Revision of The Venomous Snakes of Bolivia. Ii: The Pitvipers (Serpentes: Viperidae)

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REVISION OF THE VENOMOUS SNAKES OF BOLIVIA.

II:
THE PITVIPERS (SERPENTES: VIPERIDAE)

Authors: Harvey, Michael B., Aparicio E, James, and Gonzales A,


Lucindo
Source: Annals of Carnegie Museum, 74(1) : 1-37
Published By: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
URL: https://doi.org/10.2992/0097-4463(2005)74[1:ROTVSO]2.0.CO;2

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ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM
VOL. 74, NUMBER 1, PP. 1—37 30 MARCH 2005

REVISION OF THE VENOMOUS SNAKES OF BOLIVIA. II: THE PITVIPERS (SERPENTES: VIPERIDAE)

MICHAEL B. HARVEY
Natural Sciences Department, Broward Community College, 3501 S.W. Davie Road, Davie, FL 33314 (mharvey@broward.edu)

JAMES APARICIO E.
Colección Boliviana de Fauna, La Paz, Bolivia

LUCINDO GONZALES A.
Museo de Historia Natural “Noel Kempff Mercado,” Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

ABSTRACT

Twelve species (Bothriopsis bilineata, B. oligolepis, B. taeniata, Bothrocophias microphthalmus, Bothrops andianus, B. atrox, B. jonathani, B.
moojeni, B. neuwiedi, B. sanctaecrucis, Crotalus durissus, Lachesis muta) and five genera of pitvipers are known from Bolivia. Known ranges
of several species are expanded to accommodate recently collected material and Bothrops andianus is reported from Bolivia. The holotypes of
Bothrops andianus and Lachesis peruvianus are redescribed. Bothriopsis oligolepis (Werner) is shown to be synonymous with Lachesis peru-
vianus Boulenger rather than L. chloromelas. We designate a lectotype of Bothriopsis chloromelas (Boulenger) and apply this name to the ornate-
ly patterned forest pitviper endemic to the northern and central Andes of Peru. Morphological variation and reproductive data are reported for
B. sanctaecrucis. References to Bolivian specimens of B. jararacussu are based on misidentifications of B. sanctaecrucis. Although the known
ranges of B. brazili, B. jararacussu, and Bothrocophias hyoprora approach Bolivia’s borders, these species have not yet been collected within
the country. A rectangular loreal is rare in pitvipers and may be a synapomorphy of two small Andean pitvipers: B. andianus and B. lojanus.

KEY WORDS:—Bolivia, Bothriopsis, Bothrocophias, Bothrops, Crotalus, Lachesis, systematics

INTRODUCTION

Bolivia’s venomous snake fauna was last reviewed by These recent publications reflect renewed interest in
Campbell and Lamar (1989) in The Venomous Reptiles of Bolivian herpetology and the growing number of herpetol-
Latin America. Campbell and Lamar’s seminal and thor- ogists who are actively building museum collections from
ough review of the literature stimulated a prolific era of this country. We draw heavily on this new material in our
research into the biology of Latin American pitvipers. review of Bolivia’s pitvipers.
Their maps underscore our limited knowledge about
pitviper distribution in Bolivia: question marks appear on
maps for Bothriopsis oligolepis, B. peruviana, Bothrops MATERIALS AND METHODS
andianus, B. atrox, B. jararacussu, B. microphthalmus,
and B. neuwiedi. The distribution of Bothrops sanctaecru- For this study, we emphasized characters used in recent
cis is represented by only two localities, and some species phylogenetic and taxonomic reviews of Neotropical
(Bothriopsis bilineata and Lachesis muta) are restricted to Viperidae. We use the scale terminology of Klauber (1972)
Pando and northeastern La Paz when they actually have and characters defined by Werman (1992), Gutberlet
much wider distributions within the country. In anticipa- (1998), and Gutberlet and Harvey (2002). We counted the
tion of a revised edition of Campbell and Lamar’s book, number of prefoveals defined as all small scales between
we began a review of the venomous snakes of Bolivia the lacunals, postnasal, loreal, and supralabials (Fig. 1).
(Harvey et al. 2003). The species we examined have four types of scales associ-
Limited advances in filling gaps identified by the 1989 ated with the pit: pre-, sub-, and supralacunals, and a scale
book have already been made. A new species, Bothrops usually visible as a triangular projection medial to the sub-
jonathani, was discovered in high elevation, xeric condi- lacunal. This last scale occasionally separates the sublacu-
tions in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz (Harvey 1994; nal from the prelacunal. We noted whether the prelacunal
Dirksen et al. 1995). Montero et al. (1995) reported was partially or completely fused to the second supralabi-
B. neuwiedi from Chuquisaca and Lachesis muta from al (=lacunolabial), whether it contacted the second supra-
Cochabamba. Visinoni (1995) provided numerous new labial, or whether these scales were separated by a row of
localities for Lachesis muta, effectively expanding the subfoveals.
range of this species across the Bolivian lowlands north of We recognize several character states for the condition
the Gran Chaco. Harvey (1998) documented the presence of the sublacunal and its position relative to the prelacunal
of Bothrops moojeni in Bolivia based on specimens from and third supralabial. Werman (1992), Gutberlet (1998),
the Serranía de Huanchaca. and Gutberlet and Harvey (2002) recognized that the sub-

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2 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

lacunal may be divided into anterior and posterior compo- ly, several intersupraoculars may fuse to produce large, flat
nents in some taxa and be polymorphic in others such plate-like scales. We counted interrictals (the number of
as Bothrocophias microphthalmus and B. hyoprora. scales in a straight line between the corners of the mouth
Gutberlet and Harvey (2002) found that the scale may also and including the last supralabials) and compared the
have interior and exterior components. Data were taken for counts to counts at midbody.
many specimens before variation in this character was We counted the number of infralabials contacting the
understood, and we did not score interior/exterior division chinshields and the number of gulars in a straight line from
for all specimens. Subfoveals may form a complete (none the chinshields to the first preventral. Klauber (1972) used
of the lacunals contact the supralabials) or incomplete (the the term “intergenials” to refer to the condition we found
sublacunal does not contact the supralabials; however, the in some Crotalus durissus where the first pair of infralabi-
prelacunal does) row. Presence of one or two subfoveals at als are divided to form a pair of scales between the chin-
the juncture of the sublacunal, prelacunal, and second and shields and mental. Our definitions of preventrals and ven-
third supralabials appears to have diagnostic value among trals are consistent with the terminology of Dowling
Bothrops and Bothriopsis (Table 1). (1951). A pair of postanal scales was included in subcau-
The loreal scale contacts the postnasal, canthal, upper dal counts if the two sides were in contact or fused medi-
preocular, and supralacunal. We recorded its overall shape, ally. For all specimens, we noted the number and location
whether this scale was divided, and if it contacted one or of entire and divided subcaudals.
more canthal scales. In describing Bothrops andianus, We measured snout-vent length and tail length with a
Amaral (1923) noted that the species possesses a rectangu- string and meter stick to the nearest 1 mm. Dial calipers or
lar loreal, and this useful diagnostic trait is relatively rare an ocular micrometer were used to measure head length
in South American pitvipers (Table 1). Most species of (from the posterior margin of the last supralabial to the
Bothrops and Bothriopsis have loreals that are 80–150% as center of the rostral), head width (at the level of the rictus),
long as wide and subtriangular rather than rectangular. greatest eye diameter, eye-nostril distance (from the ante-
In Bothriopsis, Bothrocophias, Bothrops, and rior corner of the eye to the center of the nostril), greatest
Lachesis, we recognize three preocular scales, although loreal length and height, and rostral height and width
the lowest preocular is always smallest and frequently (width measured at its ventral margin).
excluded from the orbit by an elongate subocular. For each Maslin (1942) thought that the nasal pore was absent in
specimen, we looked for fusion of the middle preocular to Bothrops sensu lato (“lateralis, schlegelii, atrox, num-
the supralacunal and scored whether the upper preocular is mifera, godmani, aurifera, and nigricauda”) except for
divided and whether it contributes to the canthus. Counts castelnaudi but present in the Asian genus Trimeresurus.
of interoculabials are the fewest number of scales between We scored presence or absence of the nasal pore and con-
the eye and mouth and include a subocular and a supralabi- firmed the observations of Gutberlet and Harvey (2002)
al (i.e., Klauber’s, 1972, use of the term). that this trait is present in all Bothriopsis, Bothrops,
On the dorsal surface of the head, we scored presence Lachesis, and Bothrocophias. It is absent in Crotalus
or absence of canthorostrals. These tiny scales are posi- durissus.
tioned between the rostral and internasal and have In the accounts, a dash is used for ranges, whereas a
only recently been identified as a synapomorphy of slash (/) is used to designate counts from opposite sides of
Bothrocophias hyoprora and B. microphthalmus (Gutber- the same specimen. Wherever ranges appear, they are fol-
let and Campbell 2001; Gutberlet and Harvey 2002). In lowed by means ± standard deviation. Specimens were fre-
pitvipers, the internasals are in contact medially, or one or quently damaged, and we follow each range or character
more small scales separate them (Fig. 2A). This character frequency with the sample size. Hemipenial descriptions
cannot be used to distinguish Bothrops jararaca and employ the terminology of Myers and Campbell (1981).
B. jararacussu as previously thought (Campbell and Except for the Colección Boliviana de Fauna (CBF, La
Lamar 1989). Although across the range of both species Paz, Bolivia), the Centro de Biodiversidad y Genética
the scale is absent, this trait is nonetheless useful in iden- (CBG, Cochabamba, Bolivia), the Museo de Historia
tifying other species (Table 1). We found that width of the Natural “Noel Kempff Mercado” (NK, Santa Cruz,
canthals and number of scales between the canthals was Bolivia), and the Estación Biológica Doñana (EBD,
particularly helpful in identifying some species such as Sevilla, Spain), institutional abbreviations are those in
B. sanctaecrucis (Fig. 2, Table 1). Because they have been Leviton et al. (1985). We do not supply extensive syn-
frequently reported in the past, intersupraoculars were onymies of most wide-ranging pitvipers occurring in
counted; however, ranges for most species overlap consid- Bolivia: Bothriopsis bilineata, B. taeniata, Bothrops atrox,
erably, and we found this character to be of little use in B. neuwiedi, Crotalus durissus, and Lachesis muta (inter-
identifying Bolivian species. We also scored the presence ested readers are referred to McDiarmid et al. 1999 for
of intersupraocular fusions. In most Bothrops, the inter- recent synonymies of these species). Synonymies for the
supraoculars are keeled. These scales may be fused to remaining species include all known synonyms and refer-
form “doubled” scales that are also keeled. Less frequent- ences consulted during this study. Where identifications

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 3

may have been in doubt, we examined specimens on 7'. Second supralabial usually fused to prelacunal . . . . . . . . . . . 9
which the citations are based. In the interest of space, the 8(7). Postocular stripe high (covering about 4.5 temporals at its high-
synonymies are arranged according to chronology of est point); dorsals 27–33; supralabials 9–12; infralabials 13–16;
interoculabials 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothrops jonathani
names rather than chronology of bibliographic references. 8'. Postocular stripe moderate (1.5–3 temporals at its highest
point); dorsals 23–27; supralabials 8–10; infralabials 10–13;
KEY TO BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS interoculabials usually 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothrops neuwiedi
9(7'). Loreal subrectangular and elongate; dorsal blotches becoming
1. Dorsal pattern of diamond-shaped marks; tail short, 7–12% as distinctive row of 2–4 black spots on posterior body and tail;
long as snout-vent length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ventrals 166–179; internasals usually (91%) separated by 1–3
1'. Dorsal pattern uniform, with bands, or with X-shaped marks, but small scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothrops andianus
never with large middorsal diamond-shaped marks; tail more 9'. Loreal subtriangular; dorsal pattern not modified in front of
than 12% as long as snout-vent length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 vent; ventrals usually 175 or more; internasals in contact or sep-
arated by 1–3 small scales at low frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2(1). Tail ending in a rattle or button, two preoculars, nasal pore
absent, subcaudals entire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crotalus durissus 10(9'). Canthals wide, separated by 0–2 (rarely 3) keeled scales; iris
2'. Tail not ending in rattle, distal caudals extensively divided, three pale green; distal one-half of tail black (in adults), sharply con-
preoculars, nasal pore present, subcaudals mostly divided . . . trasting with pale dorsal pattern . . . . . Bothrops sanctaecrucis
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lachesis muta 10'. Canthals narrow, separated by three or more keeled scales; iris
bronze; distal one-half of tail heavily pigmented but same color
3(1'). Dorsal keels tuberculate on posterior part of body, infralabials
as dorsal blotches and not sharply contrasting with dorsal
and gulars brown with cream round or C-shaped marks, ventrals
pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
fewer than 160, canthorostrals present or absent . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bothrocophias microphthalmus 11(10'). Postocular stripe two or more temporals high and well defined;
3' Dorsal keels well-developed but not tuberculate, infralabials and venter heavily pigmented, uniformly stippled or with alternating
gulars variously patterned or immaculate but not brown with charcoal and cream squares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothrops atrox
well-defined round or C-shaped marks, ventrals more than 160, 11'. Postocular stripe narrow (less than one temporal high); venter
canthorostrals absent except as a very rare anomoly . . . . . . . 4 immaculate or nearly so . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothrops moojeni
4(3'). Dorsum bright green; tail prehensile; loreal subtriangular . . 5
4'. Dorsum olive green, brown, or gray but if green then loreal
elongate and subrectangular; tail not prehensile . . . . . . . . . . 7
SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY
5(4). Dorsum banded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Class Reptilia Laurenti, 1768
5'. Dorsum uniform green with black specks on each scale . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothriopsis bilineata Order Squamata Merrem, 1820
6(5). Dorsal pattern of short black and yellow bands on an immacu-
Suborder Serpentes Linnaeus, 1766
late green background; venter immaculate; subcaudals divided Family Viperidae Oppel, 1811
with a few entire subcaudals located proximally in some speci-
mens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bothriopsis oligolepis Bothriopsis Peters, 1861
6'. Dorsum lichenose, interspaces heavily stippled in yellow and
black; venter heavily pigmented and maroon in color posterior-
ly; subcaudals mostly entire (a few divided subcaudals usually Remarks.—In recent years, the systematics of Neotropical
present distally, rarely present proximally) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pitvipers has been in a state of flux. The arboreal species
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bothriopsis taeniata referred to the genus Bothriopsis (Campbell and Lamar
7(4). Second supralabial usually not fused to prelacunal . . . . . . . . 8 1989; McDiarmid et al. 1999) consistently cluster with

Fig. 1.—Left: Facial scalation of Bothrops neuwiedi (UTA 39112) showing three rows of interoculabials (gray). Right: Specimen of Crotalus durissus
(UTA 38042) with a divided loreal (gray) and with the upper loreal partially fused to the canthal.

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4 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

Fig. 2.—Intercanthal scales (gray) of (left) Bothrops sanctaecrucis (MCZ 17699, also with small scale separating internasals) and (right) B. atrox
(LSUMZ 45975).

species of Bothrops in phylogenetic analyses using mito- this reason, and because the genus requires further revision,
chondrial DNA (Kraus et al. 1996; Parkinson et al. 2002; we will not provide a definition of the genus here.
Salomão et al. 1999; Wüster et al. 2002), allozymes
(Werman 1992), and combined molecular and morpholog- Content.—Seven species restricted to South America:
ical characters (Werman 1992, 1999). Usually, Bothriopsis Bothriopsis bilineata (Wied-Neuwied); B. chloromelas
species are nested within a clade containing species of (Boulenger); B. medusa (Sternfeld); B. oligolepis (Werner);
Bothrops with a lacunolabial. Recognition of Bothriopsis B. pulchra (Peters); B. punctata (García); B. taeniata Wagler.
renders Bothrops paraphyletic, and Bothriopsis as current-
ly defined (i.e., including Bothriopsis punctata,
McDiarmid et al. 1999) may not be monophyletic. Bothriopsis bilineata smaragdina Hoge, 1966
However, we follow other recent revisors (Campbell and Figure 3
Lamar 1989; McDiarmid et al. 1999) and recognize the
genus with the anticipation that Bothrops will be further Bothrops bilineatus smaragdinus Hoge, 1966:114. HOLOTYPE female
from “upper Purus river, State Amazonas, Brasil” (IBH 14731)
partitioned. Nonetheless, we note that not only is
Bothriopsis nested within Bothrops, but it is nested within
the B. atrox group. Resolving the problem of paraphyly is Diagnosis.—Bothriopsis bilineata smaragdina is distin-
not a simple matter of recognizing three genera, one each guished from all congeners and from species of
for the terrestrial species with lacunolabials, the species Bothrocophias and Bothrops by the following combina-
lacking a lacunolabial, and the arboreal species. tion of characters: (1) lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal
Our study is based almost exclusively on external char- keels nontuberculate; (3) infralabials and gulars pig-
acters, and we can contribute little to this debate. Green col- mented to varying degrees but lacking regular series of
oration was thought to be a synapomorphy of Bothriopsis; cream round or C-shaped marks; (4) canthorostrals
however, we found that some specimens of B. andianus absent; (5) most subcaudals divided; (6) ventrals
from Santa Cruz and Cochabamba and all specimens from 192–220 and subcaudals 55–76 (Campbell and Lamar
La Paz are green. When examining comparative material of 1989); (7) loreal subtriangular, higher than long; (8) can-
the terrestrial species Bothrops osbornei, we noted that this thals broad and separated by 2–5 scales; (9) internasals
species is yellow as a juvenile and green as an adult. Other in contact; (10) postocular stripe poorly defined or
than a prehensile tail, we know of no other unambiguous absent; (11) dorsum pastel green, finely peppered with
morphological (molecular data are available for only three black; dorsal bands absent; broken yellow paraventral
of the seven species) synapomorphies of Bothriopsis. For stripe extending length of body.

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 5

thal and supralacunal. The middle preocular is partially


fused to the supralacunal on both sides of the paratypes.
Neither the upper preocular nor the sublacunal is divided.
Subfoveals are absent. An elongate subocular and two pos-
toculars are present in all but one specimen; postoculars
are absent in NK 452, apparently having fused to the sub-
ocular. A lower preocular is absent in FMNH 161512 and
appears to have fused to the sublacunal on both sides. In
two specimens (40%, 5), the subocular contacts the third
supralabial, whereas the subocular and supralabials are
separated by a row of keeled scales (=3 interoculabials) in
the remaining specimens.
Bolivian specimens have seven or eight supralabials
and 10–12 infralabials. Number of infralabials contacting
the chinshields is more variable in this species than in
other South American pitvipers. In the Bolivian sample,
the first three (50%, 5), first two (30%, 5), first four (10%,
5) or first five (10%, 5) infralabials contact the chinshields.
Four or five gulars and one to three preventrals are pres-
ent. Female specimens have 192–198 (195.8 ± 2.6, 4) ven-
trals and 58–68 (63.8 ± 4.6, 4) subcaudals; the juvenile has
198 ventrals and 65 subcaudals. Twenty-five to 29 (27.0 ±
1.6, 5) dorsals at midbody reduce to 17–21 (19.4 ± 1.7, 5)
dorsals one head-length in front of the vent.
In adults of our sample, each dorsal body and head scale
is green with many small black spots. Spotting extends to
the supralabials and infralabials as well. The gulars are
mostly cream, but some have a few black spots. In the juve-
Fig. 3.—Top, Juvenile Bothrops atrox (UTA 38035) from near Yolosa in
the Andes of La Paz. Bottom, Bothriopsis bilineata from Parque nile paratype (FMNH 161512), black spotting is reduced on
Nacional Amboró (NK 328, Photo by I. De la Riva). the flanks and concentrated anteriorly on the body. The pos-
terior one-third of the dorsum and the tail are uniform green
Description.—The largest Bolivian specimen (NK 328) without spots. A few supralabials and infralabials of the
has a snout-vent length of 812 mm and tail length of 136 juvenile have scattered black flecks; its gulars and chin-
mm. The tail is 16–19% (17.0 ± 0.9, 4) of snout-vent shields are immaculate. In adults, the yellow paraventral
length in females and 16% of snout-vent length in a single stripe appears broken, because each paraventral is yellow
juvenile specimen. In the adults, the head accounts for distally and green proximally. In the juvenile, each par-
3.6–4.2% (4.1 ± 0.5, 3) of snout-vent length, and eye-nos- aventral is entirely yellow and the paraventral stripe is
tril distance is 24.3–25.8% (24.6 ± 1.1, 3) of head length. unbroken. Medially the ventrals are cream; however, green
Bothriopsis bilineata lacks canthorostrals and scales stripes on the edges of the ventrals are slightly narrower
between the internasals. The canthals are broad and sepa- than and border the yellow paraventral stripes. The ventral
rated from one another by 2–3 keeled scales in Bolivian surface of the tail is cream; dorsally, its distal one-fourth is
specimens (2–5 scales elsewhere in South America). Part pale pink or red. In the juvenile, the distal one-fourth of the
of the upper preocular and the internasal and canthal form tail is marked by a series of eight short brown bands.
the canthus. The lateral margins of the last two scales are
thickened and upturned. Five to eight (6.8 ± 1.3, 5) keeled Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA.
scales separate the supraoculars. A “doubled” inter- COCHABAMBA. Chapare: “Alto Chipiriri” (FMNH
supraocular is present in one specimen. The surfaces of the 161512, Paratype of Bothrops bilineatus smaragdinus).
internasals, canthals, and supraoculars are rugose. Unknown: (AMNH 6773, Paratype of Bothrops bilineatus
Interrictal counts (26–30, 28 ± 2, 5) were one to three smaragdinus, specific locality unknown). PANDO.
scales more than number of dorsals at midbody. Nicolás Suárez: canton Mukden (NK live collection).
In our sample, the rostral is slightly higher than wide; SANTA CRUZ. Ichilo: Parque Nacional Amboró (NK
four or five prefoveals are present. The second supralabial 328 and NK 1429). Unknown: NK 452 (specific locality
and prelacunal are discrete on one side of AMNH 6773, unknown).
and only a small part of the prelacunal and second supral- ECUADOR. MORONA-SANTIAGO. USNM
abial are fused in NK 328. The loreal is single, subtriangu- 165278. NAPO. USNM 165279-80. PASTAZA. USNM
lar, and about as long as high. It broadly contacts the can- 165262-77.

