Leptophis haileyi, Murphy, John C., Charles, Stevland P., Lehtinen, Richard M. & Koeller, Krista L., 2013

Murphy, John C., Charles, Stevland P., Lehtinen, Richard M. & Koeller, Krista L., 2013, A molecular and morphological characterization of Oliver’s parrot snake, Leptophis coeruleodorsus (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae) with the description of a new species from Tobago, Zootaxa 3718 (6), pp. 561-574 : 569-570

Leptophis haileyi sp. nov. Murphy, Charles, Lehtinen, & Koeller

Fig. 3 c, d

Holotype. CAS 245313, male, 857 mm SVL, 549 mm tail; collected by P.G. Frank, P.A. Frank, and R. Lawson in 2006 on Tobago near Roxborough at 11º 15′ 05.8″N, 60º 34′ 04.7″W.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Adrian Hailey, the University of the West Indies for his contributions to the herpetology of Trinidad and Tobago.

Diagnosis. The only Tobago Leptophis to have a subacuminate snout in profile; the rostral barely visible from above; primary temporal in contact with three or four upper labials, including the last; prefrontal long (1.7 x the length of the internasal). Tobago L. coeruleodorsus prefrontal 1.3–1.5x the length of the internasal. All L. coeruleodorsus examined have two upper labials contacting primary temporal with last upper labial excluded from contact with primary temporal. In L. haileyi sp. nov., the last upper labial makes narrow contact with the primary temporal on both sides. L. haileyi sp. nov. has longitudinal dorsolateral stripes on the anterior body scale rows 2–4; nine upper labials, 2–3–4 at the loreal-prefrontal shield, 5–6 in the orbit; 5/4 lower labials at the first pair of chin shields, L. coeruleodorsus on Tobago has eight upper labials with 2–3 contacting the loreal-prefrontal shield, and 4+ 5 in the orbit. This species can also be distinguished from L. coeruleodorsus by its domed snout (prefrontal – internasal area), its relatively high ventral count (173), and proportionally shorter tail. The male holotype has a tail: SVL ratio (0.64) and a subcaudal count (166) that falls within the range of L. coeruleodorsus females.

Description of Holotype: Rostral barely visible from above, broader than tall, separates nasals; internasals, prefrontals quadrangular, prefrontals elongated; frontal pentagonal, slightly constricted in middle, greater in length than the internasal-prefrontal seam and parietal seam; internasal seam about 0.58 of prefrontal seam; parietals broad, contact upper postocular; nasals bordered by rostral anteriorly, the internasals dorsally, loreal-prefrontal shield posteriorly, upper labials one and two ventrally; nares directed laterally located in the center of nasal; preocular contacts loreal-prefrontal shield but not frontal; supraocular slightly shorter than frontal, does not extend past the anterior border of the frontal, posterior edge very round; only upper postocular contacts parietal, lower postocular contacts primary temporal; upper labials nine, first two contact nasal, 3–4 contact loreal-prefrontal shield, 4–5 in orbit, 7–8–9 contact primary temporal on left and 6–7–8–9 contact the primary temporal on right; fifth upper labial tallest, longest is nine; lower labials 10/10, first 5/4 contact first pair of chin shields; dorsal scales 15–15–11 rows; scale rows above second keeled.; ventrals 173, subcaudals 166, tail tip does not appear damaged.

In alcohol first two scale rows at midbody (three scales on anterior body) light cream; next three to four rows solid blue-gray above, most scales in vertebral row same color with an occasional scale bright blue (probably green in life); light coloration of the venter extends onto the chin and upper labials; exception dark blue from face intrudes onto upper portion of first four labials.

Distribution. This species is currently known from a single specimen from the northeast portion of Tobago. Figure 4 shows the vegetation near the type locality for this species, in the vicinity of Roxborough.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Known localities of Leptophis coeruleodorsus from Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela are the white markers. The type locality for Leptophis haileyi is the green marker.

FIGURE 3. A comparison of Leptophis coeruleodorsus (CAS 231717 from Trinidad) profile and crown (A & B) with Leptophis haileyi sp. nov. (CAS 245313) profile and crown (C & D). Because Trinidad L. coeruleodorsus can have nine upper labials (a trait we have not found present in the Tobago population), this figure compares L. haileyi sp. nov. with a specimen of L. coeruleodorsus with nine upper labials.