A cryptic palm-pitviper species (Squamata: Viperidae: Bothriechis) from the Costa Rican highlands, with notes on the variation within B. nigroviridis.

Middle America is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, harboring an exceptional number of rare and endemic species. This is especially true of Middle American cloud forests, where montane specialists occupy restricted, high-elevation ranges making them attractive candidates for investigating historical biogeography and speciation. One such highland-restricted species, the black speckled palm-pitviper (Bothriechis nigroviridis), occupies the Central, Tilarán, and Talamanca Cordilleras in Costa Rica and Panama. In this study, we investigate the genetic and morphological variation among populations of B. nigroviridis by inferring a multilocus phylogeny (21 individuals) and analyzing meristic scale characters with a principal component analysis (64 individuals). We find B. nigroviridis sensu stricto to be composed of two deeply divergent lineages, one with a restricted range in the northern and central Cordillera Talamanca and the other ranging throughout the Central, Tilarán, and Talamanca Cordilleras. Furthermore, these two lineages are morphologically distinct, with previously unrecognized differences in several characters allowing us to name and diagnose a new species B. nubestris sp. nov. We also examine the genetic and morphological variation within B. nigroviridis and discuss biogeographic hypotheses that may have led to the diversification of Bothriechis lineages.

Snake venomics across genus Lachesis. Ontogenetic changes in the venom composition of Lachesis stenophrys and comparative proteomics of the venoms of adult Lachesis melanocephala and Lachesis acrochorda.

We report the proteomic analysis of ontogenetic changes in venom composition of the Central American bushmaster, Lachesis stenophrys, and the characterization of the venom proteomes of two congeneric pitvipers, Lachesis melanocephala (black-headed bushmaster) and Lachesis acrochorda (Chochoan bushmaster). Along with the previous characterization of the venom proteome of Lachesis muta muta (from Bolivia), our present outcome enables a comparative overview of the composition and distribution of the toxic proteins across genus Lachesis. Comparative venomics revealed the close kinship of Central American L. stenophrys and L. melanocephala and support the elevation of L. acrochorda to species status. Major ontogenetic changes in the toxin composition of L. stenophrys venom involves quantitative changes in the concentration of vasoactive peptides and serine proteinases, which steadily decrease from birth to adulthood, and age-dependent de novo biosynthesis of Gal-lectin and snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs). The net result is a shift from a bradykinin-potentiating and C-type natriuretic peptide (BPP/C-NP)-rich and serine proteinase-rich venom in newborns and 2-years-old juveniles to a (PI>PIII) SVMP-rich venom in adults. Notwithstanding minor qualitative and quantitative differences, the venom arsenals of L. melanocephala and L. acrochorda are broadly similar between themselves and also closely mirror those of adult L. stenophrys and L. muta venoms. The high conservation of the overall composition of Central and South American bushmaster venoms provides the ground for rationalizing the "Lachesis syndrome", characterized by vagal syntomatology, sensorial disorders, hematologic, and cardiovascular manifestations, documented in envenomings by different species of this wide-ranging genus. This finding let us predict that monospecific Lachesic antivenoms may exhibit paraspecificity against all congeneric species.

História natural das serpentes da região de Munhoz, sul de Minas Gerais, Serra da Mantiqueira / Natural History of the snakes from the Munhoz region, south of Minas Gerais, Serra da Mantiqueira

Pouco se sabe sobre a herpetofauna das regioes mais elevadas da Serra da Mantiqueira, uma das porcoes mais altas e acidentadas do territorio brasileiro. Este estudo foi desenvolvido em uma area ao sul de Minas Gerais , na Serra da Mantiqueira, região com predominio das florestas Ombrofilas Mistas ( Floresta de Araucarias) e Campos de Altitude.Foram estudados aspectos biologicos e cologicos de uma comunidade de serpentes, caracterizando a riqueza, a abundancia e o uso do ambiente, alem da historia natural das especies por meio da caracterizacao do ciclo e das estrategias reprodutivas reprodutivas, padroes de atividade, comportamento, dieta, e analises de morfometria de adultos e filhotes. ...

Little is know about the snakes populaion in the higher elevations of the Serra da Mantiqueira, one of the higgest and most rugged portion in Brazilian territory. This study was conducted in the Serra da Mantiqueira, south of Minas Gerais in an area dominated by Atlantic Forest and altitude grasslands. The study show biological and ecological aspects within community of snakes by analizing the richness, the abundance, as how the environment was used and into the natural history of species thought characterization of reproductive strategies, activity patterns, behaviour, diet and morphometric analyses of young and adult snakes. ..

Does gestation or feeding affect the body temperature of the golden lancehead, Bothrops insularis (Squamata: Viperidae)under field conditions?

Temperature affects physiological performance in reptiles and, therefore, body temperature (Tb) control isargued to have an important adaptive value. Alterations in Tb due to transient changes in physiological state, as duringdigestion or gestation, are often linked to the potential benefits of a more precise Tb regulation. However, such thermoregulatory responses in nature remain controversial, particularly for tropical snakes. Herein, we measured Tb of the golden lanceheads, Bothrops insularis (Amaral, 1921), at Queimada Grande Island, southeastern Brazil, to test for alteration in selected body temperatures associated with feeding or gestation. We found no evidence that postprandial or gravid snakes selected for higher Tb indicating that, under natural conditions, body temperature regulation in B. insularis apparently encompasses other ecological factors beyond physiological state per se.

Tail Luring by the Golden Lancehead (Bothrops insularis), an Island EndemicSnake from South-Eastern Brazil

Herein, we report on direct and indirect evidence of tail luring by the golden lancehead, Bothrops insularis (Viperidae), a threatened snake species endemic to a small island off the coast of South-eastern Brazil. Tail luring was recorded for a juvenile male in nature and circumstantial evidence indicates that it was directed to ectothermic prey. Indeed, B. insularis juveniles feed on small lizards and frogs and tail luring is probably an important hunting strategy of this species. Adult golden lanceheads prey mostly on birds. A frequently seen characteristic ambush posture, coiled with the conspicuous tail tip exposed close to the head, indicates that they use tail luring as well. Lured birds may peck at a snake's tail, and the high frequency of tail tip injuries in B. insularis (20.9%) compared to a continental sister species that rarely preys on birds (B. jararaca, 7.3%) strengthens the view that B. insularis adults lure birds.