New species of Apostolepis (Serpentes, Dipsadinae, Elapomorphini) from Bolivia, from the Apostolepis borellii group

Abstract

Description of a new species of Apostolepis based on three specimens labelled A. borellii from Bolivia in The Museum of Natural History of London. The new species belongs to the borellii Group which is at present only represented by the species A. borellii. This new species differs from A borelii by the following characters: (a) snout with median stripe (vs. immaculate); (b) supralabial blotch long (vs. short); (c) stripes evident on brown background (vs. having a blackish brown background with almost indistinct stripes) (d) ratio subcaudal by ventral scales low (vs. high) (e) lower sides cream (vs. darkish and dotted). The species area is Mato Grosso Plateau neighbouring the highlands of Bolivia in Cerrado Domain. The species is similar to A. striata and A. serrana from which it differs mainly by having nucho-cervical collars which is absent in the latter species. These species are placed in a specialized group (borellii group) while the phillipsae group is represented by A. phillipsae.