Leptophis is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as parrot snakes. The species within this genus are widely distributed throughout Mexico, Central and South America.
Classification The genus Leptophis belongs to the subfamily Colubrinae, of the family Colubridae. The species relationships within Leptophis can be shown in the cladogram below, with possible paraphyletic species identified:
Description Snakes of the genus Leptophis are slender with a long tail. The body is cylindrical or slightly laterally compressed. The head is elongated and distinct from the neck. The eye is large with a round pupil. The dorsal scales are arranged in 15 rows at midbody. The maxillary teeth, which number 20–32, are in a continuous series without any interspace, and are longest posteriorly. Conversely, the mandibular teeth are longest anteriorly.Boulenger GA (1894). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xi + 382 pp. + Plates I–XX. (Leptophis, p. 105-106, Figure 10.
Species and subspecies The following species and subspecies are currently recognized as being valid: Leptophis ahaetulla – giant parrot snake Leptophis bocourti Leptophis bolivianus Leptophis coeruleodorsus – Oliver's parrot snake Leptophis cupreus – copper parrot snake Leptophis depressirostris – Cope's parrot snake Leptophis dibernardoi Leptophis diplotropis - Pacific Coast parrot snake Leptophis diplotropis diplotropis Leptophis diplotropis forreri Leptophis liocercus Leptophis marginatus Leptophis mexicanus – Mexican parrot snake Leptophis mexicanus hoeversi Leptophis mexicanus mexicanus Leptophis mexicanus septentrionalis Leptophis mexicanus yucatanensis Leptophis modestus – cloud forest parrot snake Leptophis mystacinus Leptophis nebulosus – Oliver's parrot snake Leptophis nigromarginatus - black-skinned parrot snake Leptophis occidentalis Leptophis praestans Leptophis riveti – Despax's parrot snake Leptophis stimsoni – Trinidad upland parrot snake Leptophis urostictus (
Nota bene: A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Leptophis.
References
Further reading
Bell T (1825). "On Leptophina, a group of Serpents comprising the Genus Dryinus of Merrem, and a newly formed Genus proposed to be named Leptophis ". Zoological Journal 2: 322–329. (Leptophis, new genus, pp. 328–329.) https://serpientesdevenezuela.org/leptophis-ahaetulla/ https://serpientesdevenezuela.org/leptophis-coeruleodorsus/