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6 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

Specimens not examined: BOLIVIA. COCHABAM- Bothrops by the following combination of characters: (1)
BA. Chapare: “Villa Tunari” (EBD, no museum number lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate; (3)
given, Fugler and De la Riva, 1990). Based on Miranda et infralabials and gulars immaculate in adults; (4) can-
al. (1991), Middendorf and Reynolds (2000) report this thorostrals absent; (5) subcaudals divided or with few
species from the Beni Biological Station Biosphere entire subcaudals anteriorly; (6) ventrals 189–193 and sub-
Reserve (Gral. José Ballivián and Yacuma provinces, caudals 54–65 (Campbell and Lamar, 1989, report
14°40'S, 66°30'W, 220 m) (Fig. 8). 188–196 ventrals and 53–66 subcaudals for this species);
(7) loreal subtriangular; (8) canthals narrow; (9) inter-
nasals in contact; (10) postocular stripe black and 2–3 tem-
Bothriopsis oligolepis (Werner, 1901) porals high; (11) dorsum bright green with black and yel-
Figure 4 low bands, each about one dorsal long; dorsal surface of
head green with few black and yellow blotches.
Lachesis bilineatus var. oligolepis Werner, 1901:13. HOLOTYPE male
from “Bolivien” (=Bolivia) (MTKD D 1714) [destroyed or lost, Description.—The holotype of Lachesis peruvianus is a
Obst, 1977]. Amaral 1930a:58.
Lachesis peruvianus Boulenger, 1903:354. HOLOTYPE female from male with a total length of 547 mm; two additional speci-
“La Oroya, Carabaya, S.E. Peru” (BMNH 1946.1.19.27, formerly mens are females 940 and 714 mm long. The tail length is
BMNH 1903.6.30.6) [examined]. Griffin, 1916:226. [Carrillo de 15–18% (17 ± 1, 3) of snout-vent length. This species has
Espinoza (1983, her note p.18) thought that La Oroya, a locality in a triangular head, strongly distinct from its neck. The head
Junin, might be in error and suspected that the holotype came from
Carabaya, Puno].
is longer than it is wide, its width being 42–79% (59 ± 19,
Bothrops peruviana (Boulenger): Amaral, 1930b:240; Pifano and Römer, 3) of its length. Dorsal head scales are keeled; a few scales
1949:294. in the parietal region clearly result from fusion of two
Bothrops peruvianus (Boulenger): Hoge, 1966:131; Peters and Orejas- scales and have doubled keels; flat, plate-like scales are
Miranda, 1970:53; Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1981:217; Carrillo de absent from the intersupraocular and parietal regions. The
Espinoza, 1983:18 (part, also includes B. chloromelas); David and
Ineich, 1999:233 (part, also includes B. chloromelas). dorsal surfaces of the internasals, canthals, upper preocu-
Bothrops oligolepis (Werner): Peters and Orejas-Miranda, 1970:53 (part); lars, and supraoculars are rugose. The supraoculars are
Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1981:217 (part); Carrillo de Espinoza 70% as wide as long, roughly subtriangular, and separated
1983:17; Fugler, 1986:48; David and Ineich, 1999:233 (part). medially by 6–8 (7 ± 1, 3) scales. Twenty-eight to thirty-
Bothriopsis peruviana (Boulenger): Campbell and Lamar, 1989:175;
Carrillo de Espinoza and Icochea, 1995:20; McDiarmid et al.,
one (29 ± 2, 3) interrictals are present.
1999:249 Thickened, central portions of the internasal, canthal,
Bothriopsis oligolepis (Werner): Campbell and Lamar, 1989:174 (part); and upper preocular form a sharp and raised canthus ros-
Fugler and De la Riva, 1990:37; Carillo de Espinoza and Icochea, tralis. The rostral is about as high as wide and about as
1995:20 (part); Fugler et al., 1995:58; McDiarmid et al., 1999:249. wide as the mental. The loreal is entire and as long as or
Bothriechis oligolepis (Werner): Schätti and Kramer, 1993:244 (part).
Bothriechis oligolepis oligolepis (Werner): Golay et al., 1993:37 (part). slightly longer than high (loreal height is 86–100% of its
length, 92 ± 7, 3); it broadly contacts the canthal and pre-
Diagnosis.—Bothriopsis oligolepis is distinguished from ocular. The foveal pit is bound by entire upper and lower
all congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and lacunals and the fused second supralabial and prelacunal.
The specimens have 2–3 prefoveals and lack canthoros-
trals. The eye is large in the relatively small holotype
where its diameter is 85% of the distance between the
anterior border of the orbit and the center of the naris. The
orbit is bound by 1/1 supraoculars, 2/2 preoculars, 1–2
elongate suboculars, and 2/2 postoculars. An elongate,
jagged subocular excludes a small, rectangular lower pre-
ocular from the orbit in all specimens. Each of the preocu-
lars is entire; the upper is subtriangular and nearly four
times as large as the nearly square middle preocular. This
species has 7–8 supralabials most of which are subtriangu-
lar and high. Supralabials 3 and 4 contact the subocular on
both sides of the holotype (=2/2 interoculabials) and on
one side only of each of the other two specimens. When
not contacting the supralabials, the subocular is separated
by a single row of keeled scales. The foveal pit lies below
an imaginary line drawn between the eye and naris. A
Fig. 4.—Female holotype of Lachesis peruvianus Boulenger
nasal pore is present.
(=Bothriopsis oligolepsis, BMNH 1945.1.19.27, SVL 465 mm) from the This species has 9–10 infralabials. The chinshields are
Cordillera de Carabaya, Peru. about twice as long as wide, contact the first three infral-

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 7

abials, and are separated from the mental by medial con-


tact of the first pair of infralabials. The mental groove is
shallow. Four to six gulars separate the chinshields from
the preventrals and ventrals. The paraventrals and parasub-
caudals are keeled. This species has 23 reducing to 19 dor-
sals, 189–193 (191 ± 2, 3) ventrals and preventrals, and
54–65 (60 ± 6, 3) subcaudals. Subcaudals 2–8 are entire in
the holotype; all are divided in the other specimens.
In spite of its age, the coloration of the holotype does
not appear to have faded substantially. Its dorsum is blue-
green with a black and yellow pattern. Ventrally the spec-
imen is yellow with black and blue-green edging on most
ventrals, especially posteriorly. A small black blotch over-
laps the medial contact between the internasals and the
first couple of keeled dorsal scales just behind these inter-
nasals. A prominent, black V-shaped mark begins as a bar
extending between the anterior edge of the supraoculars;
the mark continues as wide black stripes edging the
supraoculars and paralleling the postocular stripe onto the
neck. The dorsal surface of the scales making up the can-
thus and the supraoculars is largely immaculate except for
yellow blotches associated with surface rugosities. A pair
of black, curved bands is edged in yellow medially and
overlaps the neck and some parietal scales between the
“arms” of the cephalic V-shaped mark.
Scales of the face are blue-green with yellow edges.
Some scales have scant and diffuse black pigment. The
anterior supralabials are yellow with blue-green and Fig. 5.—Female specimen of Bothriopsis pulchra (ZFMK 41480) from
black edges. The postocular stripe covers part of the sub- Andoas, Peru.
ocular, 2–3 rows of temporals, the upper one-fourth of
supralabial 5/6, and more than half of supralabials
6–7/7–8. Scales of the chin are immaculate yellow except ing can be discerned on the posterior third of their bodies.
for the last infralabials, which are overlapped by the pos-
tocular stripes. Specimens Examined and Distribution.—PERU. JUNIN.
Well-defined black and yellow bands, one scale long “Chanchamayo: La Merced region” (MCZ 45906. FMNH
cover the dorsal body. The bands are separated from the 68597).
paraventrals by a single row of green dorsals. Yellow PUNO. “La Oroya, Carabaya, S.E. Peru” (=Cordillera
bands are adjacent to each other: the sequence of bands de Carabaya) (BMNH 1946.1.19.27, formerly
is yellow–black, black–yellow, yellow–black, etc. 1903.6.30.6, holotype of Lachesis peruvianus).
Paraventral spots are yellow and occupy one and one-half
to three paraventrals. These spots are separated by 1–1.5 Remarks.—Werner (1901) described a green snake with
black and green scales. The dorsal pattern is largely con- black and yellow bands from Bolivia. In addition to the
sistent except on the anterior part of the body where the presence of green pigmentation, it possessed other charac-
bands are broken and irregular. Notably, well defined teristics of the forest pitvipers: few interoculars (6) and
bands extend to the vent. The dorsal and paraventral pat- labials (7/8 supralabials, 10/11 infralabials). He thought
terns on the tail are quite different from that of the dorsal his specimen was a color variant of Bothriopsis bilineata
body. Most notably, parasubcaudal yellow and black and proposed the new name oligolepis for it.
stripes extend for three quarters of the length of the tail. Later, Werner (1922) believed that oligolepis was syn-
The distal one-fourth of the tail is black both ventrally and onymous with Boulenger’s Lachesis chloromelas and sug-
dorsally. Most of the tail is blue-green dorsally, although gested that oligolepis be treated as a junior synonym of
four yellow bands are present on its proximal one-fourth. that species. However, Parker (1934) noted that Werner’s
The buccal epithelium is unpigmented; the tongue was name predated that of Boulenger and most revisors have
retracted, and its color could not be ascertained without followed Parker’s view that oligolepis is the oldest name
dissection. The other two specimens are in poorer condi- applicable to the intricately patterned species currently
tion and their coloration has faded (MCZ 45906) or black- represented by several specimens from northern and cen-
ened (FMNH 68597) with age. Nonetheless, yellow band- tral Peru. When redescribing Bothriopsis medusa, Pifano

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8 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

and Römer (1949) provided a Spanish translation of Henle and Ehrle (1991) reported a specimen of
Boulenger’s description and used chloromelas to refer to Bothrops peruvianus from Andoas, a town on the Río
the Peruvian species, however these authors appear to Pastaza near the Ecuadorian border. In all substantive
have been unaware of Parker’s synonymization of characteristics the female specimen (ZFMK 41480, Fig. 5)
Werner’s and Boulenger’s names. agrees with specimens of B. pulchra examined by us
Other than Werner, no revisor of this species has ever (Appendix). Since descriptions of Peruvian B. pulchra are
examined the holotype of oligolepis. Werner’s specimen unavailable, we provide a brief account of this rare and
differed morphologically from all known specimens of poorly known species. The facial scales are dessicated and
chloromelas. Werner described the head of the holotype as scales in this area could not be counted with accuracy. On
being green with a few black spots; whereas, the head of each side, an elongate subocular contacts the supralabials
chloromelas is distinctly black and heavily mottled with and is separated from the entire supraocular by 2/4 postoc-
yellow and green. He reports that all of the scales on the ulars. The internasal, canthal, and upper preocular form a
top of the head of his type specimen were strongly keeled. thickened (“raised”) canthal border. Behind the inter-
Usually (MCZ 156347 is an exception), specimens of nasals, intercanthals increase from three to four to six;
chloromelas possess one or more flat, plate-like scales, there are five intersupraoculars and 26 interrictals. Three
especially in the interocular and parietal regions. Werner of the intersupraoculars are fused pairs of scales. The spec-
describes the venter as being light green; the venter of imen has 7/7 supralabials and 10/10 infralabials with
chloromelas is green but heavily speckled from the chin infralabials 1–3/1–4 contacting the first pair of chin-
throughout the body and tail. All of the subcaudals were shields. Four pairs of scales border the mental groove and
divided in Werner’s specimen; this is true for two of the are separated from the preventrals by two gulars. The
three specimens of Bothriopsis oligolepis but not for any specimen has 20 + 23 + 17 dorsals, four preventrals, 175
B. chloromelas that we examined. Finally, there is no men- ventrals, and 61 subcaudals. The anal and subcaudals
tion of the distinctive lichenose dorsal pattern of 1–41, 44–45, and 47–48 are entire.
B. chloromelas; Werner only mentions yellow and black The intercanthals, intersupraoculars, and dorsals are
bands, the same pattern found in the holotype of heavily keeled, and the supraoculars are weakly rugose.
L. peruvianus. The paraventrals are nearly smooth anteriorly with weak
One might wonder why in 1922 Werner would suggest keels nearing the vent. The parasubcaudals are keeled.
that chloromelas and oligolepis are synonymous rather In preservative, the dorsum is blue-green with black
than peruvianus and oligolepis since both chloromelas in bands so diffuse as to be barely discernible. All dorsal
1912 and peruvianus in 1903 had already been named. In body and head scales have white keels. Terra cotta colored
fact, Werner confused Boulenger’s species. In a later pub- bands are restricted to the posterior half of the specimen:
lication, he (Werner 1927) referred a specimen from 16 on the body, five on the tail. The tip of the tail is yellow
“Amable Maria, Peru” to peruvianus when the specimen for about 27 subcaudals. A black postocular stripe occu-
could only have been chloromelas. Werner mentions the pies the upper one-third of supralabials 6–7 and 1.5 rows
black head, distinctive yellow lines on the anterior head of temporals. The supralabials are grayish cream with
shields, heavily punctate labial scales, and heavily speck- large black spots overlapping their junctures. The chin is
led venter characteristic of all specimens of chloromelas white except for black pigment along the edges of all
[with 194 ventrals and 60 subcaudals, the specimen was infralabials. The specimen has a prominent row of para-
probably not B. taeniatus, which has 203–254 ventrals and ventral spots, each occupying about 1–3 paraventrals and
66–91 subcaudals (Campbell and Lamar 1989)]. the upper portions of adjacent ventrals. The spots are sep-
To our knowledge, no specimens of Bothriopsis arated from one another by single paraventrals, and each is
chloromelas are known from south of Pasco. Although the bound ventrally by a thick, gray to blue-green band.
possibility that B. chloromelas occurs in Bolivia should Midventrally, the venter is white with few small gray
not be completely discounted, we think it unlikely that blotches.
even this cryptic species should evade detection for so Measurements (in mm): SVL 346, tail-length 76,
long. Werner’s type of oligolepis and the holotype of head length 16.08, head width 10.25, eye-diameter
Lachesis peruvianus are the same species. Accordingly, 3.25.
we relegate Lachesis peruvianus Boulenger to the syn- This species was once thought to differ from other
onymy of Bothriopsis oligolepis and revalidate forest pitvipers by having fewer dorsals than all species
Bothriopsis chloromelas (Boulenger). except Bothriopsis medusa (19–21 vs. 23–35, Campbell
Campbell and Lamar (1989, fig. 155 and 156) provid- and Lamar 1989). However, specimens with 23 dorsals
ed two color photos of specimens they referred to are not uncommon and account for 30% (n = 10) of the
Bothriopsis peruviana. We are not sure if these specimens specimens we examined (also see Campbell and Lamar
are Bothriopsis oligolepis. In both specimens, the yellow 1992). The species is most readily distinguished from
pigment appears to be replaced by white. The iris is silvery all other forest pitvipers by the white keels, terra cotta
green. bands on the posterior body, and distinct labial pattern.

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 9

Referred to in the past by its junior synonyms entire and subtriangular; it is 80.0–162.5% (121.0 ± 58.0,
Bothriopsis albocarinatus and B. alticola, the confused 2) as high as long and in broad contact with the canthal.
taxonomic history of this species was recently reviewed by One to three (3 ± 1, 2) prefoveals are present. The subla-
Kuch (1997), Gutberlet and Harvey (1998), and Wüster cunal is distinct from the middle preocular and no scale is
(1998). The International Commission of Zoological present at the juncture of the sublacunal, lacunolabial, and
Nomenclature, opinion 1939, placed the specific name third supralabial. A single elongate subocular is separated
pulcher on the official list as defined by the holotype from the supraocular by 1–2 postoculars and from the
Trigonocephalus pulcher Peters. supralabials by 1/1 keeled scale (=3/3 interoculabials). The
specimens have 7/7 supralabials, 9–12 (11 ± 1) infralabi-
als, and 2–4 infralabials contacting the chinshields. Five
Bothriopsis taeniata (Wagler, 1824) gulars and 1–2 preventrals separate the chinshields from
231 ventrals and 73 subcaudals in the female and 230–233
Bothrops taeniatus Wagler, 1824:55. HOLOTYPE (lost or destroyed) ventrals and 78–81 subcaudals in the unsexed specimens.
from “ad flumen Amazonum” (restricted by Vanzolini 1981, to the All of the subcaudals are entire in the unsexed specimens,
stretch of river between the mouths of the Tajapuru and Negro
rivers). NEOTYPE (MNHN 1582, also type of Bothrops castelnaudi and most are entire in the female, however the first
Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril) [Designated by Hoogmoed and subcaudal and ten distal subcaudals are divided in this
Gruber 1983:337]. specimen.
Every scale on the head bears at least some black
Diagnosis.—Bothriopsis taeniata is distinguished from all speckling. The dorsal head scales are bluish-green (=green
congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and in life) with numerous black spots. The labials are paler
Bothrops by the following combination of characters: (1) and have the highest concentrations of black speckling at
lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate; (3) their edges giving the impression of poorly defined labial
infralabials and gulars mottled; (4) canthorostrals absent; bands. The postocular stripe is also heavily speckled and
(5) subcaudals mostly entire (several divided subcaudals thus obscure against the similar dorsal head patterning. It
present on distal one-third of tail in 70% of specimens we is about two temporals in height and extends from the sub-
examined; few divided proximal subcaudals present in ocular and postoculars across part of the last three supral-
20%); (6) ventrals 203–254 and subcaudals 66–91 abials; it does not extend beyond the rictus. The gulars are
(Campbell and Lamar 1989); (7) loreal subtriangular; (8) only diffusely pigmented and pale yellow. Although all
canthals moderate, separated by 2–4 scales in our sample; ventral are heavily pigmented, the pigmentation is most
(9) internasals in contact or separated by a single scale; diffuse anteriorly. Most of the venter is charcoal, and pairs
(10) postocular stripe black, about two temporals high, and of circular yellowish spots on each ventral scale form rows
often stippled and obscure; (11) dorsum banded and with a on the lateral margins.
lichenose pattern of green, black, and yellow; prominent The dorsum is lichenose and bears 27–30 (2) poorly
row of yellow paraventral spots present; venter heavily defined darker bands against a light green background.
pigmented posteriorly. Prominent yellow spots form a row along the paraventrals
and parasubcaudals. The spots are relatively large, each
Description.—The Bolivian sample consists of a small covering the edge of a ventral, 1–3 paraventrals, and 1–2
female (LSUMZ 45976), 650 mm long, and an unsexed scales on the second row of dorsals. The spots are separat-
juvenile (CBF 2304), 375 mm long. In addition, one of us ed by two scales and, in the female, number 69 on the body
(LGA) obtained limited data from a captive specimen col- and nine on the proximal portion of the tail. The dorsal and
lected in Pando. The tail is prehensile and 15% as long as ventral patterns on the proximal two-thirds of the tail are
the head and body in the female and 18% as long in the the same as on the body; however, the last 37–43 (2) sub-
juvenile. The head accounts for 3–4% of snout-vent length caudals are cream-colored ventrally. Dorsally, the distal
and is 70–90% as wide as long. The eye is large and third of the tail has numerous alternating cream and brown
accounts for 18% of head length in the female and 30% in bands.
the juvenile; its distance from the nostril accounts for 27%
of head length in the female and 39% in the juvenile. Distribution in Bolivia and Comparative Material.—
The internasals are in contact medially, and canthoros- BOLIVIA. LA PAZ. Iturralde: “Camino entre
trals are absent. The canthus is formed by thickened later- Tumupasa y San José de Uchupiamonas, Serranía Sadiri;
al margins of the internasal, canthal, and upper preocular. Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Madidi” (CBF 2304).
The canthals are relatively smooth and wide; 2–5 (3 ± 2, 3) PANDO. Nicolás Suárez: “12 km by road S Cobija, ca. 8
keeled scales separate them. The supraoculars are separat- km W on road to Mucden” (=Muckden; LSUMZ 45976);
ed by 6–7 (7 ± 1, 3) keeled scales, one or two are “dou- Río Tahuamanu, San Sebastián (NK, live specimen).
bled” and keeled. Flat platelike intersupraoculars, inter- ECUADOR: MORONA-SANTIAGO. USNM
canthals, parietals, and occipitals are absent. The rostral is 283968. PASTAZA. USNM 165239, 165288, 165290–94.
82.0–89.7 (85.8 ± 5.4, 2) as wide as high. The loreal is PERU. HUÁNUCO: USNM 167625–26.

