A remarkable new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) from southern Hispaniola
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Jan 6, 2023
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Abstract
A new species of Tropidophis is described from the dry forest of the Barahona Peninsula, southwestern Dominican Republic, on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. There, the new species is parapatric with T. haetianus, the only previously known Tropidophis on Hispaniola, but exhibits striking differences in scalation (much higher number of ventral scales), in other structural morphological traits (head and body proportions), and in dorsal and ventral coloration and pattern (e.g., fewer spot rows, and a patternless head and venter, etc.). The locality of this new species lies within an area where other vertebrate species have been recently discovered, underscoring the growing appreciation of the Barahona Peninsula as a diversity hotspot. Yet, this region also remains poorly studied and it is also highly imperiled due to ongoing anthropogenic change, justifying more conservation efforts.
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Caribbean Islands, dwarf boas, Barahona Entrapment
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Chandler, C. R. & Tolson, P. J. (1990). Habitat use by a boid snake, Epicrates monensis, and its anoline prey, Anolis cristatellus. Journal of Herpetology, 24(2), 151–157.
Cochran, D. M. (1941). The herpetology of Hispaniola. Bulletin of the Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum.
Cocteau, J. T. & Bibron, G. (1843). Reptiles. In R. Sagra (Ed.) De la, Historia Física, Política y Natural de la Isla de Cuba. Tomo IV. Reptiles y Peces. Segunda parte (pp. 1–142). Arthus Bertrand.
Curcio, F. F., Sales Nunes, P. M., Suzard Argolo, A. J., Skuk, G., & Trefaut Rodrigues, M. (2012). Taxonomy of the South American dwarf boas of the genus Tropidophis Bibron, 1840, with the description of two new species from the Atlantic forest (Serpentes: Tropidophiidae). Herpetological Monographs, 2012(26), 80–121.
Díaz, L. M. & Cádiz, A. (2020). A new species of Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) and molecular phylogeny of the Cuban radiation of the genus. Novitates Caribaea, (16), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi16.222
Domínguez, M., Moreno, L. V., & Sánchez, M. (2005). Tropidophis wrighti (NCN). Size record. Herpetological Review, 36(2), 197.
Hedges, S. B. (2002). Morphological variation and the definition of species in the snake genus Tropidophis (Serpentes, Tropidophiidae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum [London], Zoology Series, 68(2), 83–90.
Hedges, S. B. (2022). CaribHerp. West Indian amphibians and reptiles. Retrieved August 4, 2022, from http://www.caribherp.org/
Hedges, S. B., Estrada, A. R., & Díaz, L. M. (1999). New snake (Tropidophis) from Western Cuba. Copeia, 1999(2), 376–381.
Hedges, S. B. & Garrido, O. H. (1992). A new species of Tropidophis from Cuba (Serpentes: Tropidophiidae). Copeia, 3, 820–825. https://doi.org/10.2307/1446158
Hedges, S. B. & Garrido, O. H. (1999). A new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae) from central Cuba. Journal of Herpetology, 33(3), 436–441.
Hedges, S. B. & Garrido, O. H. (2002). A new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae) from eastern Cuba. Journal of Herpetology, 36(2), 157–161.
Hedges, S. B., Hass, C. A., & Maugel, T. K. (1989). Physiological colour change in snakes. Journal of Herpetology, 23, 450–455.
Hedges, S. B., Powell, R., Henderson R. W., Hanson S., & Murphy J. C. (2019). Definition of the Caribbean Islands biogeographic region, with checklist and recommendations for standardized common names of amphibians and reptiles. Caribbean Herpetology, 67, 1–53. https://doi.org/10.31611/ch.67
Henderson, R. W., Inchaustegui, S., & Landestoy T., M. A. (2021). Tropidophis haetianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T75606510A75608024. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T75606510A75608024.en
Henderson, R. W., Noeske-Hallin, T. A., Ottenwalder, J. A., & Schwartz, A. (1987). On the diet of the boa Epicrates striatus on Hispaniola, with notes on E. fordi and E. gracilis. Amphibia-Reptilia, 8(3), 251–258.
