B. Schatti et E. Kramer, ECUADORIAN PIT-VIPERS OF THE GENERA BOTHR IECHIS, BOTHROPS AND PORTHIDIUM, Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 100(2), 1993, pp. 235-278
This study compiles the morphological data of more than 500 specimens
of crotalid snakes from Ecuador including some type material. Thirteen
species and two subspecies are assigned to three genera, i. e. Bothri
echis Peters (bilineatus smaragdinus, oligolepis albocarinatus, p. pun
ctatus, p. mahnerti, schlegelii, taeniatus), Bothrops Wagler (atrox at
rox, atrox xanthogrammus, brazili, lojanus) and Porthidium Cope (almaw
ebi n. sp., hyoprora, lansbergii arcosae n. ssp., microphthalmum and n
asutum). Bothrops lojanus Parker, Bothriechis p. mahnerti and Porthidi
um l. arcosae are endemic. Bothrops osbornei Freire is identical with
Bothriechis p. mahnerti Schatti & Kramer. Bothrops peruvianus (Bouleng
er) and B. albocarinatus Shreve are considered to be conspecific with
Bothriechis oligolepis (Werner). This species is polytypic, including
the nominate subspecies and B. o. albocarinatus from Amazonian Ecuador
and Peru. The type of Trigonocephalus pulcher Peters belongs to Bothr
iechis o. albocarinatus. The form commonly assigned to 'Bothrops pulch
er' auct. is described as Porthidium almawebi n. sp. The generic alloc
ation of this new species accounts for morphological evidence and beha
viour. Trigonocephalus asper Garman is a synonym of Bothrops atrox (L.
). Bothrops xanthogrammus Cope from western Ecuador and the Pacific sl
opes of Colombia represents a subspecies of atrox, if these forms are
not identical. Lachesis pleuroxanthus Boulenger might represent a vali
d species. The systematic arrangement of the Ecuadorian species is dis
cussed.