Geophis zeledoni Taylor

Wilson, Larry David & Townsend, Josiah H., 2007, A checklist and key to the snakes of the genus Geophis (Squamata: Colubridae: Dipsadinae), with commentary on distribution and conservation, Zootaxa 1395, pp. 1-31 : 19-22

46. Geophis zeledoni Taylor

Geophis zeledoni Taylor 1954: 693 .

Holotype. University of Kansas Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center (KU) 31992, collected 24 July 1952 by E.H. Taylor.

Type­locality. Finca Zeledón, ca. 1829 m elevation, between Volcán Barba and Volcán Poás, Costa Rica. Distribution. Known from the Cordillera Central, Costa Rica, ca. 1829­2100 m elevation. Species group. sieboldi ( Downs 1967) .

Systematic references. Taylor (1954), Downs (1967).

1 Anterior temporal present ............................................................................................................................ 2

­ Anterior temporal absent ............................................................................................................................. 7

2 Dorsal scales in 15 rows throughout body................................................................................................... 3

­ Dorsal scales in 17 rows throughout body................................................................................................... 4

3 Ventrals immaculate ................................................................................................................ G. maculiferus

­ Ventrals each divided into dark anterior portion and pale posterior portion ............................ G. incomptus

4 Postoculars 2................................................................................................................................................ 5

­ Postocular single.......................................................................................................................................... 6

5 Dorsum pinkish yellow with series of irregular, transverse brown spots; venter pale with numerous red­ dish brown spots ......................................................................................................................... G. isthmicus

­ Dorsum reddish brown with narrow pale crossbands; venter immaculate creamy white .... G. omiltemanus

6 Venter of body white to cream anteriorly grading posteriorly to grayish brown with pale posterior borders on ventrals ............................................................................................................................... G. latifrontalis

­ Venter of body black, checkered with red or yellow blotches in juvenile .............................. G. mutitorques

7 Dorsal scales in 17 rows throughout body................................................................................................... 8

­ Dorsal scales in 15 rows throughout body................................................................................................. 23

8 Postoculars absent........................................................................................................................................ 9

­ Postoculars 1 or 2....................................................................................................................................... 10

9 Dorsum slate black ................................................................................................................... G. anocularis

­ Dorsum red or white with large black dorsal saddles ................................................................ G. duellmani

10 Postoculars 2 .................................................................................................................................. G. bicolor

­ Postocular single........................................................................................................................................ 11

11 Dorsal scales smooth throughout body or smooth except above vent, where faintly keeled .................... 12

­ Dorsal scales distinctly keeled on portions of body ranging from posterior portion of body to all of body except nape ................................................................................................................................................ 18

12 Venter immaculate white, cream, or yellow, except perhaps for darkly pigmented lateral edges............. 13

­ Venter checkered or banded....................................................................................................................... 17

13 Internasal scales usually fused with prefrontal scales .................................................................... G. dubius

­ Internasal scales not fused with prefrontal scales...................................................................................... 14

14 No supraocular scale present, frontal scale enters orbit ......................................................... G. rhodogaster

­ Supraocular scale usually present, usually distinct from postocular, frontal scale does not enter orbit.... 15

15 Dorsum brown, with scales in lateral rows spotted cream ........................................................ G. chalybeus

­ Dorsum gray, brown, or blackish with pale gray to brick­red dorsal or lateral blotches or partial bands. 16

16 135–157 ventral scales, 171–181 ventrals + subcaudals ...................................................... G. fulvoguttatus

­ 120–138 ventral scales, 149–160 ventrals + subcaudals ..................................................... G. nephodrymus

17 Venter checkered with yellowish orange and black .................................................................. G. blanchardi

­ Ventrals pale brown anteriorly and yellowish white posteriorly .......................................... G. immaculatus

18 Dorsal scales keeled except on neck.......................................................................................................... 19

­ Dorsal scales keeled only on the posterior portion of body....................................................................... 20

19 Dorsum yellowish with dark brown crossbands ............................................................................... G. dunni

­ Dorsum dark brown or gray without markings ............................................................................... G. nasalis

20 Ventral scales brownish black anteriorly, yellowish white posteriorly ...................................... G. carinosus

­ Ventral surface immaculate........................................................................................................................ 21

21 Ventrals 124 or fewer ...................................................................................................................... G. juarezi

