Loxocemus bicolor,[4] the sole member of the monotypicfamilyLoxocemidae[5] and commonly known as the Mexican python,[5]Mexican burrowing python[6] and Mexican burrowing snake, is a species of python-like snake found in Mexico and Central America. No subspecies are currently recognized.[7] Analyses of DNA show that Loxocemus is most closely related to the true pythons and the sunbeam snakes.[8][9]
Adults grow to a maximum of 1.57 m (62 in) in length.[10] On average this snake grows to roughly 91 cm (2.99 ft). The body is stout and very muscular. The snout is shovel-shaped, with a narrow head and small eyes to facilitate burrowing. It has been observed that both male and females have various scent glands on their bodies that secrete fatty acids and alcohols to deter nuisance arthropods, such as ants or other burrowing insects.[11] The species is described as terrestrial and semi-fossorial,[10] which makes them hard to observe and study. The color pattern is usually dark with patches of white scales, although occasionally after shedding all pigment will disappear, resulting in a white snake with only a small dark patch on its head. Scale coloring can also vary between pinkish-brown and reddish-brown, a source of camouflage depending on the soil type of the region an individual typically inhabits.
They are found in a variety of habitats, including tropical, moist, and dry forests. In Honduras and Guatemala, they also occur in dry inland valleys that drain into the Caribbean.[3] Their diet is believed to consist of rodents and lizards. In addition, they prey on arthropods, such as underground insects and centipedes, as well as worms. They have also been observed eating iguana eggs, in addition to having been observed to eat sea turtle eggs and hatchlings when food is scarce.[12] They are oviparous, laying small clutches of two to four eggs.[10] In order to consume eggs, individuals have been observed to wrap two to three loops of its anterior trunk to pressurize and pierce an egg before swallowing the yolk whole.[12]
Referencesedit
^Chaves, G.; Lamar, W.; Porras, L.W.; Sunyer, J.; Solórzano, A. (2014). "Loxocemus bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T169678A1280046. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T169678A1280046.en. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
^"Appendices I, II and III". CITES. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023. Note: Protected as a member of the Loxocemidae.
^ abcdeMcDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN1-893777-01-4 (volume).
^Reynolds, RG; Niemiller, ML; Revell, LJ (2014). (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 71: 201–213. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011. PMID 24315866. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
^Pyron, R. A.; Reynolds, R. G.; Burbrink, F. T. (2014). "A Taxonomic Revision of Boas (Serpentes: Boidae)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3846: 249–260. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3846.2.5.
^ abcLoxocemidae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 3 November 2008.
^Schulze, Thies; Weldon, Paul J.; Schulz, Stefan (2017-07-01). "Scent gland constituents of the Middle American burrowing python, Loxocemus bicolor (Serpentes: Loxocemidae)". Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. 72 (7–8): 265–275. doi:10.1515/znc-2017-0006. ISSN 1865-7125.
^ abMora, José Manuel; Robinson, Douglas C. (1984). "Predation of sea turtle eggs (Lepidochelys) by the snake Loxocemus bicolor Cope". Revista de Biología Tropical. 32 (1): 161–162. ISSN 2215-2075.
Further readingedit
Noonan, B. P.; Chippindale, P. T. (2006). "Dispersal and vicariance: The complex evolutionary history of boid snakes". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 40: 347–358. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.03.010. PMID 16624591.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Loxocemus bicolor.
Loxocemus bicolor at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 August 2007.
