Bothrops fonsecai Hoge & Belluomini, 1959

enezes, Frederico de Alcantara, Abegg, Arthur Diesel, Silva, Bruno Rocha da, ranco, Francisco Luis & Feio, Renato Neves, 2018, Composition and natural history of the snakes from the Parque Estadual da Serra do Papagaio, southern Minas Gerais, Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil, ZooKeys 797, pp. 117-160 : 117

Bothrops fonsecai Hoge & Belluomini, 1959 Figure 4 I

Natural history notes.

Species of medium size (n = 7), nocturnal and terrestrial ( Marques et al. 2001). We collected twelve specimens of B. fonsecai , (seven during fieldwork and five outside of designated fieldwork periods. Individuals were more frequently observed in February and March. All observations occurred during the day. Ten adults were observed. Seven were at rest, five in open areas (at 9:00, 9:30, 10:00, 14:00, 14:10 h) and two at a forest edge (9:00 and 11:30 h). Three were found moving, two in open areas (10:00 and 14:00 h) and one entering a forested area (14:50 h). In November, we found an adult female, at rest at 9:00 h, 50 m away from a forested area. This female was about to shed. We found the same individual again at 14:00 h at the same place, with the skin-shed next to it. At 17:00 h, it had already retreated under the bush ( goat’s beard), remaining coiled in a stalking position. All individuals found in open areas were at most 100 m from a forested area. Two juveniles were found in forested areas, one coiled on the ground in the light-shade mosaics made by the sunlight (12:40 h) and another stretched over the first branches of a bromeliad ( Vriesea sceptrum Mez)(9:30 h). This individual (SVL = 263 mm; TL = 38 mm; M = 18 g) was collected and contained a freshly ingested rodent (M = 6 g). B. fonsecai preys exclusively on rodents ( Martins et al. 2001). In PESP, B. fonsecai can often be found among ferns ( Pteridium arachnoides (Kaulf.)) growing near forested areas (Frederico Menezes, pers. obs.), and occasionally in swamp areas. Only juveniles were found within a forest (about 150 m inside). This difference in habitat use may be related to milder temperatures and protection against visually oriented predators. The reproductive cycle has been described by Menezes et al. (in press). We observed the following defensive tactic behaviors: tail vibrating (against the substrate and its own body), cloacal discharge, hiding the head under the body coils and striking.

Altitudinal variation.

This species is found at a minimum of 400 m a.s.l. in Barra Mansa, RJ and a maximum of 1730 m a.s.l. in Campos do Jordão, SP ( Bérnils 2009). The maximum altitudinal record for this study area is 2175 m a.s.l. in Itamonte, MG. Most of the toponyms where this species can be found (about 65%) are located at altitudes above 800 m a.s.l.

Distribution and habitat.

Southeastern Brazil (Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo) ( Peters and Orejas-Miranda 1970, Wallach et al. 2014). It occurs in mixed ombrophilous forests and adjacent natural fields ( Campbell and Lamar 2004, Bérnils 2009).