­ Ventrals 126 or more.................................................................................................................................. 22

22 Ventrals 132 or fewer; dorsum uniform gray ................................................................................ G. rostralis

­ Ventrals 132 or more; dorsum brown, scales of first row with yellow centers ............................. G. sieboldi

23 Postoculars 2 ............................................................................................................................ G. betaniensis

­ Postocular single or absent ........................................................................................................................ 24

24 Dorsal scales weakly to distinctly keeled on portions of body ranging from posterior one­half to all except neck............................................................................................................................................................ 25

­ Dorsal scales smooth throughout body or smooth except above vent....................................................... 33

25 Postocular scale absent ................................................................................................................... G. downsi

­ Postocular scale single............................................................................................................................... 26

26 Dorsal body scales weakly to distinctly keeled except on neck ................................................................ 27

­ Dorsal body scales weakly to distinctly keeled only on posterior portion ................................................ 29

27 Venter with dark pigment usually present along anterior edges of at least some ventrals; dorsum often with pale lateral blotches, crossbands, or stripes ...................................................................... G. brachycephalus

­ Venter yellowish white, although some ventrals may have brownish pigment along anterior edges; dorsum without pale lateral blotches, crossbands, or stripes.................................................................................. 28

28 Pale nuchal collar absent ................................................................................................................. G. sallaei

­ Broad white nuchal collar present ........................................................................................... G. laticollaris

29 Dorsal and ventral surfaces uniformly dark ..................................................................................... G. bellus

­ Coloration not as above ............................................................................................................................. 30

30 Anterior edge of each ventral dark brown or black, posterior edge white .................................... G. ruthveni

­ Ventral coloration not as above.................................................................................................................. 31

31 Supraocular and postocular scales separated from one another by anterior projection of parietal scale ...... .................................................................................................................................................. G. nigroalbus

­ Supraocular and postocular scales in contact with one another................................................................. 32

32 Dorsum reddish brown with irregular black crossbars ................................................................. G. russatus

­ Dorsum uniform dark gray to black ........................................................................................ G. talamancae

33 Supralabials 5............................................................................................................................................. 34

­ Supralabials 6............................................................................................................................................. 35

34 Dorsum with dark dorsal crossbands separated by pale interspaces ..................................... G. semidoliatus

­ Dorsum dark brown or grayish black ........................................................................................ G. hoffmanni

35 Venter black with scattered, irregular pale blotches or mottled areas ....................................................... 36

­ Venter not colored as above....................................................................................................................... 37

36 Dorsum blackish with well­defined yellowish­red crossbands ................................................ G. laticinctus

­ Dorsum uniform gray or black, sometimes with pale lateral stripe and narrow light bands ........ G. zeledoni

37 Dorsum patterned....................................................................................................................................... 38

­ Dorsum patternless .................................................................................................................................... 44

38 Dorsum of body dark with pale markings ................................................................................................. 39

­ Dorsum of body pale with dark markings ................................................................................................. 40

39 Dorsum of body dark gray with reddish orange crossbands or lateral blotches ........................... G. damiani

­ Dorsum brown or black, with narrow pale crossbands on anterior portion of body ..................... G. dugesii

40 Venter immaculate white or cream ............................................................................................................ 41

­ Venter not as above.................................................................................................................................... 42

41 Dorsum cream with reddish brown crossbands ....................................................................... G.cancellatus

­ Dorsum red with black crossbands ................................................................................................... G. juliai

42 Venter black with scattered pale blotches ................................................................................. G. laticinctus

­ Venter white with black spots .................................................................................................................... 43

43 Dorsum with narrow dark crossbands on a gray­brown ground color .................................. G. nigrocinctus

­ Dorsum with irregular dark markings on head and neck, remainder of body dark brown or black ............. ..................................................................................................................................................... G. t a r a s c a e

44 Supraocular absent, parietal scale in contact with prefrontal scale ............................................. G. godmani

­ Supraocular scale present, parietal scale not in contact with prefrontal scale........................................... 45

45 Venter banded, anterior edge brown, posterior edge white ....................................................... G. championi

­ Venter immaculate white to creamy white................................................................................................. 46

46 Ventrals plus subcaudals 171 or fewer .......................................................................................... G. pyburni

­ Ventrals plus subcaudals 175 or more ............................................................................................ G. petersii