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1 August 2014 Hemipenial Morphology in the Semifossorial Snakes of the Genus Ninia and a New Species from Trinidad, West Indies (Serpentes: Dipsadidae)
Teddy Angarita-Sierra
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Abstract

The hemipenial morphology of nine species in Ninia is described for the first time. A total of 65 hemipenes of all recognized species of Ninia were examined. As a result of the evaluation of the hemipenial and caudal morphology, Ninia diademata labiosa is elevated to full species status and a new species is described from 240 m above sea level in the Northern Range of Trinidad. The new species exhibits several diagnostic features, including (1) a primary temporal scale that is extremely long and contacts the upper labial scales 5–7; (2) a temporal scale formula 1 2, with the primary temporal scale three times longer than the lower posterior temporal; and (3) forked hemipenes. The male genitalia of Ninia are excellent indicators of species limits and an effective tool to clarify the identity of cryptic species in the genus.

©2014 Brazilian Society of Herpetology
Teddy Angarita-Sierra "Hemipenial Morphology in the Semifossorial Snakes of the