Evolutionary Systematics (Feb 2024)

Systematic revision of the Eyelash Palm-Pitviper Bothriechis schlegelii (Serpentes, Viperidae), with the description of five new species and revalidation of three

  • Alejandro Arteaga,
  • R. Alexander Pyron,
  • Abel Batista,
  • Jose Vieira,
  • Elson Meneses Pelayo,
  • Eric N. Smith,
  • César L. Barrio Amorós,
  • Claudia Koch,
  • Stefanie Agne,
  • Jorge H. Valencia,
  • Lucas Bustamante,
  • Kyle J. Harris

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 15 – 64

Abstract

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We present a taxonomic review and systematic revision of the Eyelash Palm-Pitviper Bothriechis schlegelii (Berthold, 1846) based on examination of 400 museum specimens, a phylogeographic analysis of 818 locality records, and 80 individuals sampled for molecular characters. We find morphological and phylogenetic support for five new species of Bothriechis Peters, 1859, which we describe here based on their unique combination of molecular, meristic, hemipenial, and color pattern characteristics. They are: B. klebbai sp. nov., B. rasikusumorum sp. nov., B. khwargi sp. nov., B. rahimi sp. nov., and B. hussaini sp. nov. Finally, we revalidate the names B. nigroadspersus (Steindachner, 1870), B. nitidus (Günther, 1859), and B. torvus (Posada Arango, 1889a), and provide a redescription of B. schlegelii.