Descripción
An update commented list of the snake genus Apostolepis from
South America, with keys for identification of the species. They are fossorial
snakes that present different coloration according their distribution: (a) 7 to
3 dark stripes coloration, without light nuchal collar (if present, vestigial),
with snout not projected beyond jaws - in Amazonian and enclaves within
Caatinga domain; (b) 5 dark striped dorsal pattern, snout projected, usually
without white nuchal collars — from region of contact between Cerrado and Chaco
domains; (c) dorsal pattern coloration uniformly red, with nucho-cervical
collars, snout usually projected — in Cerrado with dispersion to Chaco and
Caatinga; (d) 2 or none dark stripes dorsally, venter immaculate or with black
blotches, snout projecting: (e) an aberrant pattern with oblique black dorsal
stripes, without collars, head black and snout projecting — one species in an
enclave within Caatinga, with 17 rows of scales instead of 15.
De Lema, T. (2001). Fossorial snake genus Apostolepis from South America (Serpentes: colubridae: elapomorphinae). Cuadernos de Herpetología, 15 (1), pp. 29-43
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