Leptophis is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as parrot snakes. The species within this genus are widely distributed throughout Mexico, Central and South America.[1]

Leptophis
Leptophis ahaetulla
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Colubrinae
Genus: Leptophis
Bell, 1825
Species
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Classification

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The genus Leptophis belongs to the subfamily Colubrinae, of the family Colubridae. The species relationships within Leptophis can be shown in the cladogram below, with possible paraphyletic species identified:[2]

L. depressirostris

     

L. diplotropis

     
     

L. occidentalis (Panama & Honduras) (paraphyletic)

     

L. bocourti

     

L. occidentalis (Ecuador) (paraphyletic)

     

L. ahaetulla (Guyana) (paraphyletic)

     

L. marginatus

     

L. nigromarginatus (paraphyletic)

     

L. nigromarginatus (paraphyletic)

     

L. coeruleodorsus

     

L. sp. nov.

L. ahaetulla (Brazil) (paraphyletic)

Description

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Snakes of the genus Leptophis are slender with a long tail. The body is cylindrical or slightly laterally compressed. The head is elongated and distinct from the neck. The eye is large with a round pupil. The dorsal scales are arranged in 15 rows at midbody. The maxillary teeth, which number 20–32, are in a continuous series without any interspace, and are longest posteriorly. Conversely, the mandibular teeth are longest anteriorly.[3]

Species and subspecies

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The following species and subspecies are currently recognized as being valid:

Nota bene: A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Leptophis.

References

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  1. ^ De Albuquerque, Nelson Rufino; Fernandes, Daniel S. (2022). "Taxonomic revision of the parrot snake Leptophis ahaetulla. (Serpentes, Colubridae)". Zootaxa. 5153 (1): 1–69. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5153.1.1. PMID 36095641. S2CID 249561990.
  2. ^ Torres-Carvajal, Omar; Terán, Claudia (2021). "Molecular phylogeny of Neotropical Parrot Snakes (Serpentes: Colubrinae: Leptophis) supports underestimated species richness". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 164: 107267. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107267. PMID 34293395.
  3. ^ Boulenger GA (1894). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xi 382 pp. Plates I–XX. (Leptophis, p. 105-106, Figure 10.
  4. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis ahaetulla (LINNAEUS, 1758)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  5. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis bocourti (BOULENGER, 1898)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  6. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis bolivianus (OLIVER, 1942)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  7. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis coeruleodorsus (OLIVER, 1942)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  8. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis cupreus (COPE, 1868)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  9. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis depressirostris (COPE, 1861)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  10. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis dibernardoi (ALBUQUERQUE, SANTOS, BORGES-NOJOSA & ÁVILA, 2022)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  11. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis diplotropis (GÜNTHER, 1872)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  12. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis liocercus (WIED, 1824)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  13. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis marginatus (COPE, 1862)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  14. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis mexicanus (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  15. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis modestus (GÜNTHER, 1872)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  16. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis nebulosus (OLIVER, 1942)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  17. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis nigromarginatus (GÜNTHER, 1866)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  18. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis occidentalis (GÜNTHER, 1859)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  19. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis praestans (COPE, 1868)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  20. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis riveti (DESPAX, 1910)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  21. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis stimsoni (HARDING, 1995)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  22. ^ Peter Uetz; Jakob Hallermann (2022). "Leptophis urostictus (PETERS, 1873)". Reptile Database. Retrieved 6 October 2022.

Further reading

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