Taxonomic revision of Bothrops mattogrossensis Amaral, 1925 (Serpentes, Crotalinae), based on morphological and molecular data

• Grant number: 25/05668-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Gobbi Grazziotin
• Grantee: Guilherme de Oliveira Andrade
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/12660-4 - Recovering, modernizing and expanding the collection of herpetology at Butantan Institute through integrative studies on systematics and evolution of neotropical snakes, AP.BTA.JP

Abstract

Bothrops mattogrossensis is a viper belonging to the neuwiedi group (speckled pit vipers), with a broad distribution across the South American dry diagonal, mainly found in the humid regions of the Pantanal and the Cerrado of central Brazil. The complexity of diversification patterns and the overlap of informative characters among the neuwiedi group representatives make it difficult to obtain concise diagnoses for most species. This difficulty in defining species boundaries is more evident in the case of B. mattogrossensis, indicating the need for a taxonomic revision. This project aims to revise B. mattogrossensis, integrating multiple lines of evidence. Morphometric, meristic characters, as well as pattern and coloration traits, will be analyzed alongside molecular evidence obtained through sequencing of mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, cytb, nd4) and nuclear genes (bdnf, nt3, and c-mos). These data will be statistically analyzed to understand population structure and propose adequate diagnoses. Additionally, the study will seek to evaluate the existence of undescribed species and the validity of the taxa associated with B. mattogrossensis.