Henderson, R. W. & Powell, R. (2009). Natural history of West Indian amphibians and reptiles. University Press of Florida.
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2022). Peltophryne armata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T172817035A172817040. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T172817035A172817040.en
Landestoy T., M. A., Reynolds, R. G., & Henderson, R. W. (2021). A small new arboreal species of West Indian boa (Boidae; Chilabothrus) from southern Hispaniola. Breviora, 571, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3099/MCZ67.1
Landestoy T., M. A., Schools, M., & Hedges, S. B. (2022). A new genus and species of Caribbean forest lizard (Diploglossidae; Celestinae) from southern Hispaniola. Zootaxa, 5219(3), 201–226. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5219.3.1
Landestoy T., M. A., Turner, D. B., Marion, A. B., & Hedges, S. B. (2018). A new species of Caribbean toad (Bufonidae, Peltophryne) from southern Hispaniola. Zootaxa, 4403(3), 523–539.
Lillywhite, H. B. & Henderson, R. W. (1993). Behavioral and functional ecology of arboreal snakes. In R. A. Seigel and J. T. Collins, (Eds.) Pp. 1–48. Snakes: ecology and behavior. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Inc.
Pizzatto, L., Almeida-Santos, S. M., & Shine, R. (2007). Life-history adaptations to arboreality in snakes. Ecology, 88, 359–366.
Rehak, I. (1987). Color change in the snake Tropidophis feicki (Reptilia: Squamata: Tropidophiidae). Vestník Ceskoslovenské spolecnosti zoologické, 51, 300–303.
Reynolds, R. G., Collar, D. C., Pasachnik, S. A., Niemiller, M. L., Puente-Rolón, A. R., & Revell, L. J. (2016). Ecological specialization and morphological diversification in Greater Antillean boas. Evolution, 70, 1882–1895.
Rodríguez-Cabrera, T. M., Marrero, R., & Torres, J. (2016). An overview of the past, present, and future of the Cuban Boa, Chilabothrus angulifer (Squamata: Boidae): A top terrestrial predator on an oceanic island. Reptiles & Amphibians, 23(3), 152–168.
Rodríguez-Cabrera, T. M., Saval, E. M., Navarro, R. A., Piggot, J. Q., Rodríguez-González, A. M., & Torres, J. (2021). Giant dwarfs: very large giant tropes Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), and new maximum size records for the species. Reptiles & Amphibians, 28(3), 404–410.
Rodríguez-Cabrera, T. M. & Torres, J. (2020). New dietary records for three Cuban snakes in the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae), with comments on possible niche partitioning by Cuban tropes. Reptiles & Amphibians, 27(2), 201–208.
Rodríguez-Robles, J. A., Greene, H. W., Powell, R., & Henderson, R. W. (1996). Ecological patterns in Greater Antillean macrostomatan snake assemblages, with comments on body-size evolution in Epicrates (Boidae). Contributions to West Indian herpetology: a tribute to Albert Schwartz. Contributions to herpetology, 12, 339–357.
Rodríguez-Schettino, L., Mancina, C. A., & Rivalta-González, V. (2013). Reptiles of Cuba: checklist and geographic distributions. Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service, 144, 1–98.
Schwartz, A. (1975). Variation in the Antillean boid snake Tropidophis haetianus Cope. Journal Herpetology, 9(3), 303–311.
Schwartz, A. (1978). Some aspects of the herpetogeography of the West Indies. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Special Publication, 13, 31–51.
Schwartz, A. (1980). The herpetogeography of Hispaniola, West Indies. Studies of the Fauna of Curaçao and Other Caribbean Islands, 189, 86–127.
Schwartz, A. & Henderson, R. W. (1991). Amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies. Descriptions, distributions, and natural history. University of Florida Press.
Schwartz, A. & Marsh, R. J. (1960). A review of the pardalis-maculatus complex of the boid genus Tropidophis of the West Indies. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 123(2), 49–84.
Stull, O. G. (1928). A revision of the genus Tropidophis. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, Univiversity of Michigan, 195, 1–49 + 3 figs.