March 16, 2024
loxocemus, bicolor, sole, member, monotypic, family, loxocemidae, commonly, known, mexican, python, mexican, burrowing, python, mexican, burrowing, snake, species, python, like, snake, found, mexico, central, america, subspecies, currently, recognized, analyse. Loxocemus bicolor 4 the sole member of the monotypic family Loxocemidae 5 and commonly known as the Mexican python 5 Mexican burrowing python 6 and Mexican burrowing snake is a species of python like snake found in Mexico and Central America No subspecies are currently recognized 7 Analyses of DNA show that Loxocemus is most closely related to the true pythons and the sunbeam snakes 8 9 LoxocemusConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix II CITES 2 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataSuborder SerpentesFamily LoxocemidaeCope 1861Genus LoxocemusCope 1861Species L bicolorBinomial nameLoxocemus bicolorCope 1861SynonymsLoxocemi Cope 1861 Loxocemina Boulenger 1879 Loxoceminae Romer 1956 Loxocemidae McDowell 1975 3 Loxocemus Cope 1861 Plastoseryx Jan 1862 3 L oxocemus bicolor Cope 1861 Plastoseryx Bronni Jan 1862 Loxocemus Sumichrasti Bocourt 1876 Loxocemus Sumichrasti Bocourt 1876 Loxocemus bicolor Boulenger 1896 Loxocemus bicolor bicolor Woodbury amp Woodbury 1944 Loxocemus bicolor sumichrasti Woodbury amp Woodbury 1944 3 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Life cycle 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription editAdults grow to a maximum of 1 57 m 62 in in length 10 On average this snake grows to roughly 91 cm 2 99 ft The body is stout and very muscular The snout is shovel shaped with a narrow head and small eyes to facilitate burrowing It has been observed that both male and females have various scent glands on their bodies that secrete fatty acids and alcohols to deter nuisance arthropods such as ants or other burrowing insects 11 The species is described as terrestrial and semi fossorial 10 which makes them hard to observe and study The color pattern is usually dark with patches of white scales although occasionally after shedding all pigment will disappear resulting in a white snake with only a small dark patch on its head Scale coloring can also vary between pinkish brown and reddish brown a source of camouflage depending on the soil type of the region an individual typically inhabits Distribution and habitat editIt is found along the Mexican Pacific versant at low to moderate elevations in the states of Nayarit Jalisco Colima Michoacan Morelos Guerrero Oaxaca and Chiapas From there its range extends south through Guatemala Honduras El Salvador Nicaragua and Costa Rica The type locality given is La Union San Salvador in El Salvador 3 Life cycle editThey are found in a variety of habitats including tropical moist and dry forests In Honduras and Guatemala they also occur in dry inland valleys that drain into the Caribbean 3 Their diet is believed to consist of rodents and lizards In addition they prey on arthropods such as underground insects and centipedes as well as worms They have also been observed eating iguana eggs in addition to having been observed to eat sea turtle eggs and hatchlings when food is scarce 12 They are oviparous laying small clutches of two to four eggs 10 In order to consume eggs individuals have been observed to wrap two to three loops of its anterior trunk to pressurize and pierce an egg before swallowing the yolk whole 12 References edit Chaves G Lamar W Porras L W Sunyer J Solorzano A 2014 Loxocemus bicolor IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014 e T169678A1280046 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2014 1 RLTS T169678A1280046 en Retrieved 5 June 2023 Appendices I II and III CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 21 May 2023 Retrieved 5 June 2023 Note Protected as a member of the Loxocemidae a b c d e McDiarmid RW Campbell JA Toure T 1999 Snake Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference vol 1 Herpetologists League 511 pp ISBN 1 893777 00 6 series ISBN 1 893777 01 4 volume Loxocemus Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 17 August 2007 a b Loxocemidae Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 17 August 2007 Species Loxocemus bicolor at The Reptile Database Accessed 17 August 2007 Loxocemus bicolor Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 17 August 2007 Reynolds RG Niemiller ML Revell LJ 2014 Toward a Tree of Life for the boas and pythons multilocus species level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling PDF Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 71 201 213 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2013 11 011 PMID 24315866 Archived from the original PDF on 2015 12 02 Retrieved 2018 05 14 Pyron R A Reynolds R G Burbrink F T 2014 A Taxonomic Revision of Boas Serpentes Boidae PDF Zootaxa 3846 249 260 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3846 2 5 a b c Loxocemidae at the Reptarium cz Reptile Database Accessed 3 November 2008 Schulze Thies Weldon Paul J Schulz Stefan 2017 07 01 Scent gland constituents of the Middle American burrowing python Loxocemus bicolor Serpentes Loxocemidae Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung C 72 7 8 265 275 doi 10 1515 znc 2017 0006 ISSN 1865 7125 a b Mora Jose Manuel Robinson Douglas C 1984 Predation of sea turtle eggs Lepidochelys by the snake Loxocemus bicolor Cope Revista de Biologia Tropical 32 1 161 162 ISSN 2215 2075 Further reading editNoonan B P Chippindale P T 2006 Dispersal and vicariance The complex evolutionary history of boid snakes Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40 347 358 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2006 03 010 PMID 16624591 Mattison Chris 1999 Snake DK Publishing ISBN 0 7894 4660 X External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Loxocemus bicolor Loxocemus bicolor at the Reptarium cz Reptile Database Accessed 19 August 2007 Family loxocemidae Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Loxocemus amp oldid 1213352361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
