Viperidae -
Crotalinae - 2009 Publications
Revision of Bothrops
Fenwick
et al. (2009) used a combination of morphological and molecular data to review
the systematics of the genus Bothrops and associated genera. Based on their analyses,
they recognise five genera: Bothrocophias (composition as in Campbell & Lamar,
2004), Bothriopsis
(as in C&L 2004), the resurrected genus Rhinocerophis for the alternatus group
(alternatus,
ammodytoides,
cotiara, fonsecai, itapetiningae, jonathani), the
new genus Bothropoides
for the jararaca and
neuwiedi groups (alcatraz, diporus, erythromelas, insularis, jararaca, lutzi, marmoratus, mattogrossensis, neuwiedi, pauloensis, pubescens), and
the genus Bothrops
for the remaining species of the jararacussu, punctatus and atrox groups. Several species have affinities that are
insufficiently resolved to allow placement in a particular genus: barnetti, pictus, roedingeri and lojanus.
Revision of Hypnale, recognition of Hypnale zara
Maduwage et al. (2009) revised the
taxonomy of the genus Hypnale using
morphological analysis and consideration of type specimens of described taxa.
Based on their results, Hypnale walli was found to be a synonym of H. nepa, a Sri Lankan endemic species.
They also identify an endemic species from the southwestern
wet zone of Sri Lanka, Hypnale zara. This differs from the sympatric H. hypnale in having a raised snout tip
and in aspects of head scalation, and from H.
nepa in aspects of head and body scalation and
hemipenis shape. The authors draw attention to a single abnormal specimen from
SW Sri Lanka that may represent an additional species that they refrain from
naming in the absence of additional material.