Oxybelis fulgidus ( Daudin, 1803 )

Rivas, Luis R., Rey-Ortíz, Gustavo, Eversole, Cord B., Powell, Randy L., Navarro-Cornejo, Gonzalo, Cortez, Edson, Ocampo, Mauricio, Callapa, Gabriel & Muñoz, Arturo, 2024, Vine snakes (Oxybelis) and Sharpnose snakes (Xenoxybelis) (Squamata, Serpentes) from lowlands of Bolivia, with first records of Oxybelis inkaterra for the country, Herpetozoa 37, pp. 201-211 : 201-211

Oxybelis fulgidus ( Daudin, 1803)

Fig. 1 C, D

Specimens examined.

One adult female ( CIRAH - 929) collected at 1145 h on 24 June 2022 from Buen Retiro community. One adult male ( MNKR - 2120) collected on 01 March 1999 from Ixiamas, Barraca, Santa Rosa, Río Manurimi. One adult ( CBF - 0223) collected on 10 July 1986 from Guanay. One adult male ( CBF - 0437) collected on 02 June 1990 from La Asunta. One adult ( CBF - 2345) collected on 31 January 2007 from Chalalán, Parque Nacional y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Madidi (PNyANMI Madidi). One adult male ( CBF - 0866) collected on 07 October 1995 from San Antonio (Table 1 , Fig. 3 ).

Morphometric and meristic characters.

Snout-vent length 969–1322 mm (adults, n = 6). Tail length 531–587 mm (n = 6). Smooth dorsal scales 17-17 - 13 rows (100 %), vertebral and paravertebrals keeled, without apical pits. Ventral scales 202–220 (x ̅ = 211). Subcaudal scales 145–156 (x ̅ = 152). Divided cloacal plate (100 %). Loreal absent (100 %). Preocular 1 (100 %). Postoculars 2 (100 %). Temporals 1 + 2 (100 %). Supralabials 9–10 (10 / 10 in 83 % of specimens and 9 / 9 in 17 %); fifth, sixth and seventh contact the orbit (83 %) and fifth and sixth contact the orbit (17 %). Infralabials 10 (100 %); the first four contact the first pair of chin shields (100 %) (Table 2 ); and fourth, fifth and sixth in contact with the second pair of chin shields.

Coloration pattern.

Upper region of the head green; supralabials and ventral surface of head yellowish green, the color transition is not separated by any line; it is evident from the rostral to the last supralabial. Dorsal surface of body uniform green; yellowish-green ventral surface with two yellow ventrolateral lines extending from the throat to the tail (Fig. 1 C, D ).

Ecological notes.

The specimen CIRAH - 929 was found capturing a bird in the crown of a pacay tree ( Inga sp. ) at an approximate height of 5.5 m from the ground. Found in a rural village, typical of Amazonian Bolivia, surrounded by secondary Amazonian forest where the harvesting of Brazilian nuts ( Bertholletia excelsa ) and the açaí palm ( Euterpe oleracea ) are common.

Figures

Figure 1. Vine snakes from Bolivia. A, B. Dorsal (CIRAH - 408) and ventral (CIRAH - 290) view Oxybelis aeneus, Totaizal community, Yacuma, Beni; C, D. Dorsal and ventral view Oxybelis fulgidus (CIRAH - 929), Buen Retiro community, Vaca Diez, Beni. Photos by Cord Eversole (A – D).

Figure 3. Distribution of the vine snakes in Bolivia. Oxybelis aeneus (points), Oxybelis fulgidus (triangles), and Oxybelis inkaterra (blue stars, first records). Red symbols correspond to additional records.