-

56
57
l\n,11 plal(; diVided ,cf(lndl.fqllnmis
No keeling: maxill:lry lcelli 3\,11 , .. , , . $mfmlill
1';lr:lvt.:rlebt:11 rows kee!t:d: nl,uill:lr. leeth 39S1 (2 !iISCUJ
:\1 11'"L'I pllllll1[1 Illdll t:olor -I
,\11 wrnpletcl}' hlad or dark colored !fll'l'/fI11I1$
-- -.
J
2
5
;
.,

. . . . . . . , , , . , . .
KEY TO TilE SPECIES
111 rows ;11 nlillhody
12 rniJhodr
Anal plait cnlirc
Anal pl,lIe
Al Icast lower portion or supralahi:lls light colorcd; lemporals usuatl}' Ii 2 or othcr\1
bUI usually nul I-t I, . . , . . , . . . . , . . , . .
All t:1,mpkICI)' bl;u.:k or l!;lrk colored: Icrnror;[ls J+l tOnSislcnlly , ,
/(In'.IcoJlu
Nil apical OhC'1 "Hlh I or 2 p;urs orhroalJ bl<ld, l:.lleral slripes on lail: nnen more than
2dorSil1 scale ro.....s kecled . . , . . . , . ., mvnflrofa
Arie,1 pits on at leaSl 01 ned; n:giflll: no I1m,u.! iliad. blcral slripcs
un tail: only paravcrtcblal scak lO\\S "t.:elcd ...""".,. 8
I.
2(11. AI1;1I pt:ltt.: cnlin:
5(1)
-lUI.
7(61.
7i III !'t'dIlCflIlJl./;n!/l six (0 lilll,. SUI II' 1"0It'J. The su bGltH..la IaI w hie h Ihe do rsal
scales uflhe lilil reduce frum six 10 fouT scale rows is presented rOTtilch !<lXO!1
un Tahle 19. Based on the mean orlllc suhcaudais where tllese Iwo .subcautlals
arc lost. this reduction occurs must anteriorly in C. ('.'(01'111.1", C. 11111i'/I'C'IiIl"iS.
and C. \'il/el'/ll; and mosl posteriorly in C /ael'icolhr. Members of the 11//lIIII'('rI-
rris species complex agree in so many characters, but thc tail reduction in C
/ouff'llli IIcrurs di"tilH.:tly lIlorC posteriorly then in C. 1l1Ii/'II'f':1""S ;lllt.! C. i'1I/-
e('1I1I.
111'111 i{J('flcs. The hemipenes are generally dt;:scribcd in the gene ric accuu nt
above alld presented in detail for each taxon in the spedes accau niS. Selected
characters ofl he hcmipenes of ellimll/Wi Iwvc a relal ively simple morphology
and are easily studied in their retracted or everted ccnditions, Figure 3 illus
trates an everted hemipenis of C/uscus!uscus and shows the characteristic
structu res emphasized in this study. The only Chimllills hemipcnes previousiy
illustrated were those of C mriIlQl/lS, C..I;ISCIIS, [lilt! C j:rtlllcli.H/mlllI/S by Cope
11895, I'JOO), ;.lI1d C. .Ii/.RIIJ by \'ellmo (1946).
condition of gaining Iwo sCille rows somewhere between the last
count (oCthe abbreviated scale row formula) and the anal plme. It is nOI intli-
caleu elsewhere ill this text, bUI one specimen in each of the following laxa
reduced posteriorly 10 as few <\$ six scale rows: C C'XO/('W,f (12126), c.jll.\TlIS
'//15('11.1 {I()-!U6). alld C. granclisql/{/lIli.\' (10-106).
Q(51. Brighl yt.:ll"w ,HtU burdClcd alncriol1y h} blat" sidcs ahO\t: lhe
firsl scale w'" . . . . . . . .. ....,....
vencbr:l i Sir ipe prcst.: ill or nol. :1 prc.;e-flI, nOI bl ighl yellow hurdcred an:criorl)' hy bI,ll;"
sides abovc lirsl seak 10" 10
8(71 123155 It:nlrah;lfItl IJI,I(l2 \"cnJr.dsanJ III
IS-' suhC31.1dab . . . . . . . , . . . ,. (':W/cfllJ
.Wilh 16)1% \'cntraL" .1Ilt! IS6-2fJS rcm;I!cs wilh 161-1')0 vcnlrals and
15720) subcaullJls (4 . . . , . . . . . . . ,. mulm'mlflj
12( III DONlm uniform dark brown: ,1ft rna.(ill,'rj tcclh; mates wiltl 171 vr.nlralsand 12-12-8 scale
row formul<l: lemales wilh 157 Subcillldals: fntJnd unly on 51. Vintenl Island vmn'nti
()or"l.Iffi usually olive wilh lit!hl vl'rtchral s:rir: 2a-4Q maxilla!) leeth: males with 149-164
n:nlrals, 12.'iIS7 suhcaud;lts and 12-12,10 scalc row lormul;:; with 154-169 ven-
mtls, Ill IS.' sl.Ihcaudals: m"inland SllL:lh I\mc,ic;t .. , f>iC/Jnrra/lfj
IIJENTlrlCATION 01' ClIIIIIJNIUS
A key is provided lor the 13 species 01" ('hiro/lius. Subspecies arc flot idcmi
fiable using this key, hut where appropriate, the numher of subspcdes for
each spcdes arc indicated. For recop:nition or suhspccies, rcfer to the
diagnosis and descriplion under Ihe 'ipecies in question, Se\"er,,1 species
::lppC;lr more than once in the key. This reflects tile gre:lI intraspeclfil.; variatien
in ("hmll/ill.l and wide ranging and overlapping nature 01" most characters,
,Uther inhcrcnl prohlcms in cnnstructing it u,'icflll key nrc due 10 sexually
dilllOlphic and ontogenetically dlJnging dwr;lctcr::.. Because uf the ovcrlap
of char:lcter stages or ranges. it is recommended that specimens 10 be idcnti-
lied he tllken al1lhc way through each couplel in the key. As in most keys,
not <.sll specimcllS can be identified or worked Qut key should
be :ltlt.:qU;ltc for identifying Illost adll!t sized snakes, but juveniles (specimens
under 400 mill snout-vent Ieng.th; should be checket! <tgainsl the
diagnoses. dilitrihlltirJns. and deSCriptions nlL'lltil\I1Cd in till.?
aCl'ollllh.
,
I
i
I
,
I
,
,
10(91 -l or mort.: umSill :>C<lic rows J.celcd
Onl}' 2 (paravcrlcnnls) dOf\al row; kecled
Il(lfll, More than]7 m<lxill3fY ICClh,
less Ihan 38 rnaxittary lecth .

