NAME: Terrece Marshall ID#: 810003787 COURSE: BIOL 3662 -Evolution & Biosystematics TITLE: Theory coursework exercise

DATE: 28th March 2013

SUBJECT- SPIDER: . Genus: Cryophis . Source: American Museum Novitates (2162): 1-15,1961 . http://digitallibrary.amnh,org/dspace/handle/2246/9 . Author (s): Bogert et al.

CRYOPHIS, New species Name: Cryophis noctuvorusae Etymology: The name is derived from its feeding and functional behaviour. Its main source of nutrients is live mammals such as small birds and rodents. It is most active at night when most rodents are active and birds inactive. Holotype No. 79007a ((a)female, (b)male) in the collection of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, taken 12 kilometres south of Cerro Navia , at an elevation of 1865 meters, at the northern periphery of the Sierra de Ju'arez, Distrito de Ixtlan, Oaxaca, Mexico, by Terrece J. Marshall on January 15, 2012. On site it appeared to be of the Cryophis hallbergi but on further and more detailed observations, its undefined features resulted in exclusion and hence was recorded as a new species. Paratype In the mountain ranges, 4 km from Trinidad de Viguera about 6km from the city of Oaxaca, another of the species was collected by a young herpetologist, Gregory Dimoh on the last of his three year study on nocturnal reptiles in the area. Recorded is another female of just below 30cm in length possibly of at most 3-4 months based on its small size. One other male was collected near San Felipe de Agua, 6km from Oaxaca.

Distribution The holotype was found in the cloud forest of the mountain ranges south of Cerro Navia. Climate is similar to that of the tropics, at a latitude of about 16. Monthly lows and highs are typically 18 C (64 F) and 45 C (113 F), averaging 30 C (86 F), with little variation from month to month. The region is generally arid along the coast with more rainfall in the nearby mountains. Most guidebooks say that the rainy season runs from May to October, but in recent years, the length of the rainy season has declined so that July to October is more accurate. September is usually the rainiest month. Amounts vary from year to year and most of the rainfall occurs on a relatively few days. Just because it is the rainy season does not mean it will be raining though; it just means it can rain. A typical day in the rainy season would be a clear morning, clouding up in the afternoon, with thunder heard in the nearby mountains. In this hot climate, the afternoon clouds can be quite welcome. This particular female was found while in the act of feeding, just above 3m up a Cochlospermum vitifolium. Both paratypes were of the same locality with no other recording of the species in distal areas. This occurrence may be a result of the species feeding habit and reproductive cycle which are both still under investigation with a strong belief based on observed behaviour, that both are related. Diagnosis The bifurcated sulcus, the keeled dorsal scales without pits (Fig.4), 19 or more maxillary teeth (Fig.11) that are progressively shorter and stouter toward the rear of the bone where a diastema separate them from two enlarged but ungrooved teeth, and a feebly elliptical pupil readily distinguish snakes of the genus Cryophis from all members of the genus Leptodeira Fitzinger, 1843, in which the sulcus is undivided, paired apical pits are present on the smooth dorsal scales, there are 18 or fewer maxillary teeth, subequal or progressively larger toward the rear of the bone where the diastema separates them from a pair of enlarged grooved fangs, and the pupil is strongly elliptical. Cryophis may be as closely related to Tantalophis Duellman which it resembles in having the sulcus bifurcated, posterior maxillary