Tolson, P. J. (1987). Phylogenetics of the boid snake genus Epicrates and Caribbean vicariance theory. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan, 715, 1–68.
Uetz, P., Freed, P., & Hošek, J. (2022). The Reptile Database. Available: http://www. reptiledatabase.org, (accessed: august 4, 2022).
Viñola-López, L. W. & Almonte, J. N. (2022). Revision of the fossil land tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) from Hispaniola with the description of a new species, Dominican Republic. Novitates Caribaea, (20), 11–29. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi20.302
Cochran, D. M. (1941). The herpetology of Hispaniola. Bulletin of the Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum.
Cocteau, J. T. & Bibron, G. (1843). Reptiles. In R. Sagra (Ed.) De la, Historia Física, Política y Natural de la Isla de Cuba. Tomo IV. Reptiles y Peces. Segunda parte (pp. 1–142). Arthus Bertrand.
Curcio, F. F., Sales Nunes, P. M., Suzard Argolo, A. J., Skuk, G., & Trefaut Rodrigues, M. (2012). Taxonomy of the South American dwarf boas of the genus Tropidophis Bibron, 1840, with the description of two new species from the Atlantic forest (Serpentes: Tropidophiidae). Herpetological Monographs, 2012(26), 80–121.
Díaz, L. M. & Cádiz, A. (2020). A new species of Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) and molecular phylogeny of the Cuban radiation of the genus. Novitates Caribaea, (16), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi16.222
Domínguez, M., Moreno, L. V., & Sánchez, M. (2005). Tropidophis wrighti (NCN). Size record. Herpetological Review, 36(2), 197.
Hedges, S. B. (2002). Morphological variation and the definition of species in the snake genus Tropidophis (Serpentes, Tropidophiidae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum [London], Zoology Series, 68(2), 83–90.
Hedges, S. B. (2022). CaribHerp. West Indian amphibians and reptiles. Retrieved August 4, 2022, from http://www.caribherp.org/
Hedges, S. B., Estrada, A. R., & Díaz, L. M. (1999). New snake (Tropidophis) from Western Cuba. Copeia, 1999(2), 376–381.
Hedges, S. B. & Garrido, O. H. (1992). A new species of Tropidophis from Cuba (Serpentes: Tropidophiidae). Copeia, 3, 820–825. https://doi.org/10.2307/1446158
Hedges, S. B. & Garrido, O. H. (1999). A new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae) from central Cuba. Journal of Herpetology, 33(3), 436–441.
Hedges, S. B. & Garrido, O. H. (2002). A new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae) from eastern Cuba. Journal of Herpetology, 36(2), 157–161.
Hedges, S. B., Hass, C. A., & Maugel, T. K. (1989). Physiological colour change in snakes. Journal of Herpetology, 23, 450–455.
Hedges, S. B., Powell, R., Henderson R. W., Hanson S., & Murphy J. C. (2019). Definition of the Caribbean Islands biogeographic region, with checklist and recommendations for standardized common names of amphibians and reptiles. Caribbean Herpetology, 67, 1–53. https://doi.org/10.31611/ch.67
Henderson, R. W., Inchaustegui, S., & Landestoy T., M. A. (2021). Tropidophis haetianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T75606510A75608024. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T75606510A75608024.en
Henderson, R. W., Noeske-Hallin, T. A., Ottenwalder, J. A., & Schwartz, A. (1987). On the diet of the boa Epicrates striatus on Hispaniola, with notes on E. fordi and E. gracilis. Amphibia-Reptilia, 8(3), 251–258.
Henderson, R. W. & Powell, R. (2009). Natural history of West Indian amphibians and reptiles. University Press of Florida.
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2022). Peltophryne armata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T172817035A172817040. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T172817035A172817040.en
Landestoy T., M. A., Reynolds, R. G., & Henderson, R. W. (2021). A small new arboreal species of West Indian boa (Boidae; Chilabothrus) from southern Hispaniola. Breviora, 571, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3099/MCZ67.1
Landestoy T., M. A., Schools, M., & Hedges, S. B. (2022). A new genus and species of Caribbean forest lizard (Diploglossidae; Celestinae) from southern Hispaniola. Zootaxa, 5219(3), 201–226. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5219.3.1
Landestoy T., M. A., Turner, D. B., Marion, A. B., & Hedges, S. B. (2018). A new species of Caribbean toad (Bufonidae, Peltophryne) from southern Hispaniola. Zootaxa, 4403(3), 523–539.