I I
15
12
IJ
58
59
16(15). Less than 317 \'cnlrals plus subcaudals
,.,Iore than JJ6 ventrals plus subcaudals
"erlcb'i1] str,ipc nnt prescnl; dorsal 'icale row formula reduces 10 ]fJ or 8 posH:-
flUrl}': subcaudals wnhoul black ouler lips . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14
Lighl stripe usually prescnt; dorsal scale row formul:l reduces to 10 posteriori}';
suhl.::Iud. ls "llh black outer lips _ . . . . .. I"canmllus
IJn II
14( IJI-
J5(1lJ1
j(.J-18J venlrals; 141-177 5ubcaudals ...
1-11-161 vcnlr,lls; 10-1129 suhc:ludal'> (2 subspecies I .
lJurs;1l Sl',llc row formula reJuces 10 8 posteriori)' .
Dors;,1 sc'lle rn\\ formula reduces 10 10 postcriorJy
Il1l1f('''11
quadnell rlllOIta
16
20
]7
19

N(2.1I.
25124).
Pallem variable and nol as above; Jllales wilh 163196 vcntr.. ls and 141-208 SUhcautlals;
fcmales with 161190 verllrals and 141205 subcaudaJs. . . . . . . , ,. 24
Mottled \'cntrol:llcrnl I';lUern on poslc-rior of bod}' :lnd on (ail; subcaudals (x
3b,IUI 1511). . . . , . , . . . . . . . . . , " laurenr!
No Illoltlcd \'entrolJlcraJ pattern; subcaudals 156-208 (x about 180) 25
uniform dark brnwfl. 40 m.nil:ur lecth: 157158 subcaudals: found vnlr un 51.
Vincenl IsI;lIld. "'"rrm'
Dorsum v:Jriab1c in color and pattern, )2,10 m:}\iJlary leclh; 1.'J6208 subc;lUd:lls;
011 Tlinidad and mainland South Amclica. (4\ Jlspecicsl. . , .. IIII1/m'calm

