Reproductive maturity and sexual dimorphism of a population of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus from a Restinga area in southeastern Brazil (Serpentes: Typhlopidae).

Natural history data are important for a better understanding of distinct aspects of snake biology, and this information in scarce on Scolecophidia. Here we focus on sexual maturity and sexual dimorphism within a population of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus from the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The smallest sexually active male and female showed snout-vent length of 117.

Taxonomic revision of the parrot snake Leptophis ahaetulla(Serpentes, Colubridae).

The Neotropical parrot snake genus Leptophis comprises a group of 12 colubrine snakes widely distributed in Mexico, Central- and South America. Among the currently recognized taxa in the genus, L. ahaetulla constitutes a morphologically diverse assemblage of typically slender snakes, with subspecies recorded from Mexico to most of South America.

Anatomy of the reproductive system of a population of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus from southeastern Brazil (Serpentes: Scolecophidia).

Amerotyphlops brongersmianus (Vanzolini, 1976) is distributed in Brazil from the Atlantic Rainforest to the Cerrado biome. Only few studies have focused on the gross anatomy, reproductive organs, and histological data of typhlopids. We accessed information from the anatomy of gonads of 95 individuals collected at different months in the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.

Timeless standards for species delimitation.

Recently a new species of bombyliid fly, Marleyimyia xylocopae, was described by Marshall & Evenhuis (2015) based on two photographs taken during fieldwork in the Republic of South Africa. This species has no preserved holotype. The paper generated some buzz, especially among dipterists, because in most cases photographs taken in the field provide insufficient information for properly diagnosing and documenting species of Diptera.

Morphological variation in the Brazilian Radiated Swamp Turtle Acanthochelys radiolata (Mikan, 1820) (Testudines: Chelidae).

The freshwater turtle Acanthochelys radiolata (Mikan, 1820) is endemic to the Atlantic Forest domain in Brazil and few studies have been done on the morphology, geographic variation and taxonomy of this species. In this paper we record the morphological variation, as well as sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic changes in A. radiolata throughout its distribution range.

Taxonomic status and morphological variation of Hydrodynastes bicinctus (Hermann, 1804) (Serpentes: Dipsadidae).

Hydrodynastes bicinctus was described with no type material or locality and it has two subspecies currently recognized that are not taxonomically well defined. We tested the validity of the two subspecies through meristic, morphometric, and color pattern characters. Two apparently distinct color patterns of H.

Taxonomic revision of Chironius flavolineatus (Jan, 1863) with description of a new species (Serpentes: Colubridae).

We conducted a taxonomic review of Chironius flavolineatus on the basis of continuous and discrete morphological characters. We recognize a new species which is distinguished from all currently recognized congeners by the following unique combination of characters: first third of body black or dark gray; vertebral stripe yellowish or creamish white distinct from dorsals of nape and extending throughout almost whole body length; head dorsum tan to brown, distinct from background color of first third of body; posterior temporal scales ranging one to four; cloacal shield frequently divided; two to four rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody; venter ground color gradually darkening towards cloaca; region of medial constriction of hemipenis slightly covered with spinules separating calyces of apex from spines below region of constriction; in lateral view, sulcus spermaticus positioned on convex face of hemipenis; ascending process of premaxilla oblique anteroposteriorly to longitudinal axis of skull; optic fenestrae not exceeding frontoparietal suture; posterior border of supratemporal exceeding braincase; dorsoventral axis of quadrate oblique mesolaterally, moving away from longitudinal axis of skull. Furthermore, we provide data on morphological variation, distribution, and an emended diagnosis for C.

A new species of Chironius Fitzinger, 1826 from the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil (Serpentes: Colubridae).

We describe a new species of Chironius Fitzinger, 1826 from the highlands of Chapada Diamantina, state of Bahia, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all currently recognized congeners by a unique combination of states of characters on coloration, scale counts, scale ornamentation, and hemipenis. The new species closely resembles Chironius flavolineatus (Jan, 1863) in color pattern, but differs from the later taxon by the presence of two to four posterior temporal scales; cloacal shield entire; six to ten rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody; ventral scales with posterior dark edges forming conspicuous transverse bars along almost the entire venter; conspicuous dark longitudinal stripes (in "zigzag") in the midventral portion of subcaudals; region of medial constriction of hemipenis slightly covered with spinules separating calyces of apex from spines below region of constriction; and sulcus spermaticus situated on convex face of hemipenis in lateral view.

On the identity of Chironius flavolineatus (Serpentes: Colubridae).

The snake genus Chironius Fitzinger, 1826 is endemic to the Neotropical region, occurring from Honduras to Uruguay and northeastern Argentina. Some species of the genus have taxonomic and/or nomenclatural problems, such as C. flavolineatus which lacks agreement in the literature about its authorship and type locality.

Biogeography of the lizard genus Tropidurus Wied-Neuwied, 1825 (Squamata: Tropiduridae): distribution, endemism, and area relationships in South America.

Based on comprehensive distributional records of the 23 species currently assigned to the lizard genus Tropidurus, we investigated patterns of endemism and area relationships in South America. Two biogeographic methods were applied, Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE) and Brooks Parsimony Analysis (BPA). Two areas of endemism were detected by PAE: the first within the domains of the semiarid Brazilian Caatinga, which includes seven endemic species, and the second in the region of the Serranía de Huanchaca, eastern Bolivia, in which three endemic species are present.

Antigenic cross-reactivity and immunogenicity of Bothrops venoms from snakes of the Amazon region.

Snakebites are still a critical public health problem in developing countries or isolated areas. In Brazil, the North Region has a high distribution coefficient worsened by the significant number of eventually unreported cases, due to difficulties in access to health services, to the natural geographic barriers and the vast territory. In the Rio Negro area, the species Bothrops atrox, Bothrops brazili, Lachesis muta muta and Bothriopsis taeniata are thought to be the major species responsible for snakebites.