Tomodon dorsatus Dumeril , Bibron & Dumeril , 1854

enezes, Frederico de Alcantara, Abegg, Arthur Diesel, Silva, Bruno Rocha da, ranco, Francisco Luis & Feio, Renato Neves, 2018, Composition and natural history of the snakes from the Parque Estadual da Serra do Papagaio, southern Minas Gerais, Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil, ZooKeys 797, pp. 117-160 : 117

Tomodon dorsatus Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854 Figure 4G

Natural history notes.

Species of medium size (n = 2), diurnal and terrestrial ( Marques et al. 2001). Two individuals were found in forested areas during the day, one active at 12:30 h and the other a recently road-kill found at 10:30 h. These records were observed in September and October. We found no data on diet or reproduction of the examined specimens. Prior literature accounts suggest feeding exclusively on slugs. The reproductive cycle is seasonal, with births occurring from January to June ( Bizerra et al. 2005). We observed the following defensive behaviors for T. dorsatus : cloacal discharge, head triangulation, body flattening, strike and biting.

Altitudinal variation.

This species is found at a minimum of sea level from the coast of Rio Grande do Sul to Rio de Janeiro, and a maximum of 1610 m a.s.l. in Campos do Jordão, SP ( Bérnils 2009). We contribute a new maximum altitudinal record for our study area, where an individual was observed at 1730 m a.s.l., in Baependi, MG.

Distribution and habitat.

Central-west, southeast and southern Brazil (Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo), Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay ( Bérnils 2009, Wallach et al. 2014). This species is common in the Atlantic forest areas, with some records to open adjacent areas ( Bérnils 2009).