teeth lacking grooves, and a feebly elliptical pupil. The hemipenis is appreciably longer and bilobed in Tantalophis, however, and the single species in this genus has fewer maxillary teeth (12 to 16+2), the smallest of which are at the front of the bone, fewer rows of dorsal scales (21-19-17), and fewer supralabials (seven to eight versus nine). The mode of scale-row reduction is the same in both genera, but Tantalophis more closely resembles Leptodeira in having smooth scales with paired apical pits. Cryophis has a pattern similar to but somewhat more complex than that of Tantalophis. In view of the variations of the pattern within the genus Leptodeira (Duellman, 1 958a), this character is of little assistance in defining the affinities of the three genera. Those of the species Cryophis noctuvorusae have the common elliptical pupils but differ due to a thin lining which operates as a glare reducer being functional and visible only at night when in contact with light of low luminosity. The keeled dorsal scales of Cryophis noctuvorusae collectively have smaller alternating bands of green (army green and tea green). Discription The specimen at Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas , an adult female (fig. 5.1) has a head length of 18.5 mm., a body length of 487 mm., and a tail length of 165 mm. being 26.2 per cent of the over-all length of 629 mm usually being one quarter on average(inclusion of paratype estimate). The male specimen has a length of 640mm with a tail one fifth its body length which differentiates between sex. The body of both is relatively slender, not exceeding 12 mm at the greatest width, and tapers to 7 mm at the constriction immediately behind the head, the width of which approximates the maximum width of the body. At the base of the tail the body is 6 mm in width. The body and tail are somewhat triangular in cross section, with the flanks of the body forming a blunt apex above the vertebral column. The head shields are essentially similar to those of the least specialized colubrids. The rostral is less than twice as broad as high, slightly concave in front, and tilted ventrally so that only the upper is visible from above. The lateral edges of the rostral are in broad contact with the first supralabial on each side. The paired internasals are slightly wider than long(Fig.6); the curved lateral margin of each forms a broad suture with a nasal. The paired prefrontals are slightly wider than long and curve down and over the canthus, where they are in broad contact with the loreal. Posteriorly the prefrontals form a common suture with the flat anterior edge of a frontal. A median groove extends nearly halfway to the apex of the frontal, where it projects between the anterior ends of the paired parietals. An irregular, suture-like groove extends across the common suture of the parietals, producing, in effect, a small scale on the right intercalated between the two shields, with a similar, but incompletely separated, scale attached to the left parietal. The nasal is one-third longer than high and best construed as being undivided, there are three preoculars; the upper one is much larger than the others, and extends to the frontal on the left, but not on the right. The diameter of the eye is one-third greater than its distance from the mouth. The pupil is slightly elliptical (Fig.8). There are two postoculars, the larger of which reaches the parietal. The dorsal scales (Fig.9) are disposed in 25 rows on the nape, but diminish in number to 23 where the second scale row is lost (or coalesced with the third) above the fourth ventral. Posteriorly the number of scale rows is further reduced from 23 to 21 and finally to 19 anterior to the base of the tail. With exception of the scales in rows contiguous to the ventrals, the dorsal scales are keeled. There are 186 ventrals, followed by a divided anal plate and 67 pairs of subcaudals (the terminal spine is missing). The pattern is comprised of army green, white-margined blotches that alternate with tea green blotches; both the army and tea green blotches extend onto the edges of the ventrals. There is little uniformity in the shape of the blotches, but they ring the body consistently. There are 22 teeth on the right maxilla and 20 on the left, followed at the posterior extremity of each bone by a diastema and two large, slender, ungrooved teeth. The hemipenis is single and capitate while the cloaca is made of a muscular tube like invagination.

Figures Figure 5.1 shows the image of the holotype specimen, as seen at the University on display. The coloured bands can be seen as differences in shade along the bodys length. Full colour images are posted on the Museums web page at http://digitallibrary.amnh,org/dspace/handle/2246/31z. Figure 6 is a simple drawing of the internasals which gives a comparative representation with those of the prefrontal scales. Figure 8 is a drawing of the eclipsed right pupil. The black shape is easily identified posted in the bright coloured iris as labelled in the diagram. A diagram of the dorsal keeled scales is presented in Figure 9 which shows the shape of one of the collection of scales from the section indicated by the tip of the wedge drawn to the area amplified. Biological notes On cold nights, the Cryophis noctuvorusae is observed to remain dormant in borrowed holes or under a few layers of shed leaves on the forest floor. The snake usually finds a warm nest within trees and waits patiently for pray to return. Nest left unguarded are frequently invaded by the serpent where it devours small chicks which serve as easy pray. This is usually done at times during reproduction or injury to reduce risk. On invasion of small borrows or holes made by rodents, the snake releases a chemical which competitively inhibits olfactory receptors of its pray to prevent premature detection.