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10 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

dals (except in B. hyoprora where most or all subcaudals


are entire); 21–25 middorsal scale rows; 2–9 smooth or
keeled intersupraoculars; 7–8 supralabials; 8–11 infralabi-
als; 1–11 prefoveals; 1–3 canthals; 3–4 interoculabials;
4–5 palatine teeth; 12–15 pterygoid teeth; and 14–16 den-
tary teeth. In addition, the maxillary fang is approximate-
ly 1.5 times longer than the height of the maxilla; mesial
spines are present on the hemipenial lobes; there is a mod-
erate number (ca. 18–30 per lobe) of lateral spines on the
hemipenes; the hemipenial lobes are only slightly longer
than the organ’s base; the choanal process of the palatine
is attenuate distally; the ectopterygoid and base of the
pterygoid are approximately equal in length; the dorsal
surface of the frontal bones are predominately flat; and the
postorbital bones are large, contributing more to the dorsal
perimeter of the orbit than does the parietal. Species in this
genus are brown to reddish brown with darker bands.

Content.—Four species restricted to South America:


Bothrocophias campbelli (Freire-Lascano), B. hyoprora
(Amaral), B. microphthalmus (Cope), and B. myersi
Gutberlet and Campbell.

Bothrocophias microphthalmus (Cope, 1875)


Figure 6

Bothrops microphthalmus Cope, 1875 (preprint of 1876 article):182.


HOLOTYPE female from “between Balsa Puerto and Moyabamba,
Peru” (ANSP 11515) [examined]. Cope 1879:277 (tentative,
Fig. 6.—Top, Juvenile Bothrocophias microphthalmus (NK 1801, SVL remarks); Orcés 1943:169; Prado and Hoge 1948:291; Fugler and De
393 mm) from Pilón Lajas, Serranía Beu, La Paz (Photo by D. Rumiz). la Riva 1990:38; Kuch and Freire 1995:81; David and Ineich
Bottom, Bothrops andianus from Parque Nacional Amboró, Santa Cruz. 1999:231; McDiarmid et al. 1999:267.
Lachesis microphthalmus (Cope): Boulenger 1896:540.
Remarks.—Fugler and De la Riva (1990) and Fugler et al. Lachesis pleuroxanthus Boulenger, 1912:423. HOLOTYPE female from
(1995) report both “Bothriopsis taeniata” and “Bothrops “Alpayaca, Río Pastaza, E. Ecuador, 3600 feet” (BMNH
1946.1.19.88) [examined]. Amaral 1930a:60. [Added to synonymy
castelnaudi” (Fugler and De la Riva 1990, p. 38) or by Amaral 1930b:237].
“Bothriopsis castelnaudi” (Fugler et al. 1995, p. 58) from Bothrops microphthalma (Cope): Amaral 1930b:237.
Bolivia. We assume that the authors are referring to the Trimeresurus microphthalmus (Cope): Schmidt and Walker 1943:295.
same species; the names are synonyms (Hoogmoed and [The authors tentatively referred University of Arequipa specimen
Gruber 1983). Campbell and Lamar (1989) included 67 to this species.]
Bothrops microphthalma microphthalma (Cope): Peters, 1960:510.
Bolivia in the distribution of this species. Bothrops microphthalmus microphthalmus (Cope): Rendahl and
Vestergren 1940:15; Hoge 1966:125; Peters and Orejas-Miranda
1970:49; Hoge and Romano-Hoge 1981:211; Carrillo de Espinoza
Bothrocophias Gutberlet and Campbell, 2001 1983:16; Campbell and Lamar 1989:212; Carrillo de Espinoza and
Icochea 1995:21.
Porthidium microphthalmum (Cope): Schätti and Kramer 1993:266.
Bothrocophias contains four species of small to moderate Fugler et al. 1995:59.
terrestrial pitvipers with stout bodies and lacking a rattle or Bothrocophias microphthalmus (Cope): Gutberlet and Campbell 2001:4.
prehensile tail. They share two synapomorphies: tubercu-
lar keels on the posterior dorsal scales and distinctive Diagnosis.—Bothrocophias microphthalmus is distin-
white to cream spots on otherwise brownish infralabials guished from all congeners and from species of Bothrops
and gulars (Gutberlet and Campbell 2001; Gutberlet and and Bothriopsis by the following combination of charac-
Harvey 2002). The snout is weakly to moderately elevat- ters: (1) lacunolabial absent; (2) dorsal keels tuberculate
ed, canthorostrals are present in some species, and the on posterior of body; (3) infralabials and some gulars
lacunolabial may be entire or divided. Gutberlet and brown with cream round or C-shaped marks; (4) can-
Campbell (2001) summarize characteristics that distin- thorostrals usually present; (5) most subcaudals divided;
guish Bothrocophias from all other New World genera. (6) ventrals fewer than 160; (7) loreal elongate; (8) can-
There are 124–177 ventrals; 38–64 mostly divided subcau- thals moderate and separated by 3–5 scales; (9) 1–3 scales

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 11

usually present between internasals; (10) postocular stripe midbody. Twenty-one (71%, 7) or twenty-three (29%, 7)
distinct; (11) dorsum brown to charcoal, pattern of bands dorsals at midbody reduce to 17–19 dorsals one head-
with distinctive row of black spots on dorsal row 4 of neck length in front of the vent.
and cream stripe on anterior paraventrals. All specimens in our sample are darkly pigmented. The
dorsal surfaces of the head are a paler brown than the inter-
Description.—Specimens in our sample have total lengths spaces on the body. Labials and facial scales are brown
ranging from 327–724 mm. The tail is 13–15% (14 ± 1, 4) and speckled with melanophores. Cream, round, or
as long as snout-vent length in females and 19–20% (19 ± C-shaped spots edged in black are present on some infral-
1, 2) in males. Among the adult specimens, the head is abials and gulars. The dark brown postocular stripe over-
72.9–85.6% (80.5 ± 5.6, 4) as wide as long and accounts laps one and a half to two scales and crosses the rictus to
for 5.2–5.6% (5.4 ± 0.2, 4) of snout-vent length in females extend across about five rows of dorsals. A cream
and 5.6–5.9% (5.7 ± 0.1, 2) in males. The eye is small, its supratemporal border about two scales wide edges the pos-
greatest diameter is 35.9–60.7% (50.4 ± 9.4, 6) as long as tocular stripe dorsally. On the juvenile and smaller adult
eye-nostril distance, and its distance to the center of the specimens, a continuous cream paraventral stripe is well
naris accounts for 21.4–27.3% (25.0 ± 2.0, 6) of head defined to about the level of the 15th ventral and broken
length. thereafter for the rest of the body (i.e., the dorsal halves of
The rostral of our specimens is 73–96% (82 ± 10, 6) as the paraventrals are white and their ventral halves are
high as wide and 0 (25%, 12), 1 (75%, 12), or 2 (17%, 12) black. On the posterior part of the body, the white color is
canthorostrals lie between it and the internasals. The inter- restricted to the keel and anterior part of each paraventral).
nasals are not in contact, being separated by 2 (60%, 5) or In adult specimens the stripe is still visible but grayish in
3 (40%, 5) small scales. The canthals are narrow and sep- color. On the anterior half of the flanks, a series of ten sin-
arated by 4–5 keeled scales; 5–9 (7 ± 2, 7) smooth (57%, gle and entirely black scales on the fourth scale row are
7) or keeled (43%, 7) intersupraoculars are present. Two each separated by 7–12 scales. This row of distinctive
specimens have a single doubled intersupraocular. In CBF black spots ends on the anterior one-third of the body.
1899 and CBGR 24 (29%, 7), each supraocular is divided Dorsal bands are clearly present anteriorly but difficult to
into a pair of subequal scales. count posteriorly in some specimens; 16–18 (17 ± 1, 4)
The specimens have 4–8 (6 ± 1, 7) prefoveals. The lore- dorsal bands about 4–7 vertebrals long are separated by
al of this species is elongate being 73–96% (82 ± 10, 6) as shorter (about 3–4 vertebrals) gray interspaces. The speci-
high as long; it is entire in our specimens and broadly con- mens have a single dark charcoal band behind the vent fol-
tacts the canthal and entire upper preocular. The middle lowed by a short gray interspace. The rest of the tail is dark
preocular and supralacunal are fused on both sides of NK charcoal to black. Above, the distal one-half of the tail of
1814 (14%, 7), partialy fused on both sides of CBF 1899 the juvenile is yellow. The gulars, preventrals, and anteri-
(14%, 7), and discrete in the remaining specimens (71%, ormost ventrals are cream. Posteriorly, pigmentation of the
7). The prelacunal is separated from the supralabials by a ventrals increases rapidly and most are heavily and uni-
complete row of subfoveals on one side of CBF 1899. On formly pigmented. The ventral surface of the tail is heavi-
the other side of CBF 1899 and in the remaining speci- ly and uniformly pigmented.
mens, the prelacunal contacts the second supralabial. All
specimens (100%, 7) have one or two subfoveals at the Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA.
juncture of the lacunals and the second and third supralabi- BENI. Gral. José Ballivián: Rurrenabaque (NK 493).
als. On one side of NK 1814, the subfoveal contacts the COCHABAMBA. Carrasco: Cerro Leñe, 1580 m,
scale inside of the pit, thereby preventing the sublacunal Parque Nacional Carrasco, 17° 23.367'S, 64°24.320'W
from contacting the prelacunal. The specimens have two (CBF 1899); Arepucho, Parque Nacional Carrasco, 1000
postoculars, 1–2 suboculars, and 3/3 (86%, 7) or 4/4 (14%, m, 17°21'57"S, 65°14'30"W (CBG 24–26). LA PAZ. Nor
7) interoculabials. Seven to eight supralabials and 8–10 Yungas: Serranía Bellavista, 15°39'53"S, 67°27'23"W,
infralabials are present, the first pair separating the mental 1300 m (CBF, uncatalogued). Sud Yungas: Pilón Lajas,
from the chinshields and usually (79%, 14) only the first Serranía Chepete (NK 1814), Pilón Lajas, Serranía Beu
two contacting the chinshields; a third infralabial contacts (NK 1801).
one or both chinshields in three specimens (21%, 14). The PERU. UNKNOWN. ANSP 11515 (holotype of
chinshields are separated from the ventrals by 3–5 (4 ± 1, Bothrops microphthalmus).
7) gulars and 1–3 (2 ± 1, 7) preventrals. Females have ECUADOR. PASTAZA. BMNH 1946.1.19.88 (holo-
143–147 (145 ± 2, 4) ventrals and 42–45 (44 ± 1, 4) sub- type of Lachesis pleuroxanthus).
caudals, and males have 142–152 (147 ± 7, 2) ventrals and
50 (2) subcaudals. Four of the specimens (57%, 7) have Remarks.—Reports of this species’ presence in Bolivia
3–7 entire subcaudals, and all subcaudals were divided in have been based solely on a pitviper collected by Orton
the remaining specimens (47%, 7). Interrictal counts from the city of La Paz and identified as Bothrops
(26–31, 28 ± 2, 7) are 5–10 scales higher than counts at microphthlamus by Cope (1879). Now lost, the specimen’s

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12 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

species such as B. jonathani, the prelacunal and second


supralabial may be separated by a row of subfoveals. The
dorsal head plates are fragmented into small, keeled
scales. In most species, intersupraoculars and some scales
in the occipital region are occasionally fused into “dou-
bled” or plate-like scales. Campbell and Lamar (1989,
their tables 29 and 30) summarized variation in selected
meristic characters: species of Bothrops have 139–254
ventrals; 30–91 usually divided subcaudals (several proxi-
mal subcaudals are frequently entire; most or all subcau-
dals are entire in B. venezuelensis); 19–35 middorsal scale
rows; 1–14 intersupraoculars; 6–12 supralabials; 8–16
infralabials; and 2–4 interoculabials. Few generalities can
be made about coloration of Bothrops except that all of the
species are cryptically colored usually with a series of dor-
sal bands or subtriangular to X-shaped markings. A postoc-
ular stripe is usually present, although its width and color
are variable.
The skull of Bothrops is relatively narrow and elongate
(Werman 1992, 1999; Gutberlet 1998; Gutberlet and
Campbell 2001; Gutberlet and Harvey 2002). Osteology is
not known for most species; however, Werman (1992)
Fig. 7.—Distributions of Bothrocophias microphthalmus and Bothrops summarized variation for a diverse sample of nine species.
andianus. Areas above 500 and 1000 m are shaded gray. The following account based on his data summarizes char-
acters that distinguish Bothrops from other Neotropical
identification cannot be verified. Since no pitvipers occur pitvipers. The lateral margin of the prefrontal is concave
in the valley of La Paz, the specimens in Orton’s small col- and has a single lateral projection in dorsal view. The pos-
lection most likely came from lower elevations on the torbital is narrow or reduced and may or may not contact
adjacent humid slopes such as Coroico or the Valle de the frontal. Dorsally, the frontals are flat, with elevated lat-
Zongo. Cope’s description of the specimen could apply to eral margins, and their width is less than or equal to that of
either Bothrops andianus or Bothrocophias microphthal- the basicranium. In dorsal view, the parietal is not triangu-
mus: he noted that the prelacunal and second supralabial lar, narrowing markedly behind the postorbital. The medi-
are “partly cut off by suture on both sides.” al wall of the pit cavity is variable being absent to present
Presence of Bothrocophias microphthalmus in Bolivia and well developed, and its anterolateral wall forms a
is confirmed herein, and the species’ distribution is extend- smooth arc or has a small rounded projection. The
ed as far south as Cochabamba (Fig. 7). It almost certain- ectopterygoid is longer than the base of the pterygoid. In
ly occurs in the Andean foothills of northern Santa Cruz. dorsal view, the anterior portion of the ectopterygoid is
Gutberlet and Campbell (2001) thought that presence T-shaped or has concave lateral margins. Where it articu-
of smooth intersupraoculars was a defining characteristic lates with the pterygoid, the base of the ectopterygoid is
of Bothrocophias. Although true for most specimens, not spatulate and posseses a short, posteriorly directed,
intersupraoculars with low to well-developed keels are finger-like projection. The shaft of the ectopterygoid is
present in 47% (12 specimens) of B. microphthalmus from narrow and somewhat cylindrical in cross section, and a
Bolivia and elsewhere in South America. Keeled inter- pair of pits is present on its postero-lateral surface where
supraoculars are slightly more frequent (60%, 5) among the ectopterygoid retractor muscles attach.
B. hyoprora examined by us. Campbell and Lamar (1989) summarize variation in
hemipenial morphology of Bothrops. The hemipenes
extend 6–11 subcaudals, and the sulcus spermaticus bifur-
Bothrops Wagler, 1824 cates at the level of subcaudals 1–3 in most species.
However, the base of the organ is long in some species
Definition.—Bothrops contains 31 species of small (about such as B. alternatus so that the sulcus bifurcates between
500 mm) to large (exceeding 2500 mm) pitvipers with subcaudals 7–8. Typically, large hooks at the base of the
stout to slender bodies and lacking a rattle. The rostral is lobes diminish in size distally, and the distal halves of the
usually about as wide as high (the rostral is much higher lobes are calyculate. Number and size of the spines are
than wide in B. ammodytoides), canthorostrals are absent highly variable and useful in species identification.
except as very rare anomalies, a single entire loreal is pres- Spinules or papillae cover the calyces proximally and are
ent, and a lacunolabial may be present or absent. In a few absent distally.

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 13

Peters and Orejas-Miranda, 1970:43; Duellman, 1979:456; Hoge and


Romano-Hoge, 1981:201; Carrillo de Espinoza, 1983:7; Campbell
and Lamar, 1989:188; Carrillo de Espinoza and Icochea, 1995:20;
David and Ineich, 1999:220; McDiarmid et al., 1999:253.

Diagnosis.—Bothrops andianus is distinguished from all


congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and
Bothriopsis by the following combination of characters:
(1) lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate;
(3) infralabials and gulars immaculate in adults; (4) can-
thorostrals absent; (5) most subcaudals divided; (6) ven-
trals 166–179 and subcaudals 49–63; (7) loreal subrectan-
gular and elongate; (8) canthals moderate and separated by
3–5 scales; (9) internasals separated by 1–3 scales, rarely
(9%) in contact; (10) postocular stripe distinct and black;
(11) dorsum dull green to brown with pattern of subtrian-
Fig. 8.—Male holotype of Bothrops andianus (MCZ 8832). gular blotches or French telephone-shaped marks; black
edging of dorsal blotches becoming 2–4 distinctive rows
of black blotches on posterior body and base of tail.
Content.—Thirty-one species restricted to South America
and the Panamanian Isthmus with the exception of Redescription of the Holotype.—The holotype (Fig. 8) is a
B. asper which reaches southern Tamaulipas, Mexico: male with an SVL of 514 mm; the tail length is approxi-
Bothrops alcatraz Marques, Martins, and Sazima; B. alter- mately 15% of total length. The specimen has a triangular
natus Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril; B. ammodytoides head, strongly distinct from its neck. The head is longer
Leybold; B. andianus Amaral; B. asper (Garman); B. atrox than wide, its width being approximately 77% of its
(Linnaeus); B. barnetti Parker; B. brazili Hoge; B. carib- length. Dorsal head scales are keeled except for those
baeus (Garman); B. colombianus (Rendahl and forming the canthus, the supraoculars, two large plate-like
Vestergren); B. cotiara (Gomes); B. erythromelas Amaral; scales in the interocular region, and a pair of plate-like
B. fonsecai Hoge and Belluomini; B. iglesiasi Amaral; B. scales positioned just posterior and medial to the supra-
insularis Amaral; B. itapetiningae (Boulenger); B. jarara- oculars. The internasals are in contact, five scales separate
ca (Wied-Neuwied); B. jararacussu Lacerda; B. jonathani the canthals, and three scales separate the supraoculars. A
Harvey; B. lanceolatus (Bonnaterre); B. leucurus Wagler; large, central intersupraocular is about four times as large
B. lojanus Parker; B. marajoensis Hoge; B. moojeni Hoge; as each of the scales flanking it. The supraoculars are 67%
B. muriciensis Ferrarezzi and Freire; B. neuwiedi Wagler; as wide as long and roughly subtriangular. Twenty-six
B. osbornei Freire-Lascano; B. pictus (Tschudi); B. pirajai interrictals are present.
(Amaral); B. sanctaecrucis Hoge; B. venezuelensis Thickened, lateral edges of the internasal, canthal, and
Sandner-Montilla. upper preocular form a sharp and raised canthus rostralis.
Contribution to the canthus by the upper preocular is sub-
Remarks.—In an unpublished doctoral dissertation, Silva stantial and accounts for two-thirds of the length of this
(2000) elevated six subspecies of Bothrops neuwiedi and scale. The rostral is 1.15 times higher than wide and about
recognized one undescribed species. His results have been as wide as the mental. The loreal is subrectangular, 66% as
adopted by some researchers (e.g., Martins et al. 2002) high as long, and entire; it broadly contacts the canthal and
who are already referring to these taxa as full species. We upper preocular. The foveal pit is bound by entire upper and
prefer to await publication of Silva’s results before using a lower lacunals and the partially fused second supralabial
revised taxonomy of Bothrops. and prelacunal. The sublacunal is partially fused to the
lower preocular and broadly contacts the lacunolabial and
third supralabial. Scales are absent from the juncture of the
Bothrops andianus (Amaral, 1923) sublacunal and labials. The specimen has 3/3 prefoveals
Figure 6 and lacks canthorostrals. The diameter of the eye is a little
more than half as large as the distance between the anterior
Lachesis lanceolatus: Barbour, 1913:507 (not of Bonnaterre). [added to
synonymy by Amaral, 1923] border of the orbit and the center of the naris. The orbits are
Bothrops pictus: Barbour and Noble, 1920:620 (not of Tschudi). [USNM bound by 1/1 supraoculars, 3/3 preoculars, 1/1 elongate
60715 is now MCZ 12415; added to synonymy by Amaral, 1923] suboculars, and 2/2 postoculars. Each of the preoculars is
Bothrops andiana Amaral, 1923:103. HOLOTYPE male from “Machu entire; the upper is subrectangular and nearly four times as
Picchu, Department of Cuzco, Peru, about 9000-10,000 ft. altitude,
by Mr. G. F. Eaton (Yale Peruvian Expedition)” (MCZ 8832) [exam-
large as the oval and subequal middle and lower preoculars.
ined]. Amaral, 1930b:234. Each of the preoculars enters the orbit on both sides of the
Bothrops andianus (Amaral): Klemmer, 1963:403; Hoge, 1966: 113; specimen. The subocular is jagged and separated from the

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14 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

