''Atractus michaelsabini'' is a species of fossorial

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

in the family

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. C ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

Taxonomy

The species was described as ''Atractus michaelsabini'' and placed within the genus ''

Atractus ''Atractus'' is a genus of Colubridae, colubrid ground snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae. The genus includes more than 140 distinct species. Geographic range Snakes of the genus ''Atractus'' are Endemism, endemic to Central America, Central an ...

'' following the diagnostic framework established by Jay M. Savage (1960).

Phylogenetic analyses In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as Computational phylogenetics, phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organ ...

based on

mitochondrial DNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondrion, mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the D ...

(CYTB gene) and morphological evidence support its placement in the genus. The specific epithet ''michaelsabini'' honors Michael Sabin, a young conservation advocate and grandson of American philanthropist Andrew Sabin. The Sabin family has contributed significantly to habitat protection and supports herpetological conservation work.

Description

''Atractus michaelsabini'' is a small, slender snake with smooth

dorsal scales In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publis ...

arranged in 15 rows. It has a slightly distinct head, one postocular scale, and a long

loreal scale The lore (adj. loreal) is the region between the eyes and nostrils of birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Ornithology In ornithology, the lore is the region between the eye and bill on the side of a bird's head. This region is sometimes featherless ...

. The species shows a 1+2 temporal scale arrangement and has five or six

supralabials In reptiles, the supralabial scales, also called upper-labials, are those scales that border the mouth opening along the upper jaw. They do not include the median scaleWright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates ( ...

(typically the third and fourth contacting the eye) and five or six infralabials (first three usually contacting the chin shields). Males have 143–144

ventral Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

and 24–31

subcaudal scales In snakes, the subcaudal scales are the enlarged plates on the underside of the tail. Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press. (7t ...

, while females have 144–153 ventrals and 17–19 subcaudals. The

anal scale In snakes, the anal scale or anal plate is the scale just in front of and covering the cloacal opening. This scale can be either single ("anal entire") or paired ("anal divided"). When paired, the division is oblique.Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G ...

is single. Dorsal coloration ranges from golden yellow to dark brown, with each scale outlined in black, creating a net-like pattern. The underside is yellowish with varying degrees of brown speckling. Adult males reach up to 321 mm in

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the mos ...

, and females up to 392 mm. It most closely resembles '' A. carrioni'' and ''A. roulei''''.''

Distribution and habitat

''Atractus michaelsabini'' is

to southwestern Ecuador, with an estimated range of approximately 2,530 km². It occurs on the Pacific slopes of the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

, including the xeric inter-Andean valley of the

Jubones River The Jubones River is a river of Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also incl ...

and the Cordillera de Chilla, across the provinces of

Azuay Azuay (, ), Province of Azuay is a province of Ecuador, created on 25 June 1824. It encompasses an area of . Its capital and largest city is Cuenca. It is located in the south center of Ecuador in the highlands. Its mountains reach above sea le ...

, El Oro, and Loja, at elevations between 927 and 2,922 metres above sea level. It has been found buried in soft soil, under rocks, and in mats of decaying vegetation within

pastures Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Types of pasture Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, c ...

and

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

fields near remnant forest. At night, it may cross forest trails.

Ecology and behavior

The species is

fossorial A fossorial animal () is one that is adapted to digging and which lives primarily (but not solely) underground. Examples of fossorial vertebrates are Mole (animal), moles, badgers, naked mole-rats, meerkats, armadillos, wombats, and mole salamand ...

and primarily diurnal. Activity appears to increase during the rainy season (February to May).

Reproduction

Reproduction is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that reproduce by depositing fertilized zygotes outside the body (i.e., by laying or spawning) in metabolically independent incubation organs known as eggs, which nurture the embryo into moving offsprings kno ...

. Clutches of three or four eggs have been observed at the type locality.

Conservation

Its extent of occurrence is under 5,000 km², and its habitat is fragmented and declining due to

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ...

and agricultural expansion. Although the species is found in two protected areas (Reserva Buenaventura and Reserva Yunguilla), nine of the 14 known localities occur in heavily altered landscapes. Approximately 70% of the forest cover across its potential range has been lost.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q116212051 michaelsabini Reptiles of Ecuador Endemic fauna of Ecuador category:Snakes of South America Reptiles described in 2022