Herpetologists' League

Variation in the Coral Snake, Micrurus diastema, in Quintana Roo, Mxico Author(s): Richard M. Blaney and Patricia Kimmich Blaney Source: Herpetologica, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Sep., 1979), pp. 276-278 Published by: Herpetologists' League Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3891700 . Accessed: 04/09/2013 16:38
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colubrid snake genus Tantilla. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. Mem. WILSON, L. D., AND J. R. MEYER. 1971. A revision of the taeniata group of the colubrid snake genus Tantilla. Herpetologica 27:11-40.

Accepted: 7 November 1978

Divisionof Intercurricular Studies,MiamiDade CommunityCollege, South Campus. Miami,Florida33176, USA

Herpetologica, 35(3), 1979, 276-278 ? 1979 by The Herpetologists' League

VARIATION IN THE CORAL SNAKE, MICRURUS DIASTEMA, IN QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO

RICHARD

M. BLANEY

AND PATRICIA KIMMICH BLANEY

ABSTRACT:Variation in the coral snake, Micrurus diastema, from the Yucatan Peninsula is discussed in light of 6 additional specimens from critical areas of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Two specimens are reported that lack black body rings. The color pattern characteristic of specimens from the northernYucatanPeninsula and the color pattern found in the southern Yucat'an Peninsula, Belize, and northern Guatemala appear to change abruptly between Felipe Carillo Puerto and Playa del Carmen, Mexico, thereby supporting the validity of subspecies in those areas.

Key words: Reptilia; Serpentes; Elapidae; Micrurus;Subspecies; Mexico

VARIATION

in the Mexican coral snake, 200, and 203, and the female has 217 ventrals. All of these are within the reported range for the species. Subeaudals are 53, 51, and 52 for males, 41 for the female, and are within expected ranges. The numbers of undivided subcaudals range from 32% to 53% (x = 41%) and are comparable to Felipe Carillo Puerto specimens. The numbers of black rings on the body are 18, 16, 16, and 21 (i = 17.8); the black body rings cover 2.5, 6, 3, and 3 ventrals (x = 3.6); the yellow rings are all 1.5 dorsal scales wide; and half the specimens have some black spotting on the red ventral scutes. The numbers of black rings on the tail are 6, 5, 5, and 3 (x = 4.8). Ratios of the width of black to yellow bands (number of subcaudals covered by the first black ring/number of subcaudals covered by the first yellow ring) are 1.9, 2.3, 2.5, and 2.3 (x = 2.25), which are lower than the ratios of Yucatan specimens (x = 4.1) and higher than the ratios of northern Guatemala specimens (i

Micrurus diastema, has been recently analyzed by Fraser (1973). However, only six specimens were available from Quintana Roo, Mexico. Six additional specimens of M. diastema collected in Quintana Roo during June and July, 1976 allow us to reassess geographical variation in that area. Four specimens were collected in southern Quintana Roo: Louisiana State University Museum of Zoology 33359 (Fig. 1A) and LSUMZ 33360, both males from 16.1 km W Bacalar; LSUMZ 33361, a male from 24.1 km N Bacalar; and LSUMZ 33362, a female from 32.2 km N Bacalar. These localities fill a gap between Felipe Carillo Puerto, Quintana Roo (University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology 113565-68), and localities in Belize (see Fraser, 1973). Data for the new specimens are given in numerical order of their museum numbers and are compared with the variation described by Fraser (1973). Ventrals for males are 204,

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HERPETOLOGICA

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= 1.7). Head patterns all have black rostral scales and anterior supralabials. Nape rings are complete and cover 5%, 8%, 30%, and 80% of the parietal scales. In the latter case, the high percentage is the result of the nape ring being connected to the snout markings to form a crown. Two specimens were collected in northern Quintana Roo: LSUMZ 33363, a male from 3.2 km N Playa del Carmen; and LSUMZ 33364, a female from 19.3 km N Playa del Carmen. Ventrals are 203 and 206 (one more than the highest previously reported) and subcaudals are 53 and 42 (on the high side of the reported ranges). Fraser (1973) utilized a means to separate sexes proposed by Highton (1956) which involved subtracting the number of subcaudals from the number of ventrals. He found ranges of 141-166 in males and 166192 in females. The low value in females came from a single specimen from Yucat'an. Our female (LSUMZ 33365) has a ventral minus subcaudal value of 164, thus slightly increasing the degree of overlap in this index. The number of undivided subcaudals in these two specimens (74%, 40%) is similar to those of snakes in the Yucat'an population. However, the two new specimens differ considerably from the Yucatan population in color pattern. The only black marking on the body of the male (Fig. 1B) is a saddle surrounded by a ring of yellow one-half scale wide. The rest of the dorsum is red with black tipped scales. The venter is red with a few scattered black spots. There are two black rings on the tail. The first black tail ring covers 2.1 times as many subcaudals as the first yellow ring. The head pattern (Fig. 1B) consists of a black crown on the snout extending from the upper edge of the rostrum to an incomplete nape ring. This nape marking ends on dorsal scale row 3. The parietals are entirely black. The lower part of the rostrum, the supralabials, and the lower jaw are yellow. All dorsal scales on the body of the female (Fig. 1C) are red with black tips. The venter is red with no black markings.

