Tantilla selmae AZEVEDO, FRANCO, MENEZES, SARAIVA-KUNZ & GRAZZIOTIN , 2024
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Tantilla selmae
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Tantilla selmae AZEVEDO, FRANCO, MENEZES, SARAIVA-KUNZ & GRAZZIOTIN 2024 Tantilla cf. melanocephala — LEMA 2004 Tantilla aff. melanocephala GHIZONI et al. 2009 |
| Distribution | Brazil (Santa Catarina) Type locality: municipality of Lages (28° 15′ 45.8′′ S, 50° 26′ 05.0′′ W; approx. 1032 m above sea level), state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: IBSP 92724, adult male (Figs. 7, 10a), (field number of project “Scales of Biodiversity,” SB 1957), collected by Ivo R. Ghizoni‐Junior on 11 February 2021 (Fig. 6). Paratypes (Table S6, supplementary tables). Fifteen specimens (six males and nine females) from southern Brazil: (1) an adult female, IBSP 91713, collected by L. M. Borges on 17 June 2019, in the municipality of Bagé (Rincão do Inferno) (30° 54′ S, 53° 41′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (2) an adult male, IBSP 91838, collected by C. M. Rosa on 15 September de 2019, in the municipality of Jari (Linha Nova) (29° 22′ S, 54° 17′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (3) an adult male, ZUFSM 3923, collected by M. S. Conceição on 04 April 2012, in the municipality of São Vicente do Sul (São Rafael) (29° 48′ S, 54° 45′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (4) an adult female, ZUFSM 3180, col‐ lected by S. Alves on 29 October 2012, in the municipality of São Gabriel (Cerro do Batovi) (30° 34′ S, 54° 29′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (5) an adult female, ZUFSM 2040, collected by C. M. Rosa on 12 August 2017, in the municipality of Rosário do Sul (Serra do Caverá) (30° 21′ S, 55° 15′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (6) an adult female, ZUFSM 0732, collected by I. Lopes on 15 January 1994, in the municipality of Caçapava do Sul (30° 30′ S, 53° 29′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (7) an adult female, IBSP 91865, collected by G. M. Pontes on 25 September 2019, in the municipality of São Jerônimo (29° 58′ S, 51° 43′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (8) an adult male, IBSP 89878, collected by R. Balestrin on 29 August 2017, in the municipality of São Jerônimo (29° 57′ S, 51° 43′ W), state of Rio Grande do Sul; (9) a juvenile male, IBSP 92725, collected by I. R. Ghizoni‐Junior on 11 February 2021 in the municipality of Lages (28° 4′ S 50° 5′ W), state of Santa Catarina; (10) an adult female, IBSP 92723, collected by I. R. Ghizoni‐Junior on 12 February 2021, in the municipality of painel (28° 16′ S 50° 26′ W), state of Santa Catarina; (11) an adult female, CHUFSC 1165, collected by A. Regolin and C. Salvador on 14 April 2009, in the municipality of Capão Alto (28° 8′ S 50° 41′ W), state of Santa Catarina; (12) an adult male, CHUFSC 1002, collected by T. S. Kunz on 20 March 2008, in the municipality of Painel (28° 4′ S, 50° 5′ W), state of Santa Catarina; (13) an adult female, IBSP 27560, collected by C. Dyskska on 16 September 1967, in the municipal‐ ity of Curitiba (Boqueirão) (25° 30′ S, 49° 14′ W), state of Paraná; (14) an adult female, IBSP 76633, collected by F. L. Franco on 2004, in the municipality of Capitão Leônidas Marques (25° 29′ S, 53° 35′ W), state of Paraná; (15) an adult male, IBSP 76644, collected by F. L. Franco on 2004, in the municipality of Capitão Leônidas Marques (25° 29′ S, 53° 36′ W), state of Paraná. Other specimens. Fourteen specimens (five males and nine females) from southern Brazil. State of Rio Grande do Sul: (1) An adult female, IBSP 89626, municipality of São Jerônimo; (2) a juvenile male, IBSP 91845, municipality of São Jerôn‐ imo; (3) a juvenile female, IBSP 91846, municipality of São Jerônimo; (4) a juvenile male, IBSP 91644, municipality of Bagé (Rincão do Inferno); (5) an adult female, ZUFSM 3924, municipality of São Vicente do Sul (São Rafael); (6) an adult female, ZUFSM 3177, municipal‐ ity of São Gabriel (Cerro do Batovi); (7) an adult female, IBSP 45923, municipality of Porto Alegre; (8) an adult male, IBSP 90139, municipality of Rosário do Sul (Serra do Caverá). State of Santa Catarina: (9) an adult male, IBSP 18368, municipality of Lages; (10) an adult female, CHUFSC 1001, municipality of Painel. State of Paraná: (11) an adult female, IBSP 3251, municipality of Cachoeirinha; (12) an adult female, IBSP 10203, municipality of Palmeira; (13) an adult female, IBSP 17223, municipality of Lapa; (14) an adult male, IBSP 17841, municipality of Jaguariaíva. (Santos-Azevedo et al. 2024, Table S6, supplementary tables). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Tantilla selmae is diagnosed and distinguished from the South America species of Tantilla by the unique combination of the following morphological characters: (1) 15–15‐15 dorsal scales; (2) supralabials seven, 3rd–4th in contact with orbit; (3) infralabials six, 1st–4th in contact with anterior genials; (4) preocular one; (5) postocular two; (6) temporals 1 + 1; (7) ventrals 128–150 (128–145 in males, 139–150 in females); (8) subcaudals 42–58 (48–58 in males, 42–50 in females); (9) cephalic cap wide and black; (10) lateral extension of the cephalic cap through the temporal region always present (usually extends to the labial border between 6 and 7th supralabials, sometimes does not reach the labial border); (11) lateral extension of the cephalic cap to the subocular region always present; (12) black collar on the neck that extends longitudinally in the vertebral row through four scales (rarely three scales and sometimes five), followed by a pale and discreet collar, more evident laterally; (13) longitudinal connection between cephalic cap and neck collar always present; (14) orange‐brown dorsal background color; (15) black vertebral longitudinal line, usually present and dashed, sometimes linear, ranging from evident to vestigial; (16) black vertebral longitudinal line in the tail always present and linear, ranging from evident to vestigial; (17) black diffuse lateral stripe, that extends longitudinally, and varies from evident to vestigial (is denser posteriorly in the trunk and generally occupies the first three rows of dorsal scales and reaches a part of the 4th row); (18) venter color is always cream, with macules only at the lateral edges of the ventrals; (19) bare area on the left side of the asulcate surface of the hemipenial body. (Santos-Azevedo et al. 2024) |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named after Dr. Selma Maria de Almeida‐Santos for her invaluable contribution to the knowledge of reproductive biology of Brazilian snakes and lizards. The epithet also alludes “to her unique personality by joining her name with the word mother in Portuguese: “Selma” + “mãe” = selmae”. |
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