Oxybelis transandinus is a species of snake.[1] The species was originally described in 2021 by Omar Torres-Carvajal, Mauricio Mejía-Guerrero and Claudia Terán from the Museo de Zoología of the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Ecuador.

Oxybelis transandinus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Oxybelis
Species:
O. transandinus
Binomial name
Oxybelis transandinus
Torres-Carvajal, Mejía-Guerrero & Terán, 2021

Description edit

Oxybelis transandinus is a species of Neotropical vine snakes that is endemic to Ecuador. It has been recently described as being distinct from a similar species of vine snake; Oxybelis aeneus.[1] Phylogenetic analyses has shown distinctive genetic differences.

Range & habitat edit

The species has been observed in Ecuador. The Holotype has been collected in Bosqueira Protected Forest and is an adult male. Paratypes were collected throughout the Pacific lowlands of Ecuador.[1] The species have been observed in dry ecosystems where the snake is active from the ground up to 1.5 meters in shrubs.[1]

Etymology edit

The name of the species is derived from Latin, where "Trans", means beyond and "Andinus" means Andean.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Torres-Carvajal, Omar; Mejía-Guerrero, Mauricio; Terán, Claudia (2021-08-18). "Adding missing vines to the tree: multilocus phylogeny of New World vine snakes (Serpentes: Colubridae: Oxybelis), with description of a new species". Journal of Natural History. 55 (31–32): 2027–2046. doi:10.1080/00222933.2021.1986164. S2CID 243478903.