Sibon vieirai ARTEAGA & BATISTA, 2023
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Sibon vieirai
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Sibon vieirai ARTEAGA & BATISTA 2023: 22 |
| Distribution | Colombia, Ecuador Type locality: Tundaloma Lodge, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador (1.18166, -78.74945; 74 m a.s.l.). |
| Reproduction | oviparous. A female Sibon vieirai from Hostería Selva Virgen, Pichincha province, Ecuador laid a clutch of four eggs. |
| Types | Holotype: ZSFQ 5071 (Figs 9, 10d, 11b), adult male collected by Jose Vieira, Frank Pichardo, and Matteo Espinosa on 28 February 2021 at Tundaloma Lodge, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador (1.18166, -78.74945; 74 m a.s.l.). Paratypes: MZUA.RE.0328, adult male collected at Jauneche, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-1.33333, -79.58333; 41 m a.s.l.). MZUTI 4810, adult female collected by Jaime Culebras on 14 February 2016 at Bosque Privado El Jardín de los Sueños, Cotopaxi province, Ecuador (-0.83142, -79.21337; 349 m a.s.l.). ZSFQ 5070, adult male collected by Alejandro Arteaga and Jose Vieira on 12 March 2018 at La Primavera, Carchi province, Ecuador (0.79502, -78.21763; 1228 m a.s.l.). MZUTI 3911, juvenile male collected by Jaime Culebras on 11 November 2014 at Itapoa Reserve, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador (0.51307, -79.13401; 321 m a.s.l.). MZUTI 5342, adult male collected by Jorge Vaca on 27 May 2017 at Reserva Jama Coaque, Manabí province, Ecuador (-0.11556, -80.12472; 299 m a.s.l.). ZSFQ 5073, adult male collected by Jose Vieira on 23 August 2020 at Hacienda Cerro Chico, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-0.63862, -79.42585; 141 m a.s.l.). USNM 285499, juvenile male collected by Roy McDiarmid on 1 January 1979 at Centro Científico Río Palenque, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-0.58333, -79.36667; 173 m a.s.l.). USNM 285501, adult male collected by Roy McDiarmid on 10 March 1979 at Hacienda Cerro Chico, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-0.63862, -79.42585; 141 m a.s.l.). USNM 283534, adult of undetermined sex collected on 6 June 1981 at Rancho Santa Teresita, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas province, Ecuador (-0.25277, -79.37946; 288 m a.s.l.). USNM 285498, adult of undetermined sex collected by Roy McDiarmid on 23 May 1976 at Centro Científico Río Palenque, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-0.58333, -79.36667; 173 m a.s.l.). USNM 285500, adult of undetermined sex collected by Roy McDiarmid on 2 February 1976 at Centro Científico Río Palenque, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-0.58333, -79.36667; 173 m a.s.l.). MZUA.RE.0174, adult female collected at Macul, Los Ríos province, Ecuador (-1.1298, -79.65731; 65 m a.s.l.). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Sibon vieirai is placed in the genus Sibon based on phylogenetic evidence and on having the penultimate supralabial conspicuously higher than all other supralabials. The species is diagnosed based on the following combination of characters: (1) 15/15/15 smooth dorsals with enlarged vertebral row (1.4–3× as wide as adjacent rows); (2) loreal and prefrontal in contact with orbit; (3) 7–8 supralabials with, usually, 4th, 5th, and occasionally 6th contacting orbit; (4) 9–10 infralabials with 1st to 6th in contact with chinshields, first pair of infralabials in contact behind symphysial; (5) 183–195 ventrals in males, 178–189 in females; (6) 95–105 divided subcaudals in males, 78–92 in females; (7) dorsal background color slate gray to brownish gray with faint blackish blotches or incomplete bands bordered by a series of white dots, fine blackish and white speckling in the interspaces, ventral surfaces white with encroachment from the dorsal blackish blotches and with or without fine black speckles in-between the blotches, dorsal aspect of head black with fine white speckles, throat white with various amounts of black markings that form a checkerboard pattern, iris pale gray finely variegated with black; (8) 363–542 mm SVL in males, 352–544 mm in females; (9) 127–224 mm TL in males, 113–170 mm in females (Arteaga & Batista 2023). |
| Comment | Distribution: see map in Arteaga & Batista 2023: 27: Fig. 12. Diet: In the field in Ecuador, specimens of S. vieirai sp. nov. have been observed feeding on slugs and snails (Arteaga & Batista 2023) Natural history: Active Sibon vieirai have been seen at night foraging at ground level or on vegetation up to 3 m above the ground. One snake was spotted as it emerged from under a pile of logs at sunset (Arteaga & Batista 2023). |
| Etymology | The specific epithet vieirai is a patronym honoring Jose Vieira, a Venezuelan biologist and wildlife photographer who created the Ex-Situ project, a free-access photo bank depicting Latin American fauna on a white background. Jose Vieira’s photos have been crucial in illustrating field guides about herpetofauna, educational posters, and research publications (Arteaga & Batista 2023). |
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