Three New Atractus (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) from the Andes of Colombia

Three new species of Atractus are described from the northern Cordillera Central of Colombia. The new species, previously confused with older names, are easily distinguished from any currently recognized Atractus by unique combinations of morphological characters. Additionally, we provide comments on the Atractus diversity and distribution pattern in the Colombian Andes.

Resumen

Se describen tres nuevas especies de Atractus del norte de la Cordillera Central de Colombia. Las nuevas especies, previamente confundidas con nombres antiguos, son fácilmente distinguidas de cualquier Atractus hoy reconocida por exhibir una combinación exclusiva de caracteres morfológicos. Adicionalmente, proveemos comentarios sobre la diversidad y el patrón de distribución de Atractus en los Andes colombianos.

Fig. 1

Dorsal (A) and ventral (B) views of holotype of Atractus nasutus (CSJ 561). Scale = 5 mm.

Fig. 2

Sulcate (right) and asulcate (left) sides of the hemipenis of (A) Atractus nasutus (CSJ 561) and (B) Atractus paisa (MHUA 14236). Scale = 2 mm.

Fig. 3

Geographic distribution of Atractus nasutus, A. paisa, and A. titanicus. The open symbol represents the sympatric record for A. paisa and A. titanicus from Sonsón municipality.

Fig. 4

Paratype of Atractus paisa (MHUA 14274, female) in life. SVL 401 mm, 40 mm. Photograph by J. M. Daza.

Fig. 5

Paratype of Atractus paisa (MHUA 14236). Scale = 5 mm.

Fig. 6

Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head and lateral (C) view of the body of the holotype of Atractus paisa (ICN 10698). Scale = 5 mm.

Fig. 7

Holotype of Atractus titanicus (ICN 10697). Scale = 5 mm.

Fig. 8

Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head and dorsal (C) and lateral (D) views of the body of the holotype of Atractus titanicus (ICN 10697). Scale = 5 mm.

Contributor Notes

Associate Editor: D. Kizirian.

¹ Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; E-mail: (PP) ppassos@mn.ufrj.br; and (RF) ronaldo.fernandes@gmail.com. Send reprint requests to PP.

² Museo de Herpetología Universidad de Antioquia, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Apartado 1226, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia; E-mail: jcas36@gmail.com.

³ Laboratorio de Anfibios, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Apartado 1495, Bogotá D.C., Colombia; E-mail: jdlynch@unal.edu.co.

Received: 10 Apr 2008

Accepted: 26 Jan 2009