Leptophis diplotropis

Leptophis diplotropis, commonly known as the Pacific Coast parrot snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae.[3] The species is endemic to Mexico.[1]

Leptophis diplotropis
Original illustration by G.H. Ford in Günther, 1872
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Leptophis
Species:	L. diplotropis
Binomial name
Leptophis diplotropis (Günther, 1872)
Synonyms[2]
Ahætulla diplotropis Günther, 1872 Hapsidophrys diplotropis — Cope, 1886 Leptophis diplotropis — Boulenger, 1894

Geographic range

The geographic range of L. diplotropis in Mexico extends from southwestern Chihuahua and southern Sonora to southeastern Oaxaca.

Subspecies

There are two recognized subspecies, including the nominate race.

• Leptophis diplotropis diplotropis (Günther, 1872)
• Leptophis diplotropis forreri H.M. Smith, 1943

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Leptophis.

Etymology

The subspecific name, forreri, is in honor of Alphonse Forrer (1836–1899), an English-born collecter of zoological specimens in Mexico for the British Museum.[4]

Habitat

L. diplotropis is found in tropical dry forest, semi-deciduous forest, mangrove forest, oak forest and wet forest, from sea level up to 1,600 m (5,200 ft). It is a highly adaptable species, which is also found in disturbed areas.[1]

References

1. Ponce-Campos P, García Aguayo A (2007). "Leptophis diplotropis ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T63840A12721094. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63840A12721094.en.
2. Boulenger GA (1894). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xi + 382 pp. + Plates I–XX. (Leptophis diplotropis, pp. 110–111).
3. "Leptophis diplotropis ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
4. 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. (Leptophis diplotropis forreri, p. 92).

Further reading

• Günther A (1872). "Seventh Account of new Species of Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Fourth Series 9: 13–37. ("Ahætulla diplotropis", new species, pp. 25–26 + Plate VI, figure A).
• Smith HM (1943). "Summary of the Collections of snakes and crocodilians made in Mexico under the Walter Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship". Proc. U.S. National Mus. 93 (3169): 393–504. ("Leptophis diplotropis forreri, new subspecies", p. 443).