Cerrophidion tzotzilorum

Cerrophidion tzotzilorum
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Cerrophidion
Species:	C. tzotzilorum
Binomial name
Cerrophidion tzotzilorum (Campbell, 1985)
Synonyms [2]
Bothrops tzotzilorum Campbell, 1985 Porthidium tzotzilorum — Campbell & Lamar, 1989 Cerrophidion tzotzilorum — Campbell & Lamar, 1992

Common names: Tzotzil montane pitviper. ^[3]

Cerrophidion tzotzilorum is a venomous pit viper species which is native to southern Mexico. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. ^[4]

Etymology

The specific name, tzotzilorum (Latin genitive plural), is in honor of the Tzotzil people. ^{[5] [6]}

Description

C. tzotzilorum is terrestrial and moderately stout. Adults probably do not exceed 50 cm (19.5 in) in total length (including tail). ^[3]

Geographic range

C. tzotzilorum is found in the Meseta Central of Chiapas, Mexico. The type locality given is "10.9 km Jiji ESE San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, elevation 2,320 m [7,610 ft]". ^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of C. tzotzilorum is forest. ^[1]

Diet

C. tzotzilorum is known to prey upon orthopterans and lizards. ^[7]

Reproduction

C. tzotzilorum is viviparous. ^[5]

Conservation status

The species C. tzotzilorum is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001). ^[1] Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend is stable. Year assessed: 2007. ^[8]

References

1. Campbell, J.A.; Muñoz-Alonso, A. (2007). "Cerrophidion tzotzilorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007 e.T64307A12762008. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64307A12762008.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
3. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp., 1,500 plates. ISBN   0-8014-4141-2.
4. "Cerrophidion tzotzilorum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 14 September 2007.
5. Species Cerrophidion tzotzilorum at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
6. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cerrophodion tzotzilorum, p. 269).
7. Jadin RC (2007). "Prey Items of the Tzotzil Montane Pitviper (Cerrophidion tzotzilorum)". Southwestern Naturalist52 (3): 437–438.
8. 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List . Accessed 14 September 2007.

Further reading

• Campbell JA (1985). "A New Species of Highland Pitviper of the Genus Bothrops from Southern Mexico". Journal of Herpetology19 (1): 48–54. (Bothrops tzotzilorum, new species).
• Heimes P (2016). Snakes of Mexico: Herpetofauna Mexicana Vol I. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Edition Chimaira. 572 pp. ISBN   978-3899731002.
• Schramer, Tristan D.; Kalki, Yatin; West, Taylor R.; Baena-Bejarano, Nathalie; Wylie, Daniel B. (2019). "Natural History Notes: CERROPHIDION TZOTZILORUM (Tzotzil Montane Pitviper). DIET". Herpetological Review50 (1): 151–152.