' ..
23(201. Light \"errcbntl siripe usually prescnt; while or yellow suhcaudal, with blad ollter lips
anti usually black zi!!zag linc medially between subciludal p:urs; wilh 149.164
.venll:ll" ;Irld 125IQ suhcollu.lah; willi 154-1(,'1 \'cntmb "nd ]211).1 SUlll.:.1lI1J;,ls
n/{l/f/II(J/IH
18( 171. 16.\-181 vcnlmls: brownish o1i\'e dorsum with mottled vcntroldlcral rallern 011 poslerior
of hudy and on lail. . . . . .. ,.....,..... laurenll
113162 venuals: dorsal culor variable wilh no unusual mouled \'cntrolalcral pattern
. . . , , . , . . . . . . 1'.\O/('fIIJ
19{16l. Mollled \'enlrolaleral p;lllcrn on poslerior (.r body and on lail: suhGlUdals 141-177 ,;,
aboul 1501. . . . . . . .. .... /al/reMI
ullU.'wal rnolllcd vcntroJ:llcr;]1 pallern; subCJudals 156-208 (x aboul IUn (4 subspc.
. m/JI/II"'nIrlJ
21 (20). Dorsum wilh pallern of either large yellowish spots on first scnle row of tail, lighl necking
on most dorsal scales. or two broad reddish-brown stripes antcriorl)'; SUbc:ludals \elloy.-
ish and ouilincd in black or dark brown (3 subspecies). , . . , ..
IJOl\lllll rI(J! Ilallt'flle,! ,1fJOI'1': 'Uhnltlll:ih m:l)' he blllll"llall\' JIlII ... 'mpk.
Id\ oUlllnetl III hl:ld. III dark vlOwn . . . . . . . . _ ... 22
Chironius bicarinatlls (\Vied)
(Fig. 4)
SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNTS
Type: A type specimell.. was not found. It is not clear whether a holotype
was designated: however, Wiell's (1820:181) brief description docs indicate a
number of this species' major characteristics: "one row of keeled scales on
each side or the dorsum, ventrals 155. paired subcaudals 137" and"... .it is dark
olive green on the dorsum, yellow on the venter. a length between 5
anti 6 fcct". Wied's (1824) l:(llm plate is ckarl)' indicative ol"this species. The
type locality is on a santi beach of Lagoa, ncar the Rio JllCLJ, within "5Icgoas"
(leagues) of Villa do EspiritoSantc. Estado Espirito Sanlo, Urazil.
('ol"t"" blWrmll/l1l Win!. 11l20.1li!. WICr!, 1101 llllllll'lalc. p.lgc unnumbcred.Lief H.lsi\ lliIIlJ.
pl. 2 (fide VanloJini, IQ17:JO).
""fir/X blcOrmtl1rJ (\Vied): Merrclll, 182"_117.
ErpNodryos blrartnalUs (\Viell,. !3oie, 1816:237.
IIrrpeladO'as blrartaallH (\Vied)' lIDO:180.
I/rrprTOllryas bicart'la/Q (\Viedl: Filzinger. IIlU:26.
I/rrperod,yat cortnoruJ InOI or Linnacus): Dumeril. Bibron, and Dumcril. 1854:207.
Herperodryas carill/JlUJ \'al. blCarmOltl I Wicd I. Buctlger. 18'J8:55,
ChlfOnlUJ carlMl/lIS lnot of Linnacusl. Amar;]t, 1925:4.
CJlImnW.1 blConnarll.l/Wlcd): Baile;. 1'1)5:8.
D j agn os is: Chironius bicarina/lls is the only species with a combination
of 12 dorsal scale rows at midbody, a divided anal plate, and a consistent scale
row reduction 01"1212-10 in malcs and fcmales.Unfortunately, this reduction
formula is not always diagnostic and uther characters must be used for sepa-
rating C. bicarillGIUS from some other taxa. This species has a uniform olive
dorsum with a light vertebrnl stripe (versus reddish brown anterior lateral
stripes. yellowish spots on first scale row of tail, or yello\\<'ish flecking on all
21
2'
2U(l5). Lcs" than Jl5 vcnlr:rls plus suhcau,l:tls
Mnre lh.m 311 \'clllrais plus suhcaud'lls
17{ 16). l1tlrsum wilh r;,llcrn nfcithcr I<!rgc yellowish Spolson first scale row oflilit.li!!-hlilecking
on mUSI dorS,ll scales, or 2 broad reddish-blOwn stripes anterior I)"; subciludals ycllowish
and oUllined in black or dark brown f3 subspecies). . . . mrtn(l/11.J
l'aHern nnl ahove, I!cnerallr uniforlll wlllr wilhour "rol" Ilr hroad lareral
"II Ipe,; 'uht';Illtbh Ill:t\, he hUI IlItl nlllllll<:lcly lllltlillnlill hlad 'lr llal k hlllwn
. . . . . lH
22(21). Mottled ventrulalcral pattern on posterior of body and on tail: ventrals 16.\180 in males.
166181 in distlnci I'crlebral stripe not present: subcaud<lls without black outer
lip!>, . . ., ............., laurenll
\'cntrlll;IICf:llllilllcrn; vClllrals 1,1(}I(,1 in 1Il:11c" 15,1-169 in ft.'lllales:
h!!hl Icrlcb,;t/ slrrpc USU'lIl}' \<lith hlack ouler lips. bWflfll/lllUr