... _~~~~~~~~~~~~~ B.:X-X.=.0...i...;12=

-..

....

....

..

...

FiG. 1.-Body and head pattems of Micrurus diastema from Quintana Roo, Mexico. (A) LSUMZ 33359 from 16.1 km W Bacalar;(B) LSUMZ 33363 from 3.2 km N Playa del Carmen; (C) LSUMZ 33364 from 19.3 km N Playa del Carmen.

The tail has three black rings, the first covering 2.1 times as many subcaudals as the first yellow ring. The head pattern (Fig. IC) consists of a black crown extending from the upper edge of the rostrum to the posterior edge of the parietals. There is no nape ring. The lower part of the rostrum, the supralabials, and the lower jaw are yellow. These two new specimens are similar to the specimen cited by Fraser (1973) from Chichen Itzai, Yucatan (Field Museum of Natural History 152313), and the type description of Micrurus alienus (Werner, 1903). Chichen Itza is approximately 150 km west of the new localities. Specimens from other localities between Chichen Itza and Playa del Carmen are typically ringed. These other localities are Coba, Quintana Roo (UMMZ 76126 and FMNH 26974), Tekom, Yucatan (FMNH 49354), X-can, Yucatan (University of Colorado Museum 28150), and Valladolid, Yucatain (Museum of Comparative Zoology 31874). Thus, the population is highly variable in dorsal pattern. The number of black rings ranges 0-18 (i = 12.2). Roze (1967) considered Micrurus alienus (Werner) to represent the same population

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as Micrurus affinis mayensis Schmidt. Micrurus affinis (Jan) is a junior synonym of M. diastema (Dumeril, Bibron, and Dumeril). The combination Micrurus diastema alienus was therefore used (Roze, 1967). Fraser (1973) found so much discordant variation in the species that he felt no subspecies could be recognized. Our additional specimens indicate the northern Yucat'anpopulation (M. d. alienus) can be distinguished from the population to the south (M. d. sapperi) by the number of black rings on the body. Although Fraser (1973) states that the geographic variation in the number of black rings may be part of a smooth cline, the specimens from southern (Bacalar area) Quintana Roo and central (Felipe Carillo Puerto) Quintana Roo with 16-28 black rings on the body (x = 18.9) indicate a marked change from the populations to the north (x = 12.2). Additional material is needed from Quintana Roo, especially at the level of Tulum,

in order to determine the limits of these two subspecies.

Acknowledgments.-We thank our field crew (R. Clare, B. Hanks, J. Jones, B. Myers, B. Reynolds, G. Savarese) for help in collecting specimens, and R. Henderson for suggestions in preparation of this MS. CITED LITERATURE D. F. 1973. Variationin the coral snake Micrurusdiastema. Copeia 1973:1-17. HIGHTON, R. 1956. Systematics and variation of the endemic Florida snake genus Stilosoma. Bull. Fla. State Mus., Biol. Sci. 1:73-96. ROZE, J. 1967. A checklist of the New World venomous coral snakes (Elapidae), with descriptions of new forms. Am. Mus. Novit. 2287:1-60. WERNER, F. 1903. Neue Reptilien und Batrachier aus dem naturhistorischen Museum in Brussel. Zool. Anz. 26:246-253.
FRASER,

Accepted: 15 February 1979

Department of Biology, West Virginia State College, Institute, West Virginia 25112, USA

Herpetologica,

? 1979 by The Herpetologists' League

35(3),

1979,

278-282

DERMAL ARMOR PATHOLOGY IN THE TAIL OF A SPECINIEN OF THE FOSSIL LIZARD

HELODERMOIDESTUBERCULATUS
ROBERTM. SULLIVAN
ABSTRACT: A specimen of the fossil anguid lizard Helodermoides tuberculatus is represented by a nearly complete skeleton with a pathologic ossification of regenerated tail osteoderms that forms a solid structure enclosing the regenerated tail region. This extensive ossification is interpreted to have occurred as a result of accelerated co-ossification of the regenerated tail osteodermsand does not represent normal tail morphology.

Key words: Reptilia; Sauria; Anguidae; Helodermoides; Armor; Tail; Fossil; Pathology; Osteoderms IN 1963 a field party from the University of Nebraska State Museum collected a partial skeleton of Helodermoides tuberculatus from the John Bell Hatcher Locality,

Chadron Formation (lower Oligocene), north of Harrison, Nebraska. This skeleton (UNSM 12100) is represented by many skeletal elements among which are both

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