Beyond the rictus, it extends across seven vertical rows of


dorsals. The postocular stripe is edged ventrally by a dif-
fuse line of melanophores then a sharp, cream pinstripe.
Dorsal to the brown postocular stripe lies a cream postoc-
ular border that begins on the postoculars and covers 2.5–3
temporals.
The dorsal pattern consists of inverted U-shaped marks
on the flanks and staggered at the midline. The marks are
separated by pale areas and have irregular dark brown edg-
ing on the anterior portions of the body. Posteriorly, the
dark brown edging becomes more noticeable and develops
into a series of dark brown blotches in the cloacal region.
The dorsal pattern extends onto the tail as rectangular,
brown bands separated by short cream interspaces. The
first six bands are edged in black. Dorsally, the distal one-
sixth of the tail is pale yellow.
The venter is heavily pigmented. Anteriorly,
melanophores are concentrated on the lateral edges of ven-
trals giving the impression of a yellow, midventral stripe.
At the level of the twenty-sixth ventral, pigmentation is
distributed across the venter though not uniformly.
Staggered paler and darker areas form a pattern reminis-
Fig. 9.—Distributions of three Bolivian pitvipers. Open symbols repre- cent of lowland Bothrops atrox. Pigment increases caudad
sent published reports based on specimens not examined by us. Areas on the body, and the proximal subcaudals are almost
above 500 and 1000m are shaded gray.
entirely black. The distal 28 subcaudals are pale yellow
and sharply contrast with the rest of the tail.
labials by one row of smooth scales (=3/3 interoculabials). In situ, the hemipenis of the holotype extends for 9
The specimen has 7/7 supralabials most of which are sub- subcaudals.
triangular. The foveal pit lies below an immaginary line Measurements in mm: SVL 514, tail length 89, head
drawn between the eye and naris. A nasal pore is present. length 25.69, head width 19.7, eye diameter 3.62, eye-
The specimen has 9/9 infralabials. The chinshields are nostril distance 6.36, loreal length 1.60, loreal height 1.06,
2.6 times as long as wide, contact the first three infralabi- rostral height 4.34, rostral width 3.74, greatest mental
als, and are separated from the mental by medial contact of width 3.8, greatest supraocular length 5.26, greatest
the first pair of infralabials. The mental groove is well supraocular width 3.54, greatest chinshield length 5.20,
developed and flanked by the first infralabials, chin- greatest chinshield width 2.02.
shields, and three rows of gulars. Five gulars and one pre-
ventral separate the chinshields from the ventrals. Variation.—(Except where noted, the following applies to
Paraventrals are smooth adjacent to the anteriormost ven- the Bolivian sample.) As for the holotype, the rostral is
trals but develop increasingly heavy keels posteriorly; usually slightly higher than wide (rostral width/rostral
parasubcaudal keels are as well developed as the keels on height = 0.70–1.04, 0.93 ± 0.9, 17). Contact between the
the adjacent caudals. The specimen has 21 dorsals at mid- internasals is rare, occurring in one Bolivian neonate and
body, 17 dorsals one head-length in front of the cloaca, the Peruvian holotype (9%, 23). More frequently, speci-
160 ventrals, and 55 subcaudals. All of the subcaudals are mens from Bolivia and Peru have one (61%, 23), two
divided. The terminal spine is elongate and slightly (26%, 23), or three (4%, 23) scales between the inter-
upturned distally. nasals. A single canthorostral is present on one side only in
The original color of the holotype has faded consider- CBG 15; all other specimens lacked this character. The
ably, although pattern is like that of referred material dis- canthals are separated by 3–5 (4 ± 1, 14) short and keeled
cussed below. The dorsum and flanks are olive-gray with intercanthals, and 4–10 (7 ± 2, 17) keeled scales separate
dark brown (black in life?) and cream markings. Keels are the supraoculars. Most (73%, 18) specimens have 1–2
the same color as adjacent areas of the same scale. The fused intersupraoculars, and large, flat plates occupy the
dorsal surface of the head is uniformly gray, but almost the interocular region of some specimens. Flat plate-like
entire stratum corneum is missing. The face, labials, and scales and “doubled” keeled scales are also frequently
underside of the head are pale yellow with very diffuse (about 50% of the specimens) observed in the parietal
gray flecks. A brown (black in life?) postocular stripe region, although this characteristic was scored for few
begins on the upper portion of the subocular and covers specimens. The lacunal scales are separated from the nasal
one row of temporals, the upper edge of supralabial 5, one- by 2–5 (3 ± 1, 18) prefoveals. The loreal is subrectangular,
half of supralabial 6, and three-quarters of supralabial 7.

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 15

broadly contacts the canthal and supralacunal, and is usu- (e.g., a black bar extends across the snout in front of the
ally about one-half as high as long (0.43–0.77, 0.55 ± 0.09, supraoculars in CBF 446, and irregular black marks lie on
17). Divided loreal scales were not observed in this the interocular and parietal regions of this specimen). The
species. The second supralabial and prelacunal are discrete face and upper edges of the supralabials are olive green,
on both sides of one specimen (CBG 17), but usually are fading to yellow on the lower portions of the supralabials.
partially or completely fused. The sublacunal contacts the In our sample, the amount of black pigment on the venter
lacunolabial and the third supralabial. A small scale is varies from moderate (e.g., NK 2037, UTA 39104) to near-
present at the juncture of the lacunolabial, third supralabi- ly entirely black (NK 2038) posteriorly. In adults, the par-
al, and sublacunal on both sides of one specimen and one aventral pattern is usually devoid of yellow blotches; in
side only of a second (8%, 14). The sublacunal is entire in most Bolivian specimens it consists of black blotches cov-
all specimens; it partially fuses to the middle preocular in ering one-half to two paraventrals and separated by two to
one specimen and completely fuses on one side only in a three green scales. Eighteen to twenty-five dorsal blotches
second specimen. Two specimens have two suboculars on are present and usually resemble poorly defined triangles,
one side only (6%, 18); all others have 1/1 subocular but some specimens (e.g., NK 2037, UTA 39107) have the
(94%, 18) and 2/2 postoculars. In all Bolivian specimens, French telephone design. Near the tail, black edging of the
the subocular is separated from the supralabials by a row dorsal marks becomes broken into 2–4 rows of black
of keeled scales (3 interoculabials, 100%, 18). However, blotches. In some adult specimens, all of the subcaudals
the subocular contacts a supralabial 50% (9) of the time in are melanic, whereas in most adults and all neonates the
the Peruvian sample. distalmost 14–37 subcaudals are yellow or yellowish
In Bolivia, this species has seven supralabials and nine green (sky blue in preservative). The dorsal surface of the
(78%, 18) or ten (22%, 18) infralabials. Usually (77%, 18), tail bears 5–12 subrectangular blotches, which are edged
the first three infralabials contact the chinshields; two or in black proximally but lack black edging distally. In
four infralabials contact a chinshield on one side only in neonates and adults from a single population, tail tips may
three specimens. The chinshields are separated from the be black (e.g., NK 2014, 2037) or yellowish green (NK
ventrals by 4–7 (5 ± 1, 18) gulars and 1–3 (2 ± 1, 18) pre- 2038–40). The iris is red in Bolivian specimens (Campbell
ventrals. Males have 166–174 (171 ± 3, 8) ventrals and and Lamar 1989 report that the iris is colored similarly to
52–63 (57 ± 4, 8) subcaudals, and females have 169–179 the supralabials in Peruvian specimens).
(174 ± 3, 8) ventrals and 49–58 (52 ± 3, 8) subcaudals. As for most Bothrops, facial pattern changes during
Usually (58%, 17), the subcaudals are all divided with ontogeny. The pale yellow pinstripe edging the postocular
42% (17) of the specimens having 2–8 entire subcaudals. stripe is obvious in juveniles, faded in subadults, and
Interrictal counts (23–28, 26 ± 1, 17) were 2–5 scales high- absent in large adult specimens. Juveniles have heavily
er than dorsal counts at midbody. In this species, 21 (21%, speckled chins and labials, and may also have poorly
18) or 23 (79%, 18) scale rows at midbody reduce to 19 defined pale spots on their infralabials. The speckling may
(79%, 18), 18 (16%, 18), or 17 (5%, 18) scale rows one be visible in smaller adults such as the holotype and many
head-length in front of the vent. Bolivian specimens, but the labials are immaculate in larg-
CBF 446 with a total length of 973 mm is the largest er specimens. Among Bolivian specimens, alternating
specimen known to us, and 12 specimens from Bolivia cream and black paraventral blotches are visible in juve-
exceed published size records for this species (“464 to 700 niles but not in adults.
mm,” as summarized by Campbell and Lamar 1989). The Teeth were counted on one side of CBF 446. The spec-
tail is 16–19% (18 ± 1, 7) as long as snout-vent length in imen has 8 palatine teeth, 24 pterygoid teeth, and 17 den-
males and 15–17% (16 ± 1, 8) as long in females. Head tary teeth. The length of the first palatine tooth is about six
length accounts for 4.4–5.0% (4.6 ± 0.2, 17) of snout-vent times the diameter of its base. The first dentary tooth is
length, and eye-nostril distance is 23.6–28.8% (26.0 ± 1.4, nearly vertical and about six times as long as the diameter
16) of head-length. of its base. The remaining dentary teeth become strongly
Recently collected specimens allow us to provide a recurved posteriorly. Measured from the pit cavity, the
more complete description of coloration in this species. In fang is one-third as long as head-length, and about 6.5
life, most Bolivian specimens were dull green with some- times as long as its diameter at its base.
what brighter green (bluish in preservative; note that this
is also true for some Peruvian specimens such as USNM Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA.
346224) ground color ventrally. The yellow color of the COCHABAMBA. Carrasco: Chaquisacha, Parque
chin, gulars, and preventrals rapidly fades to green ventral Nacional Carrasco, 1500 m, 17°24'42"S, 65°15'07"W
coloration. In life and in the more recently preserved (CBG 14, CBG 15, CBG 16, CBG 17); Khara Huasi (FML
Bolivian specimens, the postocular stripe, edging of the 1039). LA PAZ. Nor Yungas: Parque Nacional y Area
dorsal blotches, skin between the scales, and the tongue Natural de Manejo Integrado Cotapata (CBF 1927, 1930).
are all black rather than brown as in the holotype. Some Franz Tamayo: Apolo, El Piñalito, 2290 m (CBF 221).
specimens have markings on the dorsal surface of the head Sud Yungas: Irupana, 2135 m, 16°28' S, 67°28'W (CBF

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16 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

446, CBF 467), 12 km SE of Chuspipata on the road to on specimens we examined]; (7) loreal subtriangular,
Chulumani, between 1500 and 2200 m (UTA 39107). higher than long; (8) canthals narrow and separated by 3–7
SANTA CRUZ. Caballero: Palmasola (NK 1855, NK scales; (9) internasals usually in contact, separated by one
2014) Florida: Parque Nacional Amboró, Río San Rafael scale in 22% of the sample; (10) postocular stripe distinct
próximo a las Calaminas (NK 2037); Parque Nacional and brown; two temporals high; (11) dorsum brown, pat-
Amboró, próximo a El Bibosi (NK 2038); Parque tern of subtriangular blotches or French telephone-shaped
Nacional Amboró, El Bibosi, (NK 2039–40); Santa Rosa marks; venter uniformly and heavily speckled (popula-
de Lima (NK 2039–46); Bermejo (NK 421); La Yunga, tions on Andean slopes) or with alternating cream and
18°05'30"S, 63°54'30"W (UTA 39104). charcoal, square blotches.
PERU. CUZCO. MCZ 8832 (Holotype), MCZ 12415
(Paratype), USNM 346224. PUNO. USNM 267835–39, Comparisons among B. atrox Group Species.—Bothrops
UTA 26719. atrox, B. brazili, B. moojeni, and B. sanctaecrucis are
rather easily confused with one another (Table 2).
Remarks.—Amaral (1923) did not supply a separate Bothrops sanctaecrucis occurs in sympatry with B. atrox
description of the holotype, choosing to describe the type in Beni and B. moojeni occurs with B. atrox in eastern
series together. He does not illustrate any of the specimens. Santa Cruz. Although not yet collected in Bolivia,
His description is accurate except on two points: First, the B. brazili almost certainly occurs with B. atrox in La Paz
nasals of the holotype and one paratype (MCZ 12415, and Pando. Of the four, B. atrox is the most easily recog-
other paratypes not examined in this study) are not divid- nized. Unlike the other species, Bolivian B. atrox have
ed. However, each nasal bears a pair of short notches, one well-defined, high, dark brown postocular stripes. When
above and just posterior to the naris, the other posterior present, the postocular stripes of the other species are one
and below the center of the naris. Second, other than the scale high (vs. 2–2.5 scales high in B. atrox). The venter of
canthals and internasals, scales covering the dorsal surface B. atrox is rather heavily pigmented and consists of stag-
of the snout are weakly keeled, not smooth. gered cream and gray to black (=melanophores) squares
The distinctive rectangular loreal scale of Bothrops (lowland populations) or is uniformly and heavily speck-
andianus is relatively rare in Neotropical pitvipers (Table led (specimens from the Andean slopes in La Paz). The
1). Interestingly, we only found rectangular loreals in venter of Bothrops brazili is also moderately to heavily
B. andianus and B. lojanus. Known only from Loja and pigmented, but the other two species have cream venters
Zamora-Chinchipe provinces, Ecuador, 2100–2300 m ele- with only a very diffuse pattern not consisting of staggered
vation, B. lojanus is another small terrestrial species squares. Bothrops brazili and B. sanctaecrucis may further
restricted to montane regions of the Andes like B. andi- be distinguished from B. atrox and B. moojeni by fewer
anus. The rectangular loreal is clearly apomorphic and than four (2–4 in B. brazili, 0–3 in B. sanctaecrucis)
suggests a close relationship between these two similar keeled scales between the canthals (vs. 2–7 in B. atrox and
montane species. B. moojeni). In addition, B. sanctaecrucis has a pale green
iris (pinkish copper to bronze in the other species) and
Bolivian B. moojeni have curving stripes on their necks.
Bothrops atrox (Linnaeus, 1758) In neonates and juveniles of these four species, the cau-
Figure 3 dal one- to two-thirds of the tail is yellow. The tip of the
tail darkens with age, but it is most distinct in adult
[Coluber] atrox Linnaeus, 1758:824. Two SYNTYPES from “Asia” (in Bothrops sanctaecrucis where the distal tail is black dor-
error, corrected to “Surinam” by Schmidt and Walker, 1943:295) sally and ventrally sharply contrasting with the base of the
(“Mus. Ad.Fr.” now NHRM 100–101).
tail. In the other species, the dorsal surface of the tail is
about the same color as the dorsal blotches and does not
Diagnosis.—With the possible exception of a few prob-
sharply contrast with the dorsal pattern. Table 2 summa-
lematic species of the Bothrops atrox complex (see
rizes distinguishing characteristics of these similar species.
Remarks), B. atrox is distinguished from all congeners and
from species of Bothrocophias and Bothriopsis by the fol-
lowing combination of characters: (1) lacunolabial pres- Description.—Except for Lachesis muta, Bothrops atrox is
ent; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate; (3) infralabials and the longest pitviper in Bolivia. In our sample, females are
gulars pigmented to varying degrees but lacking regular 619–1541 mm long (total length, 8), and their tails are
series of cream round to C-shaped marks; (4) canthoros- 10–21% (16 ± 3, 8) as long as their snout-vent lengths; males
trals absent; (5) subcaudals divided; (6) ventrals 182–200 are 307–1009 mm, and their tails are 13–19% (18 ± 2, 7) of
and subcaudals 54–72 [Campbell and Lamar 1989 report their snout-vent lengths. The head of this species is longer
169–212 ventrals and 47–86 based on literature records than wide and accounts for 3.9–5.1% (4.3 ± 0.4, 8) of snout-
from across the range of the species complex. Their wider vent length in females and 3.5–5.5% (4.3 ± 0.8, 7) in males.
ranges are based on published accounts that may not apply Distance from the anterior border of the eye to the center of
to the species occurring in Bolivia. Our definition is based the nostril is 16.5–25.7% (22.9 ± 2.4, 16) of head-length.

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 17

In Bothrops atrox canthorostrals are absent. The inter- heavily mottled. This specimen has the “French tele-
nasals contact one another in most specimens (78%, 9) or phone” design on its dorsum. The brown telephone-shaped
are separated by a single small scale (22%, 9). The can- marks are edged first in cream then in black. The marks
thals are narrow and separated by 3–7 (4 ± 1, 19) keeled begin on the fourth dorsal row and are 6–7 dorsals long.
scales. In our sample, specimens have 4–10 (7 ± 1, 19) Black paraventral spots overlap the lateral edges of ven-
intersupraoculars, and these scales were usually single and trals and parts of two paraventrals. Anteriorly on the body,
keeled. A flat, plate-like scale resulting from fusion of these spots are separated by 1–2 scales, but they become
three or four scales lies in the intersupraocular region of more extensive posteriorly where they are separated by
one specimen (AMNH 4038) and one or two doubled near vertical cream lines. The distal one-fourth of the tail
scales are present in six others (30%, 19). Interrictals num- is pale yellow.
ber 26–37 (28 ± 3, 20) and are consistently higher than In adults, the labial speckling persists, but is more dif-
dorsal counts at midbody. fuse and faint. The postocular stripe is always prominent
The rostral is usually slightly higher than wide (rostral and crosses 1–2 scales at its widest. On the body, 14–20
width is 84.2–102.9%, 94.0 ± 6.3, 11, of rostral height). (18 ± 2, 13) blotches are followed by 4–7 bands on the tail.
Although the prelacunal and second supralabial may be The banding pattern on the tail gives way to a uniformly
only partially fused (e.g., LSUMZ 45975), a lacunolabial pigmented distal portion accounting for the last 28–39
is invariably present (100%, 20). The sublacunal contacts subcaudals. All specimens from the Andean slopes have
the third supralabial and lacunolabial, and a small scale is uniformly speckled venters, whereas all specimens from
not present at the juncture of these three scales. In this the lowlands have staggered, squarish gray to charcoal
species, the loreal contacts the canthal and is single, sub- blotches on a cream background.
triangular, and 74.4–100.0 (87.2 ± 8.5, 13) as high as long.
The upper preocular contributes to the canthus and is Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA.
always entire; the middle preocular is distinct from the BENI. Gral. José Ballivián: Yucumo (NK 488); Pilón
supralacunal. Two postoculars and 1–3 (2 ± 1, 19) suboc- Lajas, Laguna Azul, 340 m (NK 1903). Vaca Díez:
ulars are separated from the supralabials by one scale in all Cachuela Esperanza (AMNH 22524), Tumi Chucua
but one specimen (3 interoculabials, 97%, 20): a subocular (USNM 280423–25). Unknown: “Brazil/Bolivia: Río
contacts a supralabial on one side only in AMNH 4038. Beni between Brazil & Bolivia” (AMNH 36190). LA
This species usually has seven supralabials (7–8, 7 ± 0, PAZ. Abel Iturralde: Ixiama-Río Manurimi, Barraca
20). Infralabial counts show more variation and range Santa Rosa, 12°10'S, 67°30'W (NK 2048); Puerto
from 8–11 (10 ± 1, 20), the first 1–4 (3 ± 1, 20) contacting Moscoso (CBF 1726); Chalalán, Area Natural de Manejo
the chinshields. Three to five (4 ± 1, 20) gulars and 1–3 (1 Integrado Madidi (CBF 1931); Alto Río Madidi, Moira
± 1, 20) preventrals separate the chinshields from the ven- Camp, 13°35'S, 68°46'W, 270 m (USNM 336150).
trals. Females have 189–198 (195 ± 3, 9) ventrals and Caranavi: “40 km de Caranavi hacia Palos Blancos, 1475
54–66 (61 ± 4, 9) subcaudals, and males have 183–200 m” (CBF 641). Nor Yungas: Bajo Hornuni, Parque
(192 ± 6, 7) ventrals and 64–72 (67 ± 5, 7) subcaudals. In Nacional Cotapata (CBF 1928–29); stream 4.5 road km W
all specimens (100%, 19), every subcaudal is divided. of Yolosa, a tributary of the Río Elena, 16.20°S 67.78°W
As for most congeners, pattern is boldest in juvenile (UTA 38035). Sud Yungas: Pilón Lajas, Serranía Beu,
specimens of Bothrops atrox. In a typical juvenile from the 1500 m; 14°53'15"S, 67°17'31"W (NK 1805). PANDO.
Andean population (UTA 38035, Fig. 3), the postocular Gral. Federico Román: Río Negro (CBF 1848). Nicolás
stripe is brown and a sharp white line edges the stripe dor- Suárez: “12 km by road S Cobija, ca. 8 km W on road to
sally and ventrally. At its widest, the dark brown post- Mucden” (=Mukden, LSUMZ 45975). SANTA CRUZ.
ocular stripe covers two temporals, and it extends across Velasco: Santa Cruz: Lago Caimán, Parque Nacional
some or all of the last three supralabials beyond the rictus “Noel Kempff Mercado” (NK 934); Flor de Oro, Parque
to cover about 11 scales on the neck. The dorsal ground Nacional “Noel Kempff Mercado” (NK 1295).
color of the head is gray. A few black blotches are present UNKNOWN. “interior of Bolivia” (AMNH 4038).
on the head: one between the canthals, a pair forming Specimens not examined: BOLIVIA. LA PAZ. Sud
poorly defined supratemporal brown stripes. A pale gray Yungas. “Bellavista, 15°38'S, 67°02'W,” 1500 m (no field
band (2 scales wide) separates the postocular stripe from number given, EBD, De la Riva et al. 1992).
the poorly defined supratemporal stripe. In this juvenile UNKNOWN. “Madre de Dios” (we assume that this spec-
specimen, the rostral, supralabials, and facial scales are imen, identified as Lachesis lanceolatus in the BMNH by
uniformly speckled. Large black spots are in the center of Boulenger 1896, is B. atrox).
the rostral, along the posterior edge of the lacunolabial,
and at the juncture of supralabials 4 and 5. On the chin, Remarks.—The Bothrops atrox complex is the sister group
black pigmentation is extensive. The mental and anterior of a clade composed of B. lanceolatus and B. caribbaeus
six infralabials have heavy black edges, the mental itself is and contains populations of cis-Andean lanceheads vari-
almost entirely black, and the chinshields and gulars are ously referred to as B.atrox, B. colombiensis, B. isabelae,

