''Leptophis mexicanus'', commonly known as the Mexican parrot snake, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of medium-sized slender
snake
Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Colubridae
Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
.
Geographic range
''L. mexicanus'' can be found in southern
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and
Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
, in
Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
,
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...
,
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...
,
El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...
,
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
, and
Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
.
[
]
Subspecies
There are four recognized subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
, including the nominate subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
.[
*'' L. m. hoeversi'' ]Henderson Henderson may refer to:
People
*Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname
*Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan
Places Argentina
*Henderson, Buenos Aires
Australia
*Henderson, Western Australia
Canada
* H ...
, 1976
*'' L. m. mexicanus'' A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron
Gabriel Bibron (20 October 1805 – 27 March 1848) was a French zoologist and herpetologist. He was born in Paris. The son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hir ...
& A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
*'' L. m. septentrionalis'' Mertens, 1972
*'' L. m. yucatanensis'' Oliver, 1942
References
Further reading
* Duméril A-M-C, Bibron G, Dumeril A H-A(1854). ''Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles, Tome septième. Première partie. Comprenant l'histoire des serpents non venimeux.'' Paris: Roret. xvi + 780 pp. (''Leptophis mexicanus'', new species, pp. 536–537). (in French).
* Henderson RW (1976). "A New Insular Subspecies of the Colubrid Snake ''Leptophis mexicanus'' (Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae) from Belize". ''J. Herpetology'' 10 (4): 329–331. (''Leptophis mexicanus hoeversi'', new subspecies).
*Liner, Ernest A. (2007). "A Checklist of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Mexico". ''Louisiana State University Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science'' 80: 1-60.
* Mertens R (1972). "''Eine neue Schlankatter der Gattung'' Leptophis ''aus Mexico'' ". ''Senckenbergiana Biologica'' 53 (5-6): 341–342. (''Leptophis mexicanus septentrionalis'', new subspecies). (in German).
* Oliver JA (1942). "A check list of the snakes of the genus ''Leptophis'', with descriptions of new forms". ''Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan'' (462): 1–19. (''Leptophis mexicanus yucatanensis'', new subspecies, p. 10).
Colubrids
Snakes of Central America
Reptiles of Belize
Reptiles of Costa Rica
Reptiles of El Salvador
Reptiles of Guatemala
Reptiles of Honduras
Reptiles of Mexico
Reptiles of Nicaragua
Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron
Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril
Taxa named by Auguste Duméril
Reptiles described in 1854
{{Colubrids-stub