Lillywhite, H. B. & Henderson, R. W. (1993). Behavioral and functional ecology of arboreal snakes. In R. A. Seigel and J. T. Collins, (Eds.) Pp. 1–48. Snakes: ecology and behavior. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Inc.
Pizzatto, L., Almeida-Santos, S. M., & Shine, R. (2007). Life-history adaptations to arboreality in snakes. Ecology, 88, 359–366.
Rehak, I. (1987). Color change in the snake Tropidophis feicki (Reptilia: Squamata: Tropidophiidae). Vestník Ceskoslovenské spolecnosti zoologické, 51, 300–303.
Reynolds, R. G., Collar, D. C., Pasachnik, S. A., Niemiller, M. L., Puente-Rolón, A. R., & Revell, L. J. (2016). Ecological specialization and morphological diversification in Greater Antillean boas. Evolution, 70, 1882–1895.
Rodríguez-Cabrera, T. M., Marrero, R., & Torres, J. (2016). An overview of the past, present, and future of the Cuban Boa, Chilabothrus angulifer (Squamata: Boidae): A top terrestrial predator on an oceanic island. Reptiles & Amphibians, 23(3), 152–168.
Rodríguez-Cabrera, T. M., Saval, E. M., Navarro, R. A., Piggot, J. Q., Rodríguez-González, A. M., & Torres, J. (2021). Giant dwarfs: very large giant tropes Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), and new maximum size records for the species. Reptiles & Amphibians, 28(3), 404–410.
Rodríguez-Cabrera, T. M. & Torres, J. (2020). New dietary records for three Cuban snakes in the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae), with comments on possible niche partitioning by Cuban tropes. Reptiles & Amphibians, 27(2), 201–208.
Rodríguez-Robles, J. A., Greene, H. W., Powell, R., & Henderson, R. W. (1996). Ecological patterns in Greater Antillean macrostomatan snake assemblages, with comments on body-size evolution in Epicrates (Boidae). Contributions to West Indian herpetology: a tribute to Albert Schwartz. Contributions to herpetology, 12, 339–357.
Rodríguez-Schettino, L., Mancina, C. A., & Rivalta-González, V. (2013). Reptiles of Cuba: checklist and geographic distributions. Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service, 144, 1–98.
Schwartz, A. (1975). Variation in the Antillean boid snake Tropidophis haetianus Cope. Journal Herpetology, 9(3), 303–311.
Schwartz, A. (1978). Some aspects of the herpetogeography of the West Indies. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Special Publication, 13, 31–51.
Schwartz, A. (1980). The herpetogeography of Hispaniola, West Indies. Studies of the Fauna of Curaçao and Other Caribbean Islands, 189, 86–127.
Schwartz, A. & Henderson, R. W. (1991). Amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies. Descriptions, distributions, and natural history. University of Florida Press.
Schwartz, A. & Marsh, R. J. (1960). A review of the pardalis-maculatus complex of the boid genus Tropidophis of the West Indies. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 123(2), 49–84.
Stull, O. G. (1928). A revision of the genus Tropidophis. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, Univiversity of Michigan, 195, 1–49 + 3 figs.
Tolson, P. J. (1987). Phylogenetics of the boid snake genus Epicrates and Caribbean vicariance theory. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan, 715, 1–68.
Uetz, P., Freed, P., & Hošek, J. (2022). The Reptile Database. Available: http://www. reptiledatabase.org, (accessed: august 4, 2022).
Viñola-López, L. W. & Almonte, J. N. (2022). Revision of the fossil land tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) from Hispaniola with the description of a new species, Dominican Republic. Novitates Caribaea, (20), 11–29. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi20.302
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Landestoy T., M. A. (2023). A remarkable new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) from southern Hispaniola. Novitates Caribaea, (21), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi21.323
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