Leptophis Explained

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]

Classification

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]

Description

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

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

• Leptophis ahaetulla – giant parrot snake^[4]
• Leptophis bocourti ^[5]
• Leptophis bolivianus ^[6]
• Leptophis coeruleodorsus – Oliver's parrot snake^[7]
• Leptophis cupreus – copper parrot snake^[8]
• Leptophis depressirostris – Cope's parrot snake^[9]
• Leptophis dibernardoi ^[10]
• Leptophis diplotropis - Pacific Coast parrot snake^[11]
  • Leptophis diplotropis diplotropis
  • Leptophis diplotropis forreri
• Leptophis liocercus ^[12]
• Leptophis marginatus ^[13]
• Leptophis mexicanus – Mexican parrot snake^[14]
  • Leptophis mexicanus hoeversi
  • Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus
  • Leptophis mexicanus septentrionalis
  • Leptophis mexicanus yucatanensis
• Leptophis modestus – cloud forest parrot snake^[15]
• Leptophis nebulosus – Oliver's parrot snake^[16]
• Leptophis nigromarginatus - black-skinned parrot snake^[17]
• Leptophis occidentalis ^[18]
• Leptophis praestans ^[19]
• Leptophis riveti – Despax's parrot snake^[20]
• Leptophis stimsoni – Trinidad upland parrot snake^[21]
• Leptophis urostictus (^[22]

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.

Further reading

• Bell T (1825). "On Leptophina, a group of Serpents comprising the Genus Dryinus of Merrem, and a newly formed Genus proposed to be named Leptophis ". Zoological Journal 2: 322–329. (Leptophis, new genus, pp. 328–329.)
• https://serpientesdevenezuela.org/leptophis-ahaetulla/
• https://serpientesdevenezuela.org/leptophis-coeruleodorsus/

Notes and References

1. Taxonomic revision of the parrot snake Leptophis ahaetulla. (Serpentes, Colubridae) . 10.11646/zootaxa.5153.1.1 . 2022 . De Albuquerque . Nelson Rufino . Fernandes . Daniel S. . Zootaxa . 5153 . 1 . 1–69 . 36095641 . 249561990 .
2. Torres-Carvajal . Omar . Terán . Claudia . Molecular phylogeny of Neotropical Parrot Snakes (Serpentes: Colubrinae: Leptophis) supports underestimated species richness . . 2021 . 164 . 107267 . 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107267 . 34293395 .
3. [George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger GA]
4. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis ahaetulla (LINNAEUS, 1758). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
5. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis bocourti (BOULENGER, 1898). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
6. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis bolivianus (OLIVER, 1942). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
7. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis coeruleodorsus (OLIVER, 1942). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
8. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis cupreus (COPE, 1868). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
9. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis depressirostris (COPE, 1861). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
10. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis dibernardoi (ALBUQUERQUE, SANTOS, BORGES-NOJOSA & ÁVILA, 2022). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
11. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis diplotropis (GÜNTHER, 1872). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
12. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis liocercus (WIED, 1824). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
13. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis marginatus (COPE, 1862). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
14. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis mexicanus (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
15. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis modestus (GÜNTHER, 1872). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
16. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis nebulosus (OLIVER, 1942). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
17. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis nigromarginatus (GÜNTHER, 1866). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
18. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis occidentalis (GÜNTHER, 1859). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
19. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis praestans (COPE, 1868). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
20. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis riveti (DESPAX, 1910). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
21. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis stimsoni (HARDING, 1995). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.
22. Web site: Peter Uetz. Jakob Hallermann. Leptophis urostictus (PETERS, 1873). Reptile Database. 2022. October 6, 2022.