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18 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

B. leucurus, B. marajoensis, and B. moojeni (Wüster et al. In Bolivia, the status of populations of Bothrops atrox
1996; Wüster et al. 1999; Salomão et al. 1997, 1999; occurring at moderate to high elevations along the Andean
Wüster et al. 2002). Investigators of species boundaries slopes should be reevaluated when more specimens
within this complex recognize a “moojeni” phenotype for become available. These snakes have uniformly speckled
populations traditionally referred to as B. moojeni in venters with no trace of the staggered cream and gray
Argentina, central-southern Brazil, and Paraguay and an blotches on the ventrals of specimens from the lowlands.
“atrox” phenotype in all other populations (Wüster et al. We could not find other characters to separate these popu-
1997). lations and consider them to be conspecific for the time
As reflected in our descriptions, we had little difficulty being.
differentiating between B. atrox and B. moojeni within
Bolivia. Moreover, these two species appear to be morpho-
logically distinct where they occur in sympatry within Bothrops jonathani Harvey, 1994
Parque Nacional “Noel Kempff Mercado” (Fig. 9).
Nonetheless, species boundaries between B. moojeni and Bothrops jonathani Harvey, 1994:61. HOLOTYPE male from “approxi-
B. atrox remain problematic elsewhere in South America. mately 35 km N (by road) of El Empalme, Provincia Carrasco,
Departamento de Cochabamba, approximately 2800 m (17°45'S,
In a multivariate analysis, Wüster et al.(1996) suggested 65°00'W)” Bolivia (NK 1000) [examined]. Dirksen, et al. 1995:23;
that a hybrid zone exists where populations of moojeni and David and Ineich, 1999:229; McDiarmid et al., 1999:267.
atrox come in contact in Pará and Piauí, Brazil. They sug-
gested three possible explanations for the presence of Diagnosis.—Bothrops jonathani is distinguished from all
seemingly intermediate specimens where the ranges over- congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and
lap: 1. Populations of Bothrops moojeni are southern Bothriopsis by the following combination of characters:
B. atrox. 2. The forms are distinct species with converging (1) lacunolabial absent; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate;
adaptations for similar environmental conditions where (3) labials with distinctive pattern: white with tan or black
their ranges contact one another. 3. Intermediate speci- edges; (4) canthorostrals absent; (5) all subcaudals divid-
mens are hybrids. The status of B. moojeni was further ed; (6) ventrals 154–172 and subcaudals 37–42; (7) loreal
complicated by results of a phylogenetic analysis using subtriangular; (8) canthals narrow and separated by 4–6
mtDNA (Wüster et al. 1999). Specimens with the “moo- scales; (9) internasals in contact; (10) postocular stripe 4.5
jeni” phenotype fell into two clades each of which also temporals high, brown edged in black; (11) dorsum pale
contained specimens clearly referable to B. atrox. brown with dark brown X- or V-shaped marks; venter
However, levels of divergence were low (2.6–3.6% among heavily pigmented with charcoal blotches; (12) counts for
more basal clades). dorsals (27–33), supralabials (9–12), infralabials (13–16),
and interoculabials (4) unusually high for Bothrops.

Description.—The largest specimen of this relatively


small species is an 881 mm female (NK 1618). The largest
male specimen is the holotype (620 mm). The tail is
13–16% (15 ± 2, 2) of snout-vent length in males and
11–12% (11 ± 0, 2) in females. The head is 66.5–80.4%
(74.7 ± 6.8, 4) as wide as long, and its length accounts for
4.6–5.2% (5.3 ± 0.8, 5) of snout-vent length in adults, 7%
in a 285 mm juvenile. Eye-nostril distance accounts for
22.3–24.6% (23.4 ± 0.9, 6) of head-length.
This species lacks canthorostrals and the internasals are
in contact. The canthals are separated by 4–6 (5 ± 1, 6)
keeled scales. The supraoculars are narrow and separated
by 8–12 (10 ± 2, 7) keeled scales. “Doubled” intersupraoc-
ulars occur in three specimens, however large plate-like
scales do not occur between the supraoculars or in the pari-
etal region of this species. Interrictal counts (31–37, 33 ±
2, 6) were 0–8 scales more than dorsal counts (27–33, 30
± 2, 7) at midbody.
The rostral of this species is 85.0–103.2% (93.4 ± 8.2,
6) as wide as high. Four to eight (5 ± 1, 7) prefoveals are
present, and the lacunals are always (100%, 6) separated
Fig. 10.—Distributions of Bothriopsis bilineata and Bothrops jonathani. from the supralabials by a complete row of subfoveals
The open symbol represents a published report based on a specimen not (lacunolabial absent). The loreal is entire, subtriangular,
examined by us. Areas above 500 and 1000 m are shaded gray.

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 19

69 64 59 tail does not have a distinct, paler pattern although it is


10 10
uniformly gray ventrally in some specimens. The ventrals
Bothriopsis taeniata
are white with a ventral pattern consisting of staggered
Bothrops neuwiedi
smoke-gray to dark charcoal bands.
A color photo of this species was published by Dirksen
et al. (1995, fig. 9 and 10), presumably of ZFMK 57523.

Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA.


15 15 COCHABAMBA. Carrasco: “approximately 35 km N
(by road) of El Empalme,” 2800 m (NK 1000, holotype);
“on the old highway connecting Santa Cruz to
Cochabamba, 97 km S (by road) of Cochabamba, 3220 m”
(UTA 34564). SANTA CRUZ. Caballero: San Juan del
Potrero (NK 1618 and 2036). Florida: “La Yunga de
Mairana,” 1960 m (NK 2041); El Fuerte, 2000 m (ZFMK
20 20 57523 and 58160). Vallegrande: 5 km E of Santa Rosita
(NK 718).
In addition to these localities, the species has also been
collected near Samaipata, Florida, Santa Cruz (Dirksen et
200 km al., 1995: ZFMK 60172). This species appears to be
restricted to dry valleys of the Andes between 1900–3300
m (Fig. 10).
69 64 59

Fig. 11.—Distributions of Bothriopsis taeniata and Bothrops neuwiedi.


Open symbols represent published reports based on specimens not exam-
ined by us. Areas above 500 and 1000 m are shaded gray.
Bothrops moojeni Hoge, 1966
and 75.0–107.4% (96.4 ± 19.6, 6) as high as long. It broad- Bothrops atrox: Serié, 1915:106, 1921:169; Abalos and Mischis, 1975:75
ly contacts the canthal and the supralacunal. Unlike other (not of Linnaeus)
Bolivian pitvipers, the upper preocular is usually (83%, 6) Bothrops atrox atrox: Hoge, 1953:195. (not of Linnaeus)
divided into a small, square preocular and a much larger Bothrops moojeni Hoge, 1966:126. HOLOTYPE from “Brasília, Distrito
scale that contributes to the canthus. The middle preocular Federal, Brasil” (IB 23397). Peters and Orejas-Miranda, 1970:49;
Hoge and Romano, 1973:137; Hoge et al., 1975; Hoge et al.,
and the supralacunal are fused in the paratype, but discrete 1981:91; Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1981:211; Nascimento et al.,
in the other specimens. Usually (83%, 6), the sublacunal 1988:57; Campbell and Lamar, 1989:212; Cei, 1993:722;
and prelacunal are separated by one or two subfoveal Strussmann and Sazima, 1993:161; Wüster et al., 1994:76. Jorge da
scales that enter the pit. Four to eight suboculars and pos- Silva and Sites, 1995:898; Aquino et al., 1996:376; Harvey, 1998:
148 and 353; Buongermini and Waller, 1999:53; Freitas, 1999:72;
toculars are separated from the supralabials by two rows of David and Ineich, 1999:232; McDiarmid et al., 1999:267.
smooth scales (=4 interoculabials, 100%, 6). This species Botrops moojeni (Hoge): McDiarmid and Foster, 1987:7. [misspelling]
has 9–12 (11 ± 1, 7) supralabials and 13–16 (14 ± 1, 7) Bothrops atrox moojeni (Hoge): Itoh et al., 1987:3132.
infralabials, the first three contacting the chinshields. The
first pair of infralabials separate the mental from the chin- Diagnosis.—Bothrops moojeni is distinguished from all
shields. Five to nine (6 ± 1, 7) gulars and 1–3 (2 ± 1, 7) congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and
preventrals separate the chinshields from the ventrals. Bothriopsis by the following combination of characters: (1)
Males have 156–164 (159 ± 4, 3) ventrals and 39–42 lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate; (3)
(40 ± 2, 3) subcaudals, and females have 161–172 (167 ± infralabials and gulars immaculate; (4) canthorostrals
6, 3) ventrals and 37–39 (38 ± 1, 2) subcaudals. All sub- absent; (5) subcaudals divided; (6) ventrals 179–210 and
caudals are divided in this species. subcaudals 44–70 (Campbell and Lamar 1989); (7) loreal
In several ways, coloration of Bothrops jonathani dif- subtriangular; (8) canthals narrow and separated by 4–7
fers noticeably from other Bolivian pitvipers. The dorsum scales; (9) internasals in contact (33%, 9) or separated by
is dark tan with dark brown blotches edged in cream. The 1–2 scales; (10) postocular stripe absent or dark brown to
postocular stripe is brown and edged above and below in gray and narrow: less than one temporal high; (11) dorsum
black. It is higher than in most species, overlapping four gray to brown, pattern of subtriangular blotches; venter
and one-half scales at its highest point. The labials have a cream with very diffuse if any pigmentation except on
complex pattern, being white with dark tan or black edges. edges; distinctive wavy occipital stripe extending onto neck.
The ventral surface of the head is white with black and
smoke-gray markings. Twenty-four to thirty (26 ± 2, 6) V- Description of Bolivian Specimens.—We are aware of
to X-shaped marks are present on the dorsal body and 5–9 only three museum specimens of this species from Bolivia.
(8 ± 2, 6) are present on the tail. The distal portion of the A male specimen (NK 609) has a damaged head, and some

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20 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

head measurements were not taken for this specimen. Two reported Bothrops moojeni for Bolivia (Fig. 9). The range
female specimens are in relatively good condition. depicted by Campbell and Lamar (1989) in their map 71
The largest specimen is an adult female with a snout- was extended northward and westward much closer to the
vent length of 975 mm and tail length of 157 mm. The tail Bolivian border by Nascimento et al. (1988) who reported
is 16–17% as long as snout-vent length in females and 19% the species from Chapado dos Guimarães and the Serra das
as long in the male specimen. The head is longer than wide Araras in central Mato Grosso, Brazil. Wüster et al. (1994)
(head width/head length = 0.63–0.67 in females) and and Strussman and Sazima (1993) reported B. moojeni
accounts for 3% of snout-vent length. The eye is 51–80% from localities in the northern Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
(2) as long as eye-nostril distance. These specimens lack Specimens Hoge (1953) identified as Bothrops atrox from
canthorostrals, and the internasals are in contact medially. Chavantina on the Rio das Mortes in eastern Mato Grosso
The canthals are narrow and separated from one another by are probably B. moojeni. Based on the recent finding of
4–5 rows of keeled scales. In two specimens, the canthus is Martínez and Martínez, Cei (1993) argued that reports of
formed by the internasal, canthal, and part of the upper pre- B. atrox from Misiones, Argentina, are based on specimens
ocular; however, the last scale is excluded from the canthus of B. moojeni. At present, the only museum specimens
by broad canthal-supraocular contact in the male specimen. from Bolivia have been collected on top of the Serranía de
Seven (NK 609) or 10 keeled scales separate the supraocu- Huanchaca, a table-top mountain straddling the border
lars; plate-like or fused intersupraoculars are not present. between Bolivia and Brazil (Harvey 1998, 1999; Harvey
Interrictal counts were the same (NK 610) or one to two and Gutberlet 1998). We have seen photographs (with
scales more than number of dorsals at midbody. some morphological data, P. Strimple, personal communi-
Two to four prefoveals are present in front of the cation) of live Bothrops moojeni from El Tumbador near
lacunolabial. The sublacunal contacts the third supralabial, Corumbá in the Bolivian Pantanal (Germán Busch
and no scale is present at the juncture of the lacunolabial, province).
third supralabial, and sublacunal. The loreal is single, sub- BOLIVIA. SANTA CRUZ. Germán Busch: El
triangular, and about as long as high. The middle preocu- Tumbador (no museum number, photo only). Velasco:
lar is distinct from the supralacunal, and neither the upper Parque Nacional “Noel Kempff Mercado” (NK 156); Las
preocular nor the sublacunal is divided. An elongate sub- Gamas, Parque Nacional “Noel Kempff Mercado” (NK
ocular is present in two specimens, but this scale is divid- 609–610).
ed into 2/3 scales in NK 609. Two postoculars are present BRAZIL. MATO GROSSO DO SUL. USNM
in all specimens. The specimens have 3/3 interoculabials, 100749. PARANÁ. FML 2506, 2513–14. SÃO PAULO.
7/7 supralabials, and 10/10 infralabials, the first three con- USNM 165485.
tacting the chinshields. Four to five gulars and one preven- PARAGUAY. AMAMBAY. USNM 253143–44,
tral separate the chinshields from 196 (two females) or 197 342425–26.
ventrals and 60–62 (females) or 65 (male) divided subcau-
dals. Twenty-five to 27 dorsals reduce to 21 dorsals one- Remarks.—McDiarmid et al. (1999) discuss the problem-
head length in front of the cloaca. atic allocation of Bothrops leucostigma Wagler.
The three Bolivian specimens have a narrow postocular Hoogmoed and Gruber (1983) suspect that the type speci-
stripe about one scale high and curving around the rictus men may be B. moojeni rather than B. jararaca as thought
where the stripe is thickest. A pair of stripes begins just by other authors (Peters and Orejas-Miranda 1970;
above the rictus and extends along the neck to the level of Vanzolini 1981).
the 12–24th ventral. The dorsal pattern consists of 14–15
brown triangular blotches, edged in black lines that slight-
ly curve into the triangles ventrally. These blotches are 6–9 Bothrops neuwiedi (Wagler, 1824)
dorsals at their longest point on the flanks. As in most
species of Bothrops, the blotches meet dorsally or are stag- Bothrops Neuwiedi Wagler, 1824:56. Likely HOLOTYPE from “provin-
gered along the midline. Two or three bands are visible cia Bahiae” (Bahia province, Brazil, according to Vanzolini,
1981:xxiv) (ZSMH 2348/0). [Holotype was designated as a lectotype
proximally on the tail, but the dorsal surface of the tail is by Hoogmoed and Gruber (1983)].
uniformly gray (large adult) or tan (subadults) for two-
thirds of its length. The labials and chin are nearly immac- Diagnosis.—Bothrops neuwiedi is distinguished from all
ulate. A few diffuse blotches are present on the first infral- congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and
abials of NK 610. The ventrals are cream; adjacent to dif- Bothriopsis by the following combination of characters:
fuse paraventral spots, every other ventral has a diffusely (1) lacunolabial absent; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate;
black pigmented edge. The subcaudals are very diffusely (3) infralabials and gulars diffusely pigmented but lacking
pigmented to the tip of the tail. distinct cream circular to C-shaped marks; (4) canthoros-
trals absent; (5) all subcaudals divided; rarely with few
Distribution and Comparative Material.—On the basis of entire subcaudals; (6) ventrals 165–186 and subcaudals
specimens examined in this study, Harvey (1998) first 40–54 (Campbell and Lamar 1989, report 163–190 ven-

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 21

trals and 37–54 subcaudals in this polytypic species); (7) supralacunal; in one specimen (CM 2730), these two
loreal subtriangular; (8) canthals narrow and separated by scales are separated by a single square scale on both sides.
3–6 scales; (9) internasals in contact; (10) postocular stripe Two postoculars and 1–6 (2 ± 1, 38) suboculars are sepa-
brown, edged in black, 1.5–3 temporals high; (11) dorsum rated from the supralabials by one scale in most specimens
straw-colored to pale brown or gray with darker brown, (3 interoculabials, 92%, 39). Four interoculabials are pres-
French telephone-shaped or subtriangular markings; large, ent on one side only in three specimens (8%, 39). This
usually V-shaped dark brown blotches on dorsal surface of species usually has eight supralabials (8–10, 8 ± 0, 38).
head; ventral surface of head lacking pair of brown gular Infralabial counts varied more frequently and ranged from
stripes. 10–13 (11 ± 1, 38), the first 2–4 (3 ± 0, 38) contacting the
chinshields. Two to five (4 ± 1, 38) gulars and 1–4 (2 ± 1,
Description.—Bolivian Bothrops neuwiedi probably never 39) preventrals separate the chinshields from the ventrals.
exceed a meter and a half in total length. In our sample, Females have 170–189 (177 ± 5, 15) ventrals and 40–50
females are 415–1032 mm long (total length), and their (45 ± 3, 14) subcaudals, and males have 165–186 (172 ±
tails are 12–16% (14 ± 1, 13) as long as their snout-vent 5, 24) ventrals and 44–54 (50 ± 3, 24) subcaudals. In all
lengths; males are 318–830 mm and their tails are 15–19% but one specimen (97%, 39), every subcaudal was divided;
(17 ± 1, 24) of their snout-vent lengths. The head of this the third through fifth subcaudal were entire in CM 2729.
species is longer than wide and accounts for 3.6–5.1% The dorsal surface of the head is gray to tan with brown
(44.2 ± 0.4, 13) of snout-vent length in females and markings. Peñaranda et al. (1994, fig. 6) observed such
4.1–5.9% (4.3 ± 0.4, 22) in males. Distance from the ante- extreme variation in dorsal head pattern among 60
rior border of the eye to the center of the nostril is Bolivian neonates from four clutches that they were able
22.3–31.1% (25.5 ± 2.2, 26) of head-length. to identify individuals on the basis of head pattern alone
In Bothrops neuwiedi, canthorostrals are absent and the (Abalos and Baez 1963 document similar variation for
internasals contact one another (100%, 21). The canthals Argentinean populations). Specimens typically have a
are narrow and separated by 2–6 (4 ± 1, 32) keeled scales. large blotch (usually single) on the dorsal surface of the
In one specimen (CM 2730), two large scales between the snout. The markings on the head tend to be V-shaped,
canthals appear to have formed through fusion of the first although they are frequently broken into a series of blotch-
and second rows of scales between the canthals and inter- es extending from the interocular region obliquely onto the
nasals. Specimens we examined had 5–10 (7 ± 1, 39) inter- neck. The postocular stripe is brown and sharply edged
supraoculars, and these scales were usually single and ventrally in black. At its widest, it covers 1.5–3 temporals.
keeled. Thirty-five percent (39) of the specimens had 1–4 It extends across the last three to four supralabials and onto
fused scales between the supraoculars, and these com- about four scale rows beyond the rictus. The labials and
pound scales were usually doubled and keeled. Interrictal scales of the chin are diffusely pigmented, the
counts (23–30, 26 ± 2, 37) were 0–8 scales higher than melanophores tending to be most concentrated near scale
dorsals at midbody (23–27, 25 ± 1, 39). margins.
In our sample, variation in scales associated with the pit Relative to most Bolivian pitvipers, the dorsal pattern
is considerable. Three to eight prefoveals (5 ± 1, 38) lie of Bothrops neuwiedi appears both bolder and more com-
between the postnasal and prelacunal. The prelacunal con- plex. The 17–25 (20 ± 4, 31) dorsal marks are usually a
tacts the second supralabial in all (97%, 32) but one spec- “broken” version of the “French telephone” pattern: the
imen (MCZ 28603) where these scales are separated by a marks are usually staggered and each is associated with a
row of subfoveals. Condition of the sublacunal was scored pair of round spots on the flanks. The marks are narrowly
for a larger sample than other characters. Most frequently edged first in tan then in black and have dark brown cen-
(56%, 32), the sublacunal contacts both the prelacunal and ters. The dorsal ground coloration ranges from straw-
the third supralabial, and a single subfoveal is present at colored to pale brown to gray. Paraventral blotches are
the juncture of the sublacunal, prelacunal, and supralabi- poorly defined though darkly pigmented and overlap the
als. In several specimens (18%, 32), the subfoveal is lateral edge of the ventrals and the first two rows of dor-
absent. Rarely, two subfoveals are present (4%, 32), or the sals. Notably, the sides of the tail are nearly immaculate
sublacunal does not contact the third supralabial (4%, 32). pale brown; 3–7 subrectangular dark brown blotches are
On one side only of MCZ 20620, the sublacunal is divid- restricted to the dorsal surface of the proximal two-thirds
ed into subequal anterior and posterior portions. About 6% of the tail. In neonates, the distal one-third of the tail is
(32) of the time, the sublacunal and prelacunal are separat- pale yellow, however this distal portion becomes dark
ed by contact between the scale inside the pit and the brown (in specimens from Santa Cruz) or tan (e.g., UTA
subfoveal. 38038 from Tarija) with age.
In this species, the loreal contacts the canthal and is sin-
gle, subtriangular, and 73.9–133.3% (99.9 ± 15.1, 24) as Natural History.—Peñaranda et al. (1994) present repro-
high as long. The upper preocular contributes to the can- ductive and growth data for Bolivian Bothrops neuwiedi.
thus and is entire. The middle preocular is distinct from the Gestation period was nine months in captive specimens

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22 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

maintained in La Paz (Peñaranda et al. 1994) where ambi- Specimens not examined by us: BOLIVIA. BENI.
ent temperatures are considerably cooler than in the low- Gral. José Ballivián: “Estación Biológica Beni” (EBD,
lands where most populations of this species occur. no museum number given, Fugler and De la Riva 1990),
Although previously thought to occur only up to 600 m “50 km E de San Borja” 200 m (EBD no museum number,
(Campbell and Lamar 1989), some new material in this De la Riva et al. 1992); Yacuma: Santa Ana de Movimas
study comes from the intermontane valleys and slopes of (BMNH, Boulenger 1898. Now referred to as just “Santa
the Andes in Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca. Bothrops Ana,” the old name refers to the Movimas Indians native
neuwiedi occurs in grassland, dry forest, and scrub forest to the area). SANTA CRUZ. Chiquitos: Cañada larga
at least as high as 2000 m and is sympatric with B. (Peñaranda et al. 1994). Florida: Vicinity of Samaipata
jonathani in the vicinity of the El Fuerte ruins near (Dirksen et al. 1995: ZFMK 60173). TARIJA. Arce:
Samaipata, Santa Cruz (Fig. 11). “Quebrada de San Telmo–Cooperativa John Kennedy.
22°30'S, 64°22'W” (FML uncatalogued, collectors tag GM
Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA. 2009 M, Lavilla and Scrocchi 1999). Gran Chaco: Caiza,
BENI. Yacuma: Espíritu (CBF 358, 449). Gral. José Aguairenda, San Francisco (Peracca 1897); “Tatarenda,
Ballivián: Yucumo, Estancia Porvenir, 47 km E of San Caiza, Bolivian Chaco” (Lönnberg 1902); “Villa Montes”
Borja (CBF 412, 460–61). Mamoré: “Estancia Yutiola, ca (Mertens 1929).
20 km S San Joaquín” (AMNH 104578); “ca 2 km N San
Joaquín,” (AMNH 104579); San Joaquín (FMNH 140200, Remarks.—Campbell and Lamar (1989, fig. 233) include
FMNH 161561–63). CHUQUISACA. Luis Calvo: El a photograph taken by P. Bettella of a snake from the mesa
Salvador, Cantón Carandayti (FML 2388, 2396). Sud of the Serranía de Huanchaca. Bettella and the authors
Cinti: trail between El Palmar and Limón (UTA 39112). identified this snake as Bothrops neuwiedi. Extensive col-
SANTA CRUZ. Andrés Ibáñez: Santa Cruz de la Sierra lecting in this area has failed to produce specimens of
(CM 119–120, CM 122–123, FML 1033, NK 124, 168, B. neuwiedi. The dorsal pattern of the specimen is unlike
189, 197, 205, 330, 475, 556, 719, UTA 34559–60); Bolivian B. neuwiedi but closely resembles B. moojeni
Terevinto, las pampas de Urubó (NK 178, 490); “Guafilo from the Serranía. We cannot locate Bettella’s specimen
cera de Cotoco” (NK 179); El Vallecito (NK 227); and suspect that he misidentified it or that data sent to
Potrerillo de Wendá, Cantón Terebinto (NK 957–59, Campbell and Lamar was in error. We do not include the
1419); savana W Río Piray on road from Santa Cruz de la Serranía de Huanchaca in the distribution of B. neuwiedi.
Sierra to Comunidad Las Cruces, 17.75°S 63.25°W (UTA Although the type series of Bothrops neuwiedi boli-
38037). Caballero: San Juan del Potrero (NK 686). vianus is enormous (71 specimens), Amaral (1927) does
Chiquitos: “Santiago”=Santiago de Chiquitos, 700 m not describe the series and provides only limited data for
(FMNH 195872, FMNH 195900, FMNH 195904); San the holotype. We examined most of the type series, and
José (CM 34828). Cordillera: Perforación (NK 1886–87); Griffin (1916) tabulated meristic and mensural data for it.
San Antonio del Parapetí, 20°1'S, 63°13'W (AMNH
141425-141432); “La Brecha, ca 104–120 km NE
Charagua, Izozog Region,” Cordillera province (AMNH Bothrops sanctaecrucis Hoge, 1966
141433–36). Florida: “Río Colorado” (CM 2856–59); dirt
road leading from highway near Samaipata to El Fuerte Lachesis lanceolatus: Griffin, 1916:222 (in part: CM 313 now MCZ
ruins, ca. 0.5 km S of Quebrada El Fuerte (UTA 38036); La 17699; CM 43 and CM 121 now lost) (not of Bonnaterre).
Bothrops atrox: Amaral, 1926:320 (in part: CM 313 now MCZ 17699);
Yunga near Mairana (UTA 38075); Mataral (NK 899, 1029, Amaral, 1927:6 (not of Linnaeus)
1469, 1625, 1877, 1897); Los Negros (NK 1606); Bothrops jararacussu Lacerda: Amaral, 1925:43, 1926:320 (in part, not
Pampagrande (NK 717, 860–61, 902, 1266, 1271, 1273, of Lacerda).
1269, 1475, 1509, 1519, 1720, 1856, 1870, 1984). Germán Bothrops sanctaecrucis Hoge, 1966:133. HOLOTYPE from “Oromomo,
Río Sécure, upper Beni, Bolivia” (IB 24575). Peters and Orejas-
Busch: Puerto Busch (NK 1187). Ichilo: Buena Vista Miranda, 1970:54; Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1981:219; Fugler,
(AMNH 36008–09, CM 2712–13, CM 2724–27, CM 1986:48; Campbell and Lamar, 1989:223; Fugler and De la Riva,
2729–30, CM 2802, CM 2814–15, CM 2819, CM 2896, 1990:38; Fugler et al., 1995:59; David and Ineich, 1999:236;
CM 2903–04, CM 2923–26, CM 2933–34, CM 2963, CM McDiarmid et al., 1999:271; Middendorf and Reynolds, 2000:162.
2965, MCZ 20620–22); “Río Surutú, W of Buena Vista,”
(CM 2773, CM 2913). Ñuflo de Chávez: San Ramón (NK Diagnosis.—Bothrops sanctaecrucis is distinguished from
503). Sara: no other data (MCZ 11857). Vallegrande: all congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and
Vallegrande, 2000 m (NK 847). Unknown: no other data Bothriopsis by the following combination of characters:
(MCZ 29229–31). TARIJA. Gran Chaco: Villamontes (1) lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate;
(MCZ 28603); on road from Villamontes to Entre Ríos, 38.0 (3) infralabials and gulars immaculate; (4) canthorostrals
km W of the Hoterma on the Río Pilcomayo (UTA 38038). absent; (5) subcaudals divided; (6) ventrals 175–191 and
Note: CM specimens in the list above from Buena Vista subcaudals 55–65; (7) loreal subtriangular; (8) canthals
are paratypes of Bothrops neuwiedii bolivianus Amaral. wide, in contact or separated by 1–3 scales; (9) internasals
in contact or rarely separated by 1 small scale; (10) post-

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 23

ocular stripe absent or dark gray to black and narrow: less The iris of Bothrops sanctaecrucis is uniformly pale
than one temporal high; (11) dorsum tan to pale gray with green with few black specks. The head and body are tan to
brown X-shaped or “French telephone”-shaped marks first pale gray with 17–21 (18 ± 2, 12) X-shaped or “French
edged in cream then in black; venter, labials, and chin telephone”-shaped marks. The dorsal marks are edged first
immaculate cream (diffusely pigmented in juveniles); dis- in cream, then in black; their centers are brown. In two
tal one-half of tail black in adults. well-preserved specimens (CBF 673, 1009), a pair of
oblique, cream lines two scales wide edge the supraoculars
Description.—Bothrops sanctaecrucis is a large terrestrial and extend obliquely across the supratemporal region to
pitviper attaining a total length of at least 1303 mm (CBF the level of the rictus. We could not tell if these lines are
1023, female, snout-vent length 1151, tail length 152). The present in most of our specimens because they are faded;
tail is 13–17% (15 ± 1, 8) as long as snout-vent length in however, some well-preserved specimens clearly lack the
females and 16–21% (19 ± 2, 6) as long in males. The head cream lines. Three (17%, 18) of our adult and juvenile
is 45.4–79.5% (61.9 ± 11.4, 11) as wide as long and specimens have a narrow, dark brown postocular stripe
accounts for 4.1–5.1% (4.4 ± 0.2, 5) of snout-vent length about one to one-half of a temporal wide. The postocular
in females and 4.0–4.8% (4.4 ± 0.3, 5) in males. Eye- stripe is faint over the postoculars and temporals but dark-
nostril distance accounts for 20.2–25.7% (23.9 ± 1.8, 8) of ens where it crosses the tops of the sixth and seventh
head length. In B. sanctaecrucis, canthorostrals are absent; supralabials to extend across the posterior one-half of the
9% (32, includes data from 19 neonates) of the specimens last supralabial and the scale just behind it. In young
had a small scale between the internasals. The canthals are adults, the labials may be finely speckled, although the
broad and usually separated from one another by 1–3 (36, labials become immaculate cream with age. The chin
includes data from 19 neonates) keeled scales. In two of a and ventrals are nearly immaculate cream or they may be
series of 19 neonates and in one adult female (AMNH diffusely pigmented with scattered melanophores.
6771), the canthals broadly contact one another medially. Paraventral spots are poorly defined; each occupies two
The canthus is formed by the internasal, canthal, and part paraventrals and one scale on the adjacent row of dorsals.
of the upper preocular. Six to eight (7 ± 1, 18) usually The paraventral spots are separated from one another by
keeled scales separate the supraoculars. The intersupraoc- one scale and from the dorsal blotches by three scales. The
ulars are occasionally (31%, 18) fused to form doubled, subcaudals become increasingly pigmented distally; the
keeled scales; one specimen (NK 226) had a large platelike distal one-half of the tail is black in adults.
intersupraocular about three times as large as adjacent The distal third of the tail of neonates and young
scales. Interrictal counts (25–29, 27 ± 1, 17) were 1–5 juveniles is yellow. Like most Bothrops, neonates of
scales more than the number of dorsals at midbody B. sanctaecrucis have heavily mottled chins and labials;
(21–27, 24 ± 2, 17). circular white spots are not present. None of the series of
One to three (2 ± 1, 16) prefoveals are present in 19 neonates has a dark postocular stripe.
front of the lacunolabial. In all specimens, the sublacu-
nal contacts the third supralabial and subfoveals are usu- Distribution and Comparative Material.—BOLIVIA.
ally absent: a subfoveal is present at the juncture of the BENI. Moxos: Oromomo, “orillas del Río Sécure,” 250 m
lacunolabial, third supralabial, and sublacunal on one (CBF 1009, 1023). COCHABAMBA. Carrasco:
side of a single specimen (CBF 673; 3%, 17). The lore- Campamento Yuquis, “cerca al Río Chimore,” 16°47'OO"
al is single, subtriangular, and about as long as high. It S, 64°56'50" W (CBF 673, 776). Unknown: specific local-
usually contacts the canthal; however, in one specimen ity unknown (AMNH 6771–72). SANTA CRUZ. Andrés
(MCZ 17699), a rectangular scale separates the other- Ibáñez: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, province (MCZ 17699).
wise normal (i.e., subtriangular) loreal and canthal on Ichilo: Buena Vista (MCZ 20618-19); San Carlos (NK
both sides of the head. The middle preocular is distinct 226); Yapacaní (NK 248, 358); El Condor-Moile (NK
from the supralacunal, and neither the upper preocular 359); El Potrerillo (NK 518, 633, 839); Río Maroñucú,
nor the sublacunal is divided. An elongate subocular and Parque Nacional Amboró (NK 619); Río Cheyo, camino al
two postoculars are present in most specimens; the sub- campamento La Chonta (NK 763).
ocular is divided into two scales 12.5% (18) of the time. Not examined: IB 24576 (from Oromomo), UMMZ
The specimens have 3/3 interoculabials, usually eight (26 paratypes from Buena Vista), UMMZ and CM (15
supralabials (nine supralabials are present on one side paratypes from Río Surutú). Partially based on Miranda
only of two specimens), and 9–11 (usually 10) infralabi- et al. (1991), Middendorf and Reynolds (2000) report
als, the first three contacting the chinshields. Three to B. sanctaecrucis from the Beni Biological Station
five (4 ± 0, 18) gulars and 1–3 (1 ± 1, 18) preventrals are Biosphere Reserve (Gral. José Ballivián and Yacuma
present. Female specimens have 178–191 (184 ± 3, 9) provinces, 14°40'S, 66°30'W, 220 m) (Fig. 9).
ventrals and 55–61 (58 ± 3, 9) subcaudals, whereas
males have 175–180 (177 ± 2, 6) ventrals and 59–65 (63 Remarks.—Campbell and Lamar (1989) observed that
± 2, 6) subcaudals. “this species remains an enigma; there are few literature

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24 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

references to it, and, in spite of a large type series, varia- divided vertically so that two scales separate the nasal and
tion is unreported.” At that time, even an approximation of upper preocular. The lower loreal resembles the loreal of
maximum size was unavailable (Campbell and Lamar most Bothrops in being subtriangular and as tall as long or
1989 reported a total length of 665 mm for a female taller than long. Relative to other Bolivian pitvipers, the
paratype, UTA 18689). prelacunal is large and contributes more than one-half of
Specimen NK 518 gave birth to one undeveloped and the ventral margin of the pit. This scale is separated from
still-born embryo and 19 live neonates having snout-vent the second supralabial by one scale, although a portion of
lengths of 177–240 mm (229 ± 14, 19). it separates the subfoveals and contacts the third supralabi-
al about one-half of the time (46%, 20). A lacunolabial is
not present. The sublacunal is entire and does not contact
Crotalus Linnaeus, 1758 the supralabials in any specimen. Not counting the scale
between the prelacunal and supralabials, this species has
Snakes of the genus Crotalus are small to large viperids 1–5 (3 ± 1, 20) prefoveals. The prenasal contacts the first
characterized by presence of a rattle, a moderate (e.g., supralabial in all specimens. Elongate suboculars were
Crotalus stejnegeri) to extremely short tail, absence of a absent in most specimens (MCZ 7491 being the only
nasal pore, position of the facial pit below the naso-ocular exception); instead 1–5 (3 ± 1, 20) suboculars and two
line, and entire subcaudals (Burger 1971; Gutberlet and postoculars are present, and all the oculars below and
Harvey 2002). The dorsal head plates are heavily fractured behind the eye tend to be subequal. The row of suboculars
in all species except the most basal member of the clade is separated from the supralabials by 1–3 scales [=3–5, 4 ±
(Murphy et al. 2002), Crotalus ravus, which retains the 1 (20) interoculabials]. This species has 11–16 (14 ± 1, 20)
colubrid arrangement of head plates. supralabials and 14–18 (16 ± 1, 20) infralabials; more
infralabials (3–5, 4 ± 1, 20) contact the genials than is
Content.—Crotalus contains at least 27 species (Murphy common in other Bolivian pitvipers. Medial contact of the
et al. 2002), all occurring in North America except first pair of infralabials separates the mental from the chin-
C. durissus. shields. In three specimens (15%, 20), the first pair of
infralabials are divided to form a second pair of chin-
shields. The chinshields are separated from the ventrals by
Crotalus durissus Linnaeus, 1758 4–8 (6 ± 1, 20) gulars and 1–3 (2 ± 1, 20) preventrals.
Males have 171–181 (176 ± 5, 3) ventrals and 23–30 (26
[Crotalus] Durissus Linnaeus, 1758:214. HOLOTYPE (apparently lost; ± 4, 3) subcaudals, and females have 169–184 (177 ± 6, 5)
originally in the Claudius Grill Collection and later sent to the ventrals and 20–29 (24 ± 4, 5) subcaudals. All but the 0–3
ZMUU according to Klauber 1941) from “America” (restricted to
“Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico” by Smith and Taylor 1950). most distal subcaudals are divided. In our sample, 27–31
(29 ± 1, 16) dorsals at midbody reduce to 19–22 (21 ± 1,
Description.—Our sample contains relatively few adults, 16) one head-length in front of the vent. This species has
and we do not report sexual differences in morphometric 27–34 (31 ± 2, 17) interrictals.
characteristics. Excluding the rattle, the tail is 7–10% (8 ± In our sample, the dorsal surface of the head bears a
1, 12) as long as snout-vent length. The head is 64–92% well-defined black band across the raised posterior mar-
(78.4 ± 8.7, 14) as wide as long and accounts for 3.1–5.4% gins of the prefrontals, the anterior one-half of the frontals,
(4.8 ± 0.7, 12) of snout-vent length. Eye diameter accounts and the anterior one-third of the supraoculars. The rostral
for 15.6–21.1% (17.9 ± 1.8, 15) and eye-nostril distance is brown with a distinct cream margin that contrasts
accounts for 21.8–24.8% (23.7 ± 1.0, 15) of head length. sharply against the brown nasal and internasal scales. Two
On the snout, the internasals are in contact medially stripes are present on the face. A brown postlacunal stripe
and, in specimens we examined, scales were never present extends from the sublacunal to the dorsal edges of, at least,
between them or between the internasals and rostral. The supralabials 3–4. The postocular stripe is brown and
canthals are in contact medially and usually followed by 1.5–3.5 temporals high. It becomes broken into one or two
two prefrontals and 2–3 intersupraoculars (four prefrontals irregular blotches after crossing the rictus. Except for scat-
and four intersupraoculars are present in AMNH 104580). tered, diffuse blotches and except where they are over-
Behind each supraocular is a large postsupraocular plate lapped by facial stripes, the supralabials, infralabials, chin-
(rarely divided). Unlike other Bolivian pitvipers, the upper shields and gulars are cream. The mental is pale brown,
preocular is entirely below the canthus so that only the and this pigment usually extends onto the flanking first
internasals and canthals form the canthus. Two loreals are pair of infralabials.
usually present, and both vary in shape moreso than the Three sets of stripes are present on the neck. The par-
loreal in Bothrops. The upper loreal is usually oval and avertebral stripes are three scales wide, the two outer
smaller than the lower loreal; it separates the postnasal scales being a darker brown than the middle row of scales.
from the upper preocular and is fused to the canthal about These stripes begin medial and just behind the supraocu-
one-third of the time. Rarely (9%, 17), the upper loreal is lars, are always more than twice as long as the head, and

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 25

(CBF 894). Yacuma: Espíritu, “bosque de galería entre


Arroyo Capibara y Dolores” (CBF 258 and CBF 362).
Unknown: “Río Mamoré, ca 23 km W San Javier,” bank
of river not specified, Cercado or Moxos province
(AMNH 101910). CHUQUISACA. Luis Calvo: “30 km
SE Carandaiti”=Carandayti (LACM 37669). LA PAZ.
Sud Yungas: Yanacachi, approximately 1800 m (CBF
504, 819); Taca, Laguna Chacajahuira (CBF 1699).
SANTA CRUZ. Andrés Ibáñez: Santa Cruz de la Sierra
(CM 118, 124); San Lorenzo “a 15 km de Cotoca” (NK
443). Chiquitos: 135 km N Pozo del Tigre, Empresa
ABFA, 17°34'48"S 61°71'33"W (NK 726); Finca Dos
Milanos (UTA 34566–70, 38040–44); Serranía de
Santiago, 800 m (FMNH 195925). Cordillera: Serranía
Parabanó (NK 974); “La Brecha, ca 104–120 km NE
Charagua, Izozog Region,” (AMNH 141446). Florida:
Pampagrande (NK 561, NK 626, 1267–68, 1957); Mairana
(NK 951), Mataral (NK 2150). Germán Busch: Estancia
Arco Iris cerca Laguna Cáceres (CBF 2115, NK 1148–49);
“Puerto Suárez, Laguna Cáceres, Tamarinero” (NK 1190).
Ichilo: Buena Vista (CM 2924); San Carlos (NK 246).
Sara: specific locality unknown (CM 30, 63).
Fig. 12.—Distribution of Crotalus durissus in Bolivia. Areas above 500 UNKNOWN. MCZ 7491 (“Beni River Valley” (MCZ
and 1000 m are shaded gray.
7491)
extend to the level of the 21–36th ventral. In occasional Specimens not examined: BOLIVIA. LA PAZ.
specimens, a dark brown supraocular band connects the “Campolican” (BMNH, Boulenger 1896. This locality
anterior edges of the paravertebral stripes. Pale brown probably is a misspelling of Caupolican, the former name
accessory stripes are separated from the paravertebral of the province now known as Abel Iturralde). SANTA
stripes by about three dorsals. These stripes are broken and CRUZ. Velasco: “Comunidad ‘La Florida,’” 14°35'S,
indistinct. Ventrolateral stripes are pale brown and two 60°50'W (EBD, no museum number, De la Riva et al.
scales wide; they do not include the paraventrals which are 1992.) (Fig. 12).
cream. The ventrolateral stripes extend to the level of the
17–25 ventral and are shorter than the paravertebral Remarks.—In number of described subspecies, Crotalus
stripes. durissus rivals Bothrops neuwiedi, and, as for the latter
Twenty-one to twenty-seven (24.0 ± 1.6, 16) diamond- species, we suspect that many of these names will not sur-
shaped blotches are present on the body, the last two or vive careful scrutiny. Nonetheless, the status and mecha-
three becoming increasingly “band-shaped” and poorly nisms of differentiation among the forms currently
defined. Except for these last two or three, the vertebral referred to C. durissus remain some of the most interesting
diamonds are edged by a row of silver scales, then by a problems in Neotropical herpetology (Vanzolini and
row of dark brown scales. The scales in the center of the Calleffo 2002). Twelve to fourteen subspecies have been
diamonds are pale brown and about the same as the ground recognized recently (Hoge 1966; Campbell and Lamar
color on the flanks. The paraventral diamonds are less dis- 1989; Harris and Simmons 1972a,b; McCranie 1993).
tinct, because they lack the dark brown scales present in Most subspecies have been defined on the basis of color
the vertebral pattern. In some neonates (e.g., UTA pattern with little attention being paid to variation in squa-
34566–67), five bands are visible on the tail; however, the mation (but see McCranie 1993).
caudal two-thirds of the tail are usually much darker (black Bolivian specimens have been referred to Crotalus
in adults) than the base so that 2–3 bands are usually all durissus terrificus (Harris and Simmons 1972a; Peters and
that are visible. Orejas-Miranda 1970), although Hoge (1966) thought that
C. d. collilineatus probably occurs in Bolivia. In adjacent
Distribution.—BOLIVIA. BENI. Gral. José Ballivián: Brazilian states, Nascimento et al. (1988) referred speci-
Estancia Alianza, “sabana entre Río Matos y Río mens from the Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, to
Curiraba” (CBF 389); El Totaizal (CBF 752). Mamoré: C. d. collilineatus, whereas Jorge da Silva (1993) referred
“Río Mamoré, Puerto Siles” (AMNH 101911); “Estancia specimens from Vilhena (Rondônia) and Barracão
Yutiole, ca 20 km S San Joaquín,”=Estancia Yutiola Queimado (Mato Grosso) to C. d. terrificus. Recent revi-
(AMNH 104580–82). Moxos: Bocorondo, "siguiendo el sors (Harris and Simmons 1972a; McCranie 1993) show a
curso del Río Mamoré, 5 km Río abajo de Exaltación” gap between these subspecies along the border between

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26 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

Brazil and Bolivia, however, Jorge da Silva (1993) extend about 9 subcaudals and are divided for about two-
remarks that the two subspecies are sympatric over a large thirds of their length. The sulcus spermaticus bifurcates at
area of central Brazil. Populations in the Serranía de the level of subcaudals 2–3. The proximal two-thirds to
Huanchaca (Harvey 1998) and a C. durissus in the EBD three-fourths of each lobe is covered in moderate-sized
(De la Riva et al. 1992) from La Florida bridge published spines. Distally, the lobes are attenuate and calyculate.
gaps between the two subspecies in eastern Bolivia. Ridges of the calyces are smooth.
Specimens examined by us key (Peters and Orejas- Werman (1992) and Gutberlet and Harvey (2002) list
Miranda 1970; Harris and Simmons 1972 b) to characters of the skull of Lachesis. The following account
C. d. collilineatus rather than C. d. terrificus because (1) based on Werman’s data summarizes characters that distin-
scales in the centers of their rhomboid blotches are pale guish Lachesis from other Neotropical pitvipers, especial-
brown, similar to the ground color and conspicuously con- ly Bothrops. The lateral margin of the prefrontal is convex
trasting with the dark brown scales edging the blotches and smooth in dorsal view. The postorbital is large and
[vs. “centers of rhomboid blotches ‘not light,’ similar to contacts the frontal. Dorsally, the frontals are flat without
ground color, only slightly lighter than rest of blotch” in elevated margins, and their width is greater than that of the
C. d. terrificus (Harris and Simmons 1972a, p. 34)] and (2) basicranium. In dorsal view, the parietal is triangular, with
three sets of distinct stripes are present on the neck, the concave postero-lateral margins. The medial wall of the pit
accessory stripes being short, broken, and indistinct [vs. cavity is strongly developed. The ectopterygoid is longer
“dorsal head pattern indistinct” in C. d. terrificus (Harris than the base of the pterygoid. In dorsal view, the anterior
and Simmons 1972a, p. 34)]. portion of the ectopterygoid is broad or truncate. Where it
Assignment of the Bolivian sample to subspecies is articulates with the pterygoid, the base of the ectoptery-
problematic. We note that ventral and subcaudal counts for goid is not spatulate and possesses a short, posteriorly
a few specimens in our study fall outside published ranges directed, finger-like projection. The shaft of the ectoptery-
(McCranie 1993) for both Crotalus durissus collilineatus goid is flat, broad, and not tapering posteriorly; a single pit
and C. d. terrificus. Nonetheless, our data fall within is present on its postero-lateral surface where the
ranges for the species as a whole. ectopterygoid retractor muscles attach.

Content.—Until recently, bushmasters were thought to


Lachesis Daudin, 1803 comprise a single, widespread polytypic species (Peters
and Orejas-Miranda 1970; Hoge and Romano-Hoge 1978;
Description.—The bushmasters are defined by a suite of Campbell and Lamar 1989). Using morphological, behav-
morphological synapomorphies including unusually high ioral, and biochemical evidence, Zamudio and Greene
scale counts (e.g., ventrals and dorsals), extensively divid- (1997) recognized three species: Lachesis melanocephala
ed distal caudals, oviparity, diamond-shaped dorsal blotch- (Solórzano and Cerdas) and L. stenophrys (Cope) in
es, and tuberculate dorsals. Defining characteristics of this Central America and Northwestern South America and
genus were summarized by Campbell and Lamar (1989), L. muta (Linnaeus) in South America.
Werman (1992, 1999), and Gutberlet and Harvey (2002).
The rostral is usually wider than high and canthorostrals Remarks.—Lachesis has been characterized as having a
are generally absent. A lacunolabial may be present or lacunolabial by some recent authors (e.g., Campbell and
absent. One or more small scales usually separate the Lamar 1989; Werman 1992) when, in fact, fusion of a
internasals and most of the dorsal head is covered in small, supralabial and the prelacunal is polymorphic (at high fre-
smooth or obtusely keeled scales. Nine to fifteen scales quencies in some populations) in both L. stenophrys
separate the supraoculars. Two loreals are present, the (Gutberlet and Harvey 2002) and L. muta (this study).
supralacunal is generally discrete from the middle preocu-
lar, and the upper preocular is entire. The loreal pit is
crossed by the naso-orbital line and a nasal pore is present. Lachesis muta Linnaeus, 1766
Bushmasters have 8–10 supralabials, 12–17 infralabials,
31–39 dorsal scale rows at midbody, 200–247 ventrals, [Crotalus] mutus Linnaeus, 1766:373. HOLOTYPE from “Surinami”
and 43–62 mostly divided subcaudals. The distal caudals (NHRM according to Andersson 1899).
are finely divided into small spine-like scales.
Bushmasters are tan dorsally with dark brown Description.—Lachesis muta is the largest pitviper in
diamond-shaped dorsal blotches. The head is black or tan Bolivia. The largest specimen is a male (CBF, tag lost)
with black markings. A dark postocular stripe extends to with a total length of 2319 mm (snout-vent length 2102
the rictus or below the angle of the jaw. The venter is mm). Compared to Bothrops, the tail of bushmasters is rel-
immaculate cream. atively short, being 10–12% (11 ± 1, 4) as long as snout-
Campbell and Lamar (1989) provide a recent descrip- vent length in males and 9–11% (10 ± 1, 2) as long in
tion of the hemipenes of bushmasters: The hemipenes females. The head is 68.6–74.4% (71.9 ± 2.5, 5) as wide as
long and its length accounts for 2.9–5.5% (3.5 ± 9.7, 5) of

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 27

snout-vent length. The eye is moderate, its diameter being 69 64 59

39.2–51.1% (43.0 ± 4.8, 5) as large as eye-nostril distance. 10 10

The distance from the anterior corner of the eye to the cen-
ter of the nostril accounts for 27.2–30.7% (29.1 ± 1.1, 6)
of head length.
Unlike most specimens of Bothrops, the rostral is usual-
ly shorter than wide in this species. Greatest rostral height
is 85.4–100.0% (90.6 ± 5.7, 5) of rostral width.
Canthorostrals are absent in all except one specimen (8.3%, 15 15

22); AMNH 101912 has a single canthorostral on one side.


The internasals are smooth, small, and oval-shaped scales
widely separated by 2–3 flat scales behind the rostral. The
internasals do not contribute to the canthus as is the case in
Bothrops. The canthus is formed by the postnasal and three
or four smooth canthals separating the postnasal from the
supraocular. The anteriormost canthals are separated by 20 20

6–12 (9 ± 1, 13) flat, rounded scales. Intersupraocular


fusions or “plate-like scales” are absent and the smooth
supraoculars are separated by 10–13 (12 ± 1, 14) smooth,
juxtaposed and rounded or polygonal scales. 200 km

This species has 1–6 (4 ± 1, 9) prefoveals. Two loreals


69 64 59
are present in all specimens and the lower loreal is
82.6–111.5% (91.8 ± 10.7, 7) as high as long. Shape of the Fig. 13.—Distribution of Lachesis muta in Bolivia. Open symbols repre-
sent published reports based on specimens not examined by us. Areas
lower loreal is irregular being square to subtriangular to above 500 and 1000 m are shaded gray.
tear-drop shaped. The upper preocular does not contribute
to the canthus or extend onto the dorsal surface of the
dals project away from the axis of the tail and give it a
head. In our sample, this scale is not divided and the mid-
bristly appearance. In contrast to Bothrops, interrictal
dle preocular does not fuse to the supralacunal. The lower
counts (27–31, 28.4 ± 1.3, 10) were 3–6 scales lower
preocular has been lost or is fused to the sublacunal which
rather than higher than counts at midbody. Thirty-two to
enters the orbit. The sublacunal region is quite variable in
thirty-five (32.7 ± 1.5, 10) dorsals at midbody reduce to
our sample. Lacunolabials are present in 50% and the
23–25 (24.4 ± 0.9, 9) one head-length in front of the vent.
prelacunal and supralabials are in contact in 50% of the
In Bolivian specimens, the dorsal ground color is tan
specimens. When the prelacunal and supralabials are in
with dark brown to black markings. The rostral, facial
contact, the second supralabial is frequently divided verti-
scales, scales below the eye, labials, chin, and most ven-
cally. An uncatalogued female from La Paz is unique in
trals are immaculate. The internasals, canthals, and
lacking subfoveals on one side. In the other specimens, the
supraoculars are also immaculate; however, the dorsal sur-
sublacunal contacts the third or fourth supralabial and one
face of the head between these scales bears irregular black
or two subfoveals are at the juncture of the sublacunal,
blotches. The dark brown to black postocular stripe is nar-
supralabials and prelacunal (65%, 26), or the sublacunal is
row (1–1.5 temporals wide) and does not cross any of the
completely separated from the supralabials by one row of
supralabials although it overlaps the scales directly above
subfoveals (35%, 26).
the rictus and extends obliquely for as many as seven scale
AMNH 6775 is the only specimen (9%, 22) with a sin-
rows behind the rictus. Two rows of temporals above the
gle subocular on both sides; the other specimens (91%, 22)
postocular stripe are immaculate. A pair of large dark
have 2–3 suboculars and 2 postoculars. Our specimens
brown to black blotches on the neck are followed by 25–33
have four (42%, 24) or five (58%, 24) interoculabials,
(27 ± 3, 11) diamond-shaped blotches on the body. The
eight (18%, 22), nine (73%, 22), ten (5%, 22), or eleven
blotches fail to reach the paraventrals anteriorly but do so
(5%, 22) supralabials, and 13–16 (14 ± 1, 24) infralabials.
near the vent and may extend onto the edges of the most
The first two (79%, 24) or first three (21%, 24) infralabi-
posterior ventral scales. Nearing the vent, paler brown
als contact the chinshields. Five to nine (7 ± 1, 12) gulars
blotches fill most of the centers of the interspaces on the
and 2–6 (3 ± 1, 12) preventrals separate the chinshields
flanks, but these marks are absent anteriorly. Short tan
from the ventrals. Males have 215–230 (223 ± 6, 6) ven-
interspaces usually one to two scales long separate 5–7 (6
trals and 49–52 (49 ± 2, 6) subcaudals, and females have
± 1, 10) dark brown to black bands on the tail. These bands
218–225 (221 ± 4, 3) ventrals and 47–62 (53 ± 8, 3) sub-
extend ventrally onto the subcaudals, but are darkest dor-
caudals. Thirty-three percent (9) of the specimens had one
sally. Distally and ventrally, three quarters of the elongate
or two entire subcaudals near the vent; the last 13–20 sub-
terminal spine are yellow and sharply contrast with the
caudals are doubly divided. The doubly divided subcau-
brown base of the scale and the adjacent subcaudals.

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28 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

Distribution and Comparative Material.—Although this 62°50'W. Ichilo: Caranda, 17°33'S, 62°32'W (NK); “3 Km
species was first reported from Santa Cruz by Griffin antes del puente río Ichilo,” 17°20'S, 64°20'W; “Puente río
(1916), maps in recent publications (Campbell and Lamar Palometillas,” 17°14'S, 64°20'W; San Germán, 17°20'S,
1989; Zamudio and Greene 1997) have shown the species 64°00'W; S. Salvador (Yapacaní), 17°25'S, 63°49'W; San
only in northern provinces of the country. Our studies and Rafael de Amboró, 17°36'S, 63°36'W; Buena Vista,
research by Visinoni (1995) reveal a much broader distri- 17°27'S, 63°40'W (BMNH). Ñuflo de Chávez:
bution of bushmasters in Bolivia than previously thought Perseverancia, 14°45'S, 62°35'W. Obispo Santistevan:
(Fig. 13). Based on several reliable reports, Harvey (1998) Chane, 17°05'S, 63°10'W. Sara: Santa Rosa del Sara,
included this species in the fauna of Parque Noel Kempff 17°07'S, 63°35'W. Velasco: "35 Kms Oeste de S.
Mercado, Velasco, Santa Cruz. Ignacio,"16°30'S, 61°05'W (EBD).
BOLIVIA. BENI. Gral. José Ballivián: Bosque
Chimanes (CBF 1118); “El Totaizal, orilla del Río Matos,
40 km E. San Borja (CBF, uncatalogued).” Marban: Species Not Known from Bolivia
Estancia Totaí, 15°32'40"S, 64°17'05"W (NK 1958). Vaca
Díez: “Río Mamoré, Guayaramerín,” (AMNH 101912). Presumably based on Kempff-Mercado (1975), Campbell
Unknown: specific locality unknown (AMNH 6775). and Lamar (1989) reported Bothrocophias hyoprora from
COCHABAMBA. Chapare: Villa Tunari (FML 2403). Bolivia (see also Fugler and De la Riva 1990). This species
LA PAZ. Abel Iturralde: Tumupasa (CBF 1934); Alto may occur in Pando or along the humid Andean foothills;
Madidi (CBF 1936); “Camino a Tumupasa, propiedad la however, voucher specimens from Bolivia do not exist.
Magdalena a 11 km de San Buena Ventura” (CBF 740); Kempff-Mercado’s report may have been based on juve-
“Entre aserradero Moira e Ixiamas” (CBF 742). SANTA nile B. microphthalmus, which are very similar to
CRUZ: Andrés Ibáñez: Santa Cruz de la Sierra (CM 125, B. hyoprora.
2847, FML 642). Ichilo: Buena Vista (AMNH 36010). Bothrops brazili was reported for Bolivia by Kempff-
Ñuflo de Chávez: La Trancas (NK 628). Mercado (1975) and is included in checklists for the coun-
Specimens not examined: BOLIVIA. BENI. Gral. try (Campbell and Lamar 1989; Fugler and De la Riva
José Ballivián: “48 km E de San Borja” (EBD, no muse- 1990; Fugler et al. 1995). It was not, however, reported for
um number given, De la Riva et al. 1992). SANTA CRUZ. Bolivia in its original description (Hoge 1954). This
Sara: “Estancia ‘La Ponderosa,’ Santa Rosa de Sara, Prov. species’ presence in Bolivia needs to be confirmed. The
Gutierrez” (EBD, no museum number given, De la Riva et species is known from Madre de Dios, southern Peru
al., 1992). UNKNOWN. “Bolivia” (BMNH, Boulenger (Morales and McDiarmid 1996) and Rondônia, Brazil
1896). (Vanzolini 1986) and almost certainly occurs in the rain-
A. Visinoni (1995) reported locality information for 33 forest of northeastern Santa Cruz, Pando, and La Paz.
specimens of Lachesis muta in the NK, BMNH, the Museo Nonetheless, we are aware of no vouchered material from
Universidad Técnica del Beni, Trinidad, Beni, Bolivia within the country’s borders. USNM 123975 appears to be
(MUTB), and the Estación Biológica Doñana, Sevilla, a specimen of Bothrops brazili and was collected by
Spain (EBD, specimens also mentioned by Fugler and De Raymond Gilmore from “Bolivia” without other data.
la Riva 1990), the author’s private collection, and unspec- However, a typed note was placed in the jar of this speci-
ified Bolivian collections. Although we probably exam- men by Alphonse R. Hoge dated 4 April 1968 and states
ined the same specimens as Visinoni in the NK and CBF, that the locality should read Brazil.
he did not provide museum numbers and we cannot be A snake originally identified as Bothrops sanctaecrucis
sure that our studies are based on some of the same mate- was collected in the vicinity of Porto Velho, Rondônia,
rial. His specimens come from the following localities: Brazil. This specimen (USNM 48931) is in poor condition
BOLIVIA. BENI. Cercado: Casarabe, 14°50'S, 64°28'W. and represented by a head only. Like other B. brazili and
Gral. José Ballivián: Estación Biológica del Beni, 14°49'S, unlike all but one B. sanctaecrucis we examined, it pos-
66°51'W (EDB). Iténez: El Alba, Río Blanco, 12°50'S, sesses three scales between the canthals and has 7/7
64°00'W. Moxos: Tío Tijamuchi, 14°50'S, 65°12'W supralabials (vs. 8–9 infralabials in B. sanctaecrucis). We
(MUTB). COCHABAMBA. Carrasco: Bulo Bulo, suspect that it is actually a specimen of B. brazili from yet
17°13'S, 64°21'W; Yvirgasama, 17°02'S, 64°52'W. another locality near the Bolivian border.
Chapare: Aroma, 16°35'S, 65°47'W; Chipiriri, 16°50'S, A single specimen of Bothrops jararacussu is currently
65°20'W; Puerto San Francisco, 16°45'S, 65°20'W. LA alive at the zoo in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Santa Cruz,
PAZ. Iturralde: San Buenaventura, 14°30'S, 67°35'W Bolivia. Unfortunately, the zoo staff has no precise locali-
(CBF). PANDO. Nicolás Suárez: Cobija, 11°02'S ty information for the specimen, although they suspect that
68°44'W. SANTA CRUZ. Andrés Ibáñez: El Tomo, it came from Brazil, possibly brought by P. Bettella, who
18°00'S, 63°30'W; Terevinto, 17°43'S, 63°23'W; Potrerillo visited the Instituto Butantan. On the other hand, in corre-
del Guenda, 17°50'S, 63°36'W. Guarayos: Puerto spondence with W.W. Lamar, Bettella claimed that he had
Almacén, 15°46'S, 62°15'W (EBD); Yotaú, 16°10'S, a Bolivian specimen of B. jararacussu; again no precise

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 29

data were given although poor photographs of the speci- Amaral (1930b), Hoge (1966), Hoge and Romano-Hoge
men were sent to Lamar. Without question, the snake in the (1981), Fugler and De la Riva (1990), Campbell
photo is B. jararacussu. Bettella routinely deposited and Lamar (1989), Cei (1993), and Fugler et al. (1995).
snakes from his personal collection in the Museo Noel During the course of this study, we found specimens of
Kempff Mercado. However, this museum does not and B. sanctaecrucis misidentified as B. jararacussu in sever-
never has had a specimen of B. jararacussu. al major U.S. museums (e.g., AMNH, MCZ, CM).
Two specimens in the Carnegie Museum were identi-
fied as Bothrops jararacussu by Amaral (1925 and 1926) Above, we clarified the identity of Bothriopsis oligolepis.
after Griffin (1916) originally referred them to B. lanceo- During the course of our investigation into the status
latus. Unfortunately, both specimens along with two of this species, we examined all specimens of Bothriopsis
paratypes of B. sanctaecrucis were taken to Brazil by chloromelas in the United States. We take this opportunity
Alfonse Hoge in the 1960s. Although R. Crombie subse- to redescribe this poorly known species and designate a
quently was able to retrieve some of these specimens, lectotype.
CM 43 and CM 121 are still (as of June 2000) missing
from the collection (S. Rogers, personal communication).
At the same time Griffin (1916) examined CM 43 and CM Bothriopsis chloromelas (Boulenger, 1912)
121, he also examined CM 313 and also referred it to Figure 14
B. lanceolatus. Amaral (1926) referred CM 313 to
B. atrox; however, CM 313 (now MCZ 17699) is Bothrops Lachesis chloromelas Boulenger, 1912:423. 3 SYNTYPES (BMNH
sanctaecrucis. Counts of scale rows at midbody (23), 1946.1.17.66 [formerly 1911.12.13.63], 1946.1.19.51, and
1946.1.19.52) from “Huancabamba, E. Peru, above 3000 ft.”
number of ventrals (181, 185), number of subcaudals (60, Lectotype [designated herein] male (BMNH 1946.1.19.51, formerly
66), number of supralabials (8), number of intersupraocu- 1912.11.1.10) [examined].
lars (7, 6) and scales between the subocular and labials (1, Lachesis lanceolatus: Griffin, 1916:83 (not of Lacépede)
1) recorded by Griffin (1916) for the lost specimens fall Lachesis peruvianus: Griffin, 1916:226 (not of Boulenger).
Bothrops chloromelas (Boulenger): Amaral, 1926:320; Amaral,
within the known ranges of both B. jararacussu and 1930b:235.
B. sanctaecrucis. These specimens are almost certainly Bothrops chrysomelas (Boulenger): Amaral, 1926:320 [misspelling].
B. sanctaecrucis because they were collected near Santa Lachesis peruvianus: Werner, 1927:256 (not of Boulenger).
Cruz de la Sierra (CM 43 from “Provincia del Sara” and Lachesis chloromelas Boulenger: Amaral, 1930a:58 [Amaral thought that
CM 121 from “Santa Cruz de la Sierra”). Especially in this species may be a “variety” of B. peruviana].
Bothrops chloromelas (Boulenger): Amaral, 1930b:235; Pifano and
recent years, this area of Bolivia has been heavily collect- Römer, 1949:294; Meneses, 1974:70.
ed, and it is inconceivable to us that B. jararacussu would Bothrops oligolepis (Werner): Parker, 1934:273; Dunn, 1946:19 (part);
have escaped detection. To our knowledge, no Bolivian Hoge, 1966:131 (part); Peters and Orejas-Miranda, 1970:53 (part);
specimens of B. jararacussu exist in museums. The Duellman, 1979:456 (part); Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1981:217
(part); Carrillo de Espinoza, 1983:17; David and Ineich, 1999:233
species’ occurrence in Bolivia has been reported by (part). [These and subsequent authors thought that Werner’s name
oligolepis properly applied to B. chloromelas and not B. peruvianus].
Bothriopsis oligolepis (Werner): Campbell and Lamar, 1989:174 (part);
Carrillo de Espinoza and Icochea, 1995:20 (part); McDiarmid et al.,
1999:249 (part).
Bothriechis oligolepis (Werner): Schätti and Kramer, 1993:244 (part).
[These authors considered B. chloromelas, B. oligolepis, and B. pul-
chra to be a single species.].
Bothriechis oligolepis oligolepis (Werner): Golay et al., 1993:37 (in part,
also includes B. oligolepis).

Diagnosis.—Bothriopsis chloromelas is distinguished


from all congeners and from species of Bothrocophias and
Bothrops by the following combination of characters: (1)
lacunolabial present; (2) dorsal keels nontuberculate; (3)
infralabials yellow with small black spots; (4) canthoros-
trals absent; (5) anteriormost 5–25 subcaudals entire; dis-
tal subcaudals divided; (6) ventrals 183–204 and subcau-
dals 49–64; (7) loreal subtriangular; (8) canthals narrow;
(9) postocular stripe black and 2–3 temporals high; (11)
head black with yellow lines forming circular patterns or
head yellow with heavy black stippling and marking;
Fig. 14.—Male lectotype (BMNH 1946.1.19.51) of Bothriopsis supralabials green, heavily speckled in black; dorsum
chloromelas from Huancabamba, Peru. banded and lichenose.

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30 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

Description.—The largest specimen of Bothriopsis medial contact of the first pair of infralabials. The mental
chloromelas is a female (LSUMZ 41037) with a total groove is shallow. Four to six (5 ± 1, 5) gulars and 1–3 (2
length of 948 mm; the largest male specimen is probably ± 1, 5) preventrals separate the chinshields from the ven-
FMNH 59205. Although its snout-vent length cannot be trals. The paraventrals and parasubcaudals are keeled,
measured because only the skin of the body is available, although less heavily than the dorsals. Female Bothriopsis
the FMNH specimen appears to be about the same size as chloromelas have 185–204 (193 ± 10, 3) ventrals, 49–64
the LSUMZ specimen. The tail is 15–19% (16 ± 2, 3) of (56 ± 8, 3) subcaudals, and two males have 183–184
snout-vent length in females and 16% of snout-vent length ventrals and 54–62 subcaudals. Five to twenty-five (12 ±
in a male specimen. The species’ head is triangular and 8, 6) proximally located subcaudals are entire. Usually
strongly distinct from its neck. The head is longer than (83%, 6), 23 dorsals reduce to 19 one head-length in front
wide, its width being 70–79% (74 ± 4, 4) of its length, and of the vent; FMNH 59205 has 25 reducing to 21 dorsals.
it accounts for 4.0–4.6% (4.3 ± 0.3, 4) of snout-vent The terminal spine is blunt, elongate, and slightly upturned
length. Larger scales on the dorsal surface of the head are distally.
smooth. All but one specimen have large, flat plates Bothriopsis chloromelas bears what may arguably be
appearing to have resulted from the fusion of three to five the most ornate color pattern of any pitviper. The dorsal
scales and interspersed with ordinary keeled scales surface of the head and upper sides of the snout may be
between the supraoculars and in the parietal region. In almost entirely black (e.g., in BMNH 1946.1.19.51 and
MCZ 156347 only a single “doubled” scale lies between LSUMZ 41037) with many larger scales being marked by
the supraoculars and it is doubly keeled rather than flat. yellow lines forming hollow circular patterns. On some
The dorsal surfaces of the internasals, canthals, and upper specimens (e.g., FMNH 59205), wide black stripes form a
preoculars are smooth. The supraoculars are rugose, about V-shaped mark edging the supraoculars; considerably
half as wide as long (45–51%, 48.4 ± 2.5, 5), roughly rec- more dorsal head scales are yellow, although all are heav-
tangular, and separated medially by 5–8 (6 ± 2, 6) scales. ily speckled and blotched in black. The postocular stripe is
Two specimens (BMNH 1946.1.19.51 and MCZ 156347) immaculate black and about two and a half temporals
have a single, greatly thickened keel running the length of wide. It occupies the upper portions of the last three
each of their supraoculars. Scales just behind the inter- supralabials and usually curves around the corner of the
nasals are large and may be flat or keeled. Twenty-six to mouth onto the gular scales. Both the supralabials and
twenty-eight interrictals (27 ± 1, 6) are present. infralabials are heavily speckled and blotched in black.
Thickened, central portions of the internasal, canthal, The supralabials are green, the infralabials yellow or yel-
and upper preocular form a sharp and raised canthus ros- low and green anteriorly and near the rictus. The gulars
tralis. The rostral is about as high as wide and about as and chinshields are immaculate yellow except in FMNH
wide as the mental. The loreal is 73.7–94.1% (80.6 ± 8.1, 59205, which bears some black specks on the chinshields.
5) as high as long; it broadly contacts the canthal and pre- The ventrals are yellow anteriorly and grade to green pos-
ocular. The foveal pit is bound by entire upper and lower teriorly. Both the ventrals and subcaudals are heavily
lacunals and the fused (not fused but in contact on one side speckled and blotched. Pale paraventral spots like those in
only in LSUMZ 41037) second supralabial and prelacunal. most forest pitvipers are just discernible, most prominent-
This species has 1–4 (3 ± 1, 6) prefoveals and lacks small ly in AMNH 104298. The dorsal pattern consists of three
scales between the anterior nasal and rostral. The eye- types of irregular bands. Two of these types are mostly
nostril distance is 24.4–27.9% (25.8 ± 1.5, 5) of head black: one band is shorter (2–4 dorsals long) and bears
length. Suboculars are separated from the supralabials by many immaculate scales and few scales lightly marked in
a row of keeled scales (=3 interoculabials, 100%, 6), and yellow; the scales of the longer black band (3–6 dorsals
the subocular is elongate and jagged. In MCZ 156347, the long) bear a complex yellow reticulation. These two types
subocular is fused to the middle preocular on both sides of of bands alternate along the flanks of this species and they
the head. Three preoculars are present, the upper subrec- are separated by short (1–2 dorsals long) bands of green
tangular and about four times as large as the square to rec- scales heavily speckled and blotched with black. Both
tangular middle preocular; the small lower preocular is types of black bands begin on the third dorsal row; they
excluded from the orbit by the suboculars in all specimens. may extend across the back or be staggered along the mid-
On both sides of the type specimen, the middle preocular line. This same dorsal pattern extends onto the tail. The
is fused to the lower lacunal. All specimens have two small posterior one-third to one-half of the tail is pink to yellow
postoculars. Most supralabials are subtriangular and high; in preservative (at least ventrally as is the case in MCZ
all specimens have seven on both sides of the head (100%, 156347 and FMNH 59205).
6). The foveal pit lies below an immaginary line drawn Campbell and Lamar (1989, fig. 153) provided color
between the eye and naris. A nasal pore is present. photographs of LSUMZ 41037 and noted that, in life, the
Infralabials number 9–11 (10 ± 1, 6), the first 2–3 (3 ± iris is black with faint paler smudges. Skin between the
1, 5) contacting the chinshields. The chinshields are about dorsals is black.
twice as long as wide and are separated from the mental by

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 31

Specimens Examined and Distribution.—This species is ABALOS, J.W., AND C.C. MISCHIS. 1975. Elenco sistemático de los ofidios
known from the Andes of northern and central Peru. One argentinos. Boletín de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias, Córdoba
(Argentina), 51:55–76.
specimen is known from the Serranía de Sira. In addition AMARAL, A. DO. 1923. New genera and species of snakes. Proceedings of
to the departments for which we examined specimens, the New England Zoological Club, 7:85–105.
Carrillo de Espinoza and Icochea (1995) report ———. 1925. On the differentiation of the species Bothrops atrox
Bothriopsis oligolepis from several additional depart- (Linné, 1758), B. jararaca Wied, 1824), and B. jararacussu
Lacerda, 1884. Contributions from the Harvard Institute for Tropical
ments. Some of these records may properly apply to Biology and Medicine, 2:22–43.
B. oligolepis (e.g., reports from Apurimac, Cuzco, and ———. 1926. Ophidia from South America in the Carnegie Museum: a
Puno), whereas others (Junín) fill in gaps in the distribu- critique of Dr. L.E. Griffin’s “Catalog of the Ophidia from South
tion we report here for Bothriopsis chloromelas. America at present (June, 1916) contained in the Carnegie
PERU. HUÁNUCO: “Cerros de Sira, 1550 m” Museum.” Annals of Carnegie Museum, 16:319–323.
———. 1927. Studies of Neotropical Ophidia IV. A new form of
(AMNH 104298), “prov. Leoncio Prado, Dtto. Valdizan, Crotalidae from Bolivia. Bulletin of the Antivenin Institute of
La Divisoria” (MCZ 156347). JUNIN: “Chanchamayo, America, 1:5–6.
Pulcalpa, 1300 m” (FMNH 59205. LORETO: “Tarma, ———. 1930a. (dated 1929). Estudos sobre ophidios neotropicos. XVII.
elev. 6,000 ft.” (CM 373), “Fundo Cinchoa, 72 km E of Valor systematico de varias formas de ophidios neotropicos.
Memórias do Instituto Butantan (Brazil), 4:1–68.
Tingo María, 4600–5000 ft.” (USNM 119020). PASCO: ———. 1930b. (dated 1929). Estudos sobre ophidios neotropicos. XVIII.
“Santa Cruz, ca. 9 km SSE Oxapampa” (LSUMZ 41037). Lista remissiva dos ophidios da região neotropica. Memórias do
PIURA: “Huancabamba, E. Peru, above 3000 ft.” Instituto Butantan (Brazil), 4:126–271.
(BMNH 1946.1.19.51, formerly 1912.11.1.10, lectotype). ANDERSON, L.G. 1899. Catalogue of Linnean type-specimens of snakes in
the Royal Museum in Stockholm. Bihang till Kongliga Svenska
Vetenskaps-Akademiens. Handlingar (Sweden), 24:1–35.
Remarks.—Griffin (1916) misidentified CM 373 as AQUINO, A.L., N.J. SCOTT, AND M. MOTTE. 1996. Lista de anfibios y rep-
Lachesis lanceolatus on p. 83, then as Lachesis peruvianus tiles del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay (marzo,
on p. 226. We confirm Amaral’s (1926) synonymization of 1980–setiembre, 1995). Pp. 331–400, in Colecciones de Flora y
these names. This juvenile specimen is unquestionably Fauna del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay (O.R.
Martínez, ed.). Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay,
Bothriopsis chloromelas and not the superficially similar San Lorenzo, Paraguay.
B. pulchra. BARBOUR, T. 1913. Reptiles collected by the Yale Peruvian Expedition of
1912. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of
Philadelphia, 65:505–507.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS BARBOUR, T., AND G.K. NOBLE. 1920. Amphibians and reptiles from
southern Peru collected by the Peruvian expedition of 1914–1915
under the auspices of Yale University and the National Geographic
For loan of specimens under their care we thank Society. Proceedings of the United States National Museum,
N. Gilmore (ANSP), L. Ford (AMNH), A.G. Kluge 58:609–620.
(UMMZ), C.J. McCarthy (BMNH), H. Voris (FMNH), BOULENGER, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum
(Natural History). Vol. 3. Taylor and Francis, London, United
R. Aguayo V. (Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Kingdom.
Cochabamba), R. Reynolds (USNM), D. Kizirian ———. 1905b. Notice of some new fossil reptiles from the Karroo beds
(LACM), L. Trueb (KU), D.A. Rossman (LSUMZ), of South Africa. Records of the Albany Museum (Grahamstown,
J. Wiens (CM), J. Hanken (MCZ), and W. Böhme South Africa), 1:331–337.
(ZFMK). We were provided with working space at the ———. 1898. A list of the reptiles and batrachians collected by the late
prof. L. Balzan in Bolivia. Annali dell Museo Civico di Storia
AMNH by D.R. Frost and L.S. Ford, at the CM by Naturale di Genova (Italy), ser. 2, 19:128–133.
J.J. Wiens, at the FML by J.G. Scrocchi, at the MCZ by ———. 1903. Description of new snakes in the collection of the British
J.E. Cadle, at the USNM by R.P. Reynolds, and at UTA by Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 7,
J.A. Campbell. I. De la Riva, D. Rumiz, and E.N. Smith 12:350–354.
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P. Strimple supplied us with photos and data from a speci- Natural History, ser. 8, 10:420–424.
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research and travel grants from the ETSU College of Arts Bothrops moojeni (Brazilian lancehead). Herpetological Review,
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BURGER, W.L. 1971. Genera of pitvipers. Unpublished Ph.D Dissert.,
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2005

TABLE 1. Selected diagnostic characters for some South American pitvipers. Data in the table were collected from specimens examined during the course of this study.

Species Rectangular Canthorostrals Two or Fewer Scale(s) More than Subocular-


(sample size) Loreal Intercanthals Between Three Supralabial
Internasals Prefoveals Contact

Bothriopsis bilineata (20) Absent Absent 20% (2–5) 0% 51% (2–20) 15%
B. pulchra (7) Absent Absent 0% (3–5) 14% 17% (2–4) 67%
B. punctata (8) Absent Absent 25% (2–4) 62% 0% (1–3) 6%
B. taeniata (11) Absent Absent 45% (2–4) 18% 0% (2–3) 36%
Bothrops alternatus Absent Absent 0% (4–7) 0% 11% (3–10) 0%
B. andianus (23) Present Absent 0% (3–5) 91% 17% (1–5) 0%
B. atrox (Bolivia) (17) Absent Absent 0% (3–7) 22% 6% (1–5) 0%
B. brazili (6) Absent Absent 0% (3–4) 67% 33% (1–6) 0%
B. caribbaeus (5) Absent Absent 40% (2–3) 0% 0% (0–2) 0%

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B. itapentiningae (6) Absent Absent 0% (5–9) 0% 58% (2–7) 67%
B. jararaca (20) Absent Absent 5% (2–6) 0% 10% (1–6) 0%
B. jararacussu (15) Absent Absent 100% (0–2) 0% 0% (1–3) 3%
B. jonathani (6) Absent Absent 0% (4–6) 0% 100% (4–8) 0%
B. lanceolatus (5) Absent Absent 0% (5–7) 40% 0% (2–3)
B. lojanus Present Absent 0% (3–5) 0% 0% (1–2)
HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS

B. moojeni (12) Absent Absent 0% (4–7) 67% 8% (1–4) 0%


B. neuwiedi (39) Absent Absent 3% (2–6) 0% 17% (3–8) 0%

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B. sanctaecrucis (16) Absent Absent 3% (0–3) 9% 0% (1-3) 0%
B. venezuelensis (8) Absent Absent 0% (3–5) 0% 6% 0%
Bothrocophias hyoprora (6) Absent 100% 0% (3–6) 100% 100% (5–9) 0%
B. microphthalmus (12) Present 75% (1–2) 0% (4–5) 100% 100% (4–8) 0%
Crotalus durissus (16) Absent Absent 100% (0) 0% 87% (2–5) 0%
Lachesis muta (8) Absent 8% (1) 0% (8–12) 100% 67% (2–6) 0%
35
36 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74

TABLE 2. Characteristics of four easily confused Bothrops occurring or potentially occurring in Bolivia.

Characteristic B. atrox B. moojeni B. sanctaecrucis B. brazili

Postocular stripe 2–2.5 temporals high 1 temporal high 1 temporal high 1 temporal high
or absent or absent
Ventral pigmentation Heavy, usually alternating Diffuse Diffuse Moderate to heavy
cream and gray square
blotches

Scales between canthals 2–6t 4–7 0–3 2–4

Stripe on neck Absent To level of ventral 12–24 Absent Absent

Distal tail of adults Not sharply Not sharply Black; sharply Not sharply
contrasting contrasting contrasting contrasting
with dorsum with dorsum with dorsum with dorsum

Iris Bronze Bronze Pale green Copper to pinkish copper

Supralabials 7–8 (Bolivia) 7 8–9 7–9

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2005 HARVEY ET AL.—BOLIVIAN PITVIPERS 37

APPENDIX
Additional Comparative Material

Bothriopsis medusa—VENEZUELA. Aragua: USNM 129585. 13841, 15083, 15082, 222953. Bothrops cotiara—BRAZIL. Santa
Bothriposis pulchra—COLOMBIA. UTA 39066. ECUADOR. Catarina: USNM 76317, 100695, 100750. Bothrops itapetingae—
FHGO 263, 884, 1216, 2019, KU 121347–48. PERU. ZFMK 41480. BRAZIL. São Paulo: USNM 38187, 39059, 76320, 165514–16.
Bothriopsis punctata—COLOMBIA. Cauca: USNM 124258, Bothrops jararaca—BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: USNM 98628–35,
151706. Chocó: USNM 72355. ECUADOR. Chimborazo: USNM 207676. Santa Catarina: USNM 217841. São Paulo: USNM
310822. Esmeraldas: USNM 20629–30. Pinchincha USNM 38177–79, 100698, 100670–71, 100679, 208138. Bothrops
165286, 232521. Boothrocophias campbelli—ECUADOR: jararacussu—BRAZIL. Santa Catarina: USNM 217842. Paranã:
Pinchincha: USNM 165322, 165340. Bothrocophias myersi— USNM 110720, 165510. Rio de Janeiro: USNM 98647, 100713. São
COLOMBIA. Cauca: USNM 154051, 151708. Bothrops Paulo: USNM 38180, 39054, 69300–02, 71338. PARAGUAY.
alternatus—ARGENTINA. Formosa: USNM 63499. BRAZIL. Itapua: USNM 253589–92. Bothrops lanceolatus—MARTINIQUE:
Paraná: USNM 100706, 100722. Rio Grande do Sul: USNM St. Pierre: USNM 11317–18; Unknown: USNM 11308. TOBAGO
287508. São Paulo: USNM 38182–83, 69288–89, 69292, 69294–95, [probably in error: These specimens almost certainly came from
55862. PARAGUAY. Presidente Hayes: USNM 342418–20, Martinique (Lazell 1964)]: USNM 10116, 10122. Bothrops lojanus—
342422, 342424. URUGUAY. Cerro Largo: USNM 65611. EQUADOR. Loja: USNM 98927, 98935, 232519. Bothrops pictus—
Bothrops ammodytoides—ARGENTINA. La Rioja: USNM 73421. PERU. Lima: USNM 49992. Bothrops venezuelensis—
Bothrops brazilli—ECUADOR. Pastaza: USNM 165339, 321137. VENEZUELA. Aragua: USNM 129580–82, 129584, 134405,
PERU. Amazonas: USNM 316670–71. Madre de Dios: USNM 142397, 259174–75.
345184. Bothrops caribbaeus—SANTA LUCIA: USNM 11312,

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