Clelia quimi Franco, Marquez and Puorto 1997

Scott Jr., Norman J., Giraudo, Alejandro R., Scrocchi, Gustavo, Aquino, Aida Luz, Cacciali, Pier & Motte, Martha, 2006, The Genera Boiruna And Clelia (Serpentes: Pseudoboini) In Paraguay And Argentina, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 46 (9), pp. 77-105 : 93-94

Clelia quimi Franco, Marquez and Puorto 1997

Clelia bicolor (part.); Aquino et al., 1996: Departamento Itapúa, Paraguay

Clelia quimi Franco, Marques, y Puorto, 1997: Type locality: Itu, São Paulo, Brazil

Clelia quimi ; Giraudo, 1999: Posadas, Misiones Province, Argentina

Clelia quimi ; Giraudo & Scrocchi, 2002: Argentina

Clelia quimi ; Giraudo, 2002: Northeastern Argentina

Clelia quimi ; Giraudo & Arzamendia, 2004: Río Paraná drainage, Argentina

Taxonomic History – Clelia quimi was described from southern Brazil ( Franco et al., 1997). In the past, populations of this species have been confused with C. bicolor .

Diagnosis – The low number of ventrals (186-205) distinguishes C. quimi from B. maculata and C. plumbea (Appendix 4, Fig. 4). It seems to invariably have 8 supralabials on each side, in contrast to B. maculata , C. clelia , C. plumbea , and C. rustica , which usually have 7 ( Franco et al., 1997; Appendix 1). It is a medium-sized species (maximum total length 1277 mm; Fig. 3, Franco et al., 1997).

Clelia quimi is most similar to C. bicolor in size, color, and squamation; it differs in having a higher number of ventrals (186-205 vs. 165-177) and in details of coloration. The line of demarcation on the sides of the head between the dark dorsal color and the light ventral color is sharp and distinct on the dorsal border of the supralabials in C. bicolor ; in C. quimi the dorsal color fades gradually, continuing as a dusky color over the entire supralabial ( Franco et al., 1997).

Description – Clelia quimi is a medium-sized species; our four specimens were 370-955 in total length ( Fig. 3), although Franco et al. (1997) had a specimen 1277 mm long. Clelia quimi has a relatively low number of ventrals (186-205) and subcaudals (60-74) (Appendix 4, Fig. 4). Clelia quimi has 8 supralabials on each side of the head (Appendix 1). The loreal is like the stereotypic colubrid pattern in size and position, contacting 2 supralabials (Appendix 3).

The hemipenis of C. quimi is illustrated in Franco et al. (1997) and Zaher (1999). It most resembles the hemipenes of C. bicolor and C. rustica ; all three species have more than one pair of enlarged intrasulcal spines (Appendix 2).

Except for the differences in the color pattern on the side of the head described in the Diagnosis, adult C. quimi are colored very much like C. bicolor . The dorsal dark stripe is 9 scale rows wide, the paler (pink?) sides are reticulate and the venter is clear. Indications of a pale collar may persist, especially on the sides of the neck. The large, irregular white patches found in some other pseudoboines have not been seen in C. quimi .

The coloration of a live specimen described as “adult” by Franco et al. (1997) is probably a large juvenile (total length 480 mm). It had a dark head and vertebral stripe 7 scale rows wide, with scarlet sides of the body and a white venter. The supralabials were paler than the head dorsum.

The coloration of live hatchlings has not been published. Franco et al. (1997) described a color pattern of a preserved juvenile that was very similar to that of C. bicolor and B. maculata ; consisting of a dark head, a light nape band interrupted dorsally, a dark dorsal stripe, and pink (red?) sides. These authors did not mention the ventral color.

Distribution – Giraudo (1999) recorded the first specimen known from our area, from Posadas, Misiones Province, Argentina. The two specimens in the MNHNP from Departamento Itapúa are the first records from Paraguay. The two localities are on the upper Parana River in wet Atlantic forest ( Fig. 9).