Chance, luck and a fortunate finding: a new species of watersnake of the genus Helicops Wagler, 1828 (Serpentes: Xenodontinae), from the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands

Author(s)

Moraes-Da-Silva, Antonio ^{[1, 2]} ; Amaro, Renata Cecilia ^[3] ; Sales Nunes, Pedro M. ^[1] ; Strussmann, Christine ^[4] ; Teixeira Junior, Mauro ^[3] ; Andrade Jr, Albedi ; Sudre, Vinicius ^{[5, 6]} ; Recoder, Renato ^[3] ; Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut ^[3] ; Curcio, Felipe Franco ^[5]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Pernambuco, Ctr Biociencias, Dept Zool, Ave Prof Moraes Rego 1235, Cidade Univ, BR-50670901 Recife, PE - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Mato Grosso, Inst Biociencias, Dept Biol & Zool, Av Fernando Correa da Costa 2367, BR-78060900 Cuiaba, Mato Grosso - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Zool, Rua Matao, Travessa 14, POB 11-461, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Mato Grosso, Ctr Biodiversidade, Inst Biociencias, Av Fernando Correa da Costa 2367, BR-78060900 Cuiaba, Mato Grosso - Brazil

^[5] Andrade Jr, Jr., Albedi, Univ Fed Mato Grosso, Inst Biociencias, Dept Biol & Zool, Av Fernando Correa da Costa 2367, BR-78060900 Cuiaba, Mato Grosso - Brazil

^[6] Andrade Jr, Jr., Albedi, Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Dept Vertebrados, Setor Herpetol, Museu Nacl, BR-20940040 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zootaxa; v. 4651, n. 3, p. 445-470, AUG 6 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

We describe a new watersnake of the genus Helicops based on a single specimen found in the northern limit of the Brazilian Pantanal. Immediately after collection, the unique features of color pattern and head proportions prevented us to attribute this specimen to any other congener. Further comparisons revealed that the combination of entire nasal scales, a distinctively acuminate snout, high dorsal and supralabial counts, as well as a dorsal pattern with chain-like spot rows and a venter with vivid and peculiar orange markings confirmed that the specimen represented a new species. Molecular data supported our morphological conclusion recovering the new species deeply nested within Helicops terminals, sister to a clade composed by H. carinicaudus and H. nentur. Our discovery represents a rare instance of a snake species restricted to the Brazilian Pantanal, but we refrain from considering it a Pantanal endemic until further records allow more considerations on distributional patterns. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/50146-6 - Comparative phylogeography, phylogeny, paleoclimate modeling, and taxonomy of neotropical reptiles and amphibians
• Grantee: Miguel Trefaut Urbano Rodrigues
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants