Systematic review of Atractus schach (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) species complex from the Guiana Shield with description of three new species

Abstract

The Guiana Shield harbours one of the best preserved and largest extents of tropical forest on Earth and an immense biodiversity. The herpetofauna of this region remains poorly known. The species-rich snake genus Atractus contains ∼140 species, many with complicated taxonomic histories, including A. schach. Examination of specimens in museums and newly collected material from French Guiana has allowed the illustration of hemipenial morphology for the first time and an expanded diagnosis. Concatenated molecular phylogenetic (mitochondrial and nuclear genes) and phenotypic (morphometrics, external and hemipenial morphology) analyses confirm non-monophyly of the A. flammigerus group and indicate that A. schach is a species complex with three new species described here. The geographic distribution of A. schach sensu stricto is restricted to Guiana, Surinam, and French Guiana north of Tumucumaque massif. Populations tentatively assigned to A. schach from the east from French Guiana in the Roura lowlands to Almeirim, and from central Amazonia between the Negro and Trombetas rivers in Brazil are also recognized as new species. Our results suggest that populations from south of the Amazon River are not conspecific with those from the Guiana Shield.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A7AE40BC-4716-4302-B3BE-1F43600B0A72

Key words:

• Amazonia
• Dipsadinae
• endemism
• hemipenial morphology
• molecular phylogeny
• snakes
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

We thank M. Wilkinson, D. Gower, E. Shubert, and an anonymous reviewer, who improved the manuscript with valuable suggestions. We also thank A. Kupfer (SMNHS), E. Dondorp (RMNH), L. Vonnahme, and D. A. Kizirian (AMNH), S. Schweiger, G. Gassner, and A. Schumacher (NHW) who provided useful data. F. Starace, B. Dupont, L. Mendes, M. S. Hoogmoed, M. Sena, R. S. Bérnils, S. Sant, J.-P. Vacher, E. Courtois, M. Dewynter, and F. Deschandol helped with images of living specimens. We also thank staff from Reserve Naturelle de la Trinité and Parc Amazonien de Guyane by Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement (APA no. 973-23-1). We acknowledge support from an 'Investissement d‘Avenir’ grant managed by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (CEBA, ref.ANR-10-LABX-25-01).We also thank J. C. Silva, local people and staff from Reserva Extrativista Arapixi. SISBIO granted the permit (#51748-1). We thank the Nature Conservation Division and the STINASU for collecting permits in Suriname and colleagues Paul Ouboter and Rawien Jairam.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2019.1614694.

Associate Editor: Mark Wilkinson

Additional information

Funding

PRMS was CAPES fellow (88882.183267/2018-01). PP was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (process 302611/2018-5, and 306227/2015-0) and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (E-26/202.737/2018). Molecular work and fieldwork by OTC was funded by SENESCYT under the ‘Arca de Noé’ Initiative (PIs: S.R. Ron and OTC).