Oxybelis transandinus is a species of snake.[1] The species was originally described in 2021 by Omar Torres-Carvajal, Mauricio Mejía-Guerrero and Claudia Terán from the Museo de Zoología of the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Ecuador.

Oxybelis transandinus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Oxybelis
Species:
O. transandinus
Binomial name
Oxybelis transandinus
Torres-Carvajal, Mejía-Guerrero & Terán, 2021

Description

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Oxybelis transandinus is a species of Neotropical vine snakes that is endemic to Ecuador. It has been recently described as being distinct from a similar species of vine snake; Oxybelis aeneus.[1] Phylogenetic analyses has shown distinctive genetic differences.

Range & habitat

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The species has been observed in Ecuador. The Holotype has been collected in Bosqueira Protected Forest and is an adult male. Paratypes were collected throughout the Pacific lowlands of Ecuador.[1] The species have been observed in dry ecosystems where the snake is active from the ground up to 1.5 meters in shrubs.[1]

Etymology

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The name of the species is derived from Latin, where "Trans", means beyond and "Andinus" means Andean.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Torres-Carvajal, Omar; Mejía-Guerrero, Mauricio; Terán, Claudia (2021-08-18). "Adding missing vines to the tree: multilocus phylogeny of New World vine snakes (Serpentes: Colubridae: Oxybelis), with description of a new species". Journal of Natural History. 55 (31–32): 2027–2046. doi:10.1080/00222933.2021.1986164. S2CID 243478903.