIEL, REYES-PUIG, VIEIRA-FERNANDES & GUAYASAMIN 2017 |
| Distribution | Ecuador Type locality: at Pacoche, province of Manabí, Ecuador (S1.06664, W80.88123; 280 m elevation). |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: MZUTI 4330 (Fig. 5a), adult male collected by José L. Vieira-Fernandes and Alejandro Arteaga on November 06, 2015. Paratopotype: MZUTI 5108, adult male collected by Alejandro Arteaga on September 04, 2016. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Atractus cerberus is placed in the genus Atractus as diagnosed by Savage (1960), based on phylogenetic evidence (Fig. 1). It is included in the A. iridescens group due to its brown dorsal ground color (Fig. 5) and its phylogenetic position (Fig. 1). The species is diagnosed based on the following combination of characters: (1) 17/17/17 smooth dorsals; (2) two postoculars; (3) loreal moderate; (4) temporals 1+2; (5) seven supralabials, third and fourth contacting orbit; (6) seven infralabials, first four contacting chinshields (7) seven maxillary teeth; (8) three gular scale rows; (9) three preventrals; (10) 152–157 ventrals; (11) 25–26 subcaudals; (12) dorsal ground color brown with faint black longitudinal bands (Fig. 5); (13) venter light yellow faintly speckled with brownish pigment; (14) 212–309 mm SVL; (15) 23–36 mm TL. |
| Comment | Known only from two specimens. Habitat. The two known specimens of Atractus cerberus were found in an isolated patch of deciduous lowland forest surrounded by dry lowland shrubland. MZUTI 4330 was found active on leaf litter at 19h29, in 80% closed canopy secondary forest far from streams. The night was warm and there was drizzle the night before. MZUTI 5108 was found crossing a forest trail close to an open area at 10h00 during a sunny morning after a rainy night. Conservation status: Critically Endagered. |
| Etymology | The specific epithet “cerberus” is derived from the name of the Greek monster Kérberos. In Greek mythology, Kérberos is a monstrous multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld, preventing the dead from leaving. Here, we use this word in allusion to the type locality, at the gates of the newly formed “Refinería del Pacífico”, a massive industrial oil-processing plant that can easily be likened to the underworld. |
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