Snakes of the genus Imantodes in western Mexico. American Museum novitates ; no. 1961

Abstract

"The snakes of the genus Imantodes in western Mexico (Guerrero to Sonora) previously referred to three species, I. gemmistratus oliveri, I. gracillimus, and I. latistratus, on the basis of misidentifications and other erroneous information are shown to be assignable to a single species, Imantodes gemmistratus. Two subspecies, I. g. latistratus and I. g. gracillimus, differ from each other and from other subspecies of gemmistratus in pattern and, to a lesser extent, in scutellation. Imantodes gemmistratus oliveri, formerly thought to range from Chiapas to Colima and possibly to Nayarit, occurs no farther west than the Tehuantepec area in Oaxaca. With latistratus and gracillimus reduced to subspecific status, only three species of Imantodes are known in Mexico: I. cenchoa, I. gemmistratus, and I. tenuissimus"--P. 16.