Cerrophidion tzotzilorum

Cerrophidion tzotzilorum is a venomous pit viper species which is native to southern Mexico. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.[4]

Cerrophidion tzotzilorum
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Cerrophidion
Species:	C. tzotzilorum
Binomial name
Cerrophidion tzotzilorum (Campbell, 1985)
Synonyms[2]
Bothrops tzotzilorum Campbell, 1985 Porthidium tzotzilorum — Campbell & Lamar, 1989 Cerrophidion tzotzilorum — Campbell & Lamar, 1992

Common names: Tzotzil montane pitviper.[3]

Etymology

The specific name, tzotzilorum (Latin genitive plural), is in honor of the Tzotzil people.[5][6]

Description

C. tzotzilorum is terrestrial and moderately stout. Adults probably do not exceed 50 cm (19.5 in) in total length (including tail).[3]

Geographic range

C. tzotzilorum is found in the Meseta Central of Chiapas, Mexico. The type locality given is "10.9 km ESE San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, elevation 2,320 m [7,610 ft]".[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of C. tzotzilorum is forest.[1]

Diet

C. tzotzilorum is known to prey upon orthopterans and lizards.[7]

Reproduction

C. tzotzilorum is viviparous.[5]

Conservation status

The species C. tzotzilorum is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001).[1] Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend is stable. Year assessed: 2007.[8]

References

1. Campbell JA, Muñoz-Alonso A (2007). "Cerrophidion tzotzilorum ". The IUCN Red List List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T64307A12762008. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64307A12762008.en. Downloaded on 09 September 2020.
2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
3. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp., 1,500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
4. "Cerrophidion tzotzilorum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
5. Species Cerrophidion tzotzilorum at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
6. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cerrophodion tzotzilorum, p. 269).
7. Jadin RC (2007). "Prey Items of the Tzotzil Montane Pitviper (Cerrophidion tzotzilorum)". Southwestern Naturalist 52 (3): 437–438.
8. 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 14 September 2007.

Further reading

• Campbell JA (1985). "A New Species of Highland Pitviper of the Genus Bothrops from Southern Mexico". Journal of Herpetology 19 (1): 48-54. (Bothrops tzotzilorum, new species).
• Heimes P (2016). Snakes of Mexico: Herpetofauna Mexicana Vol I. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Edition Chimaira. 572 pp. ISBN 978-3899731002.
• Schramer TD, Kalki Y, West TR, Baena-Bejarano N, Wylie DB (2019). "Natural History Notes: CERROPHIDION TZOTZILORUM (Tzotzil Montane Pitviper). DIET". Herpetological Review 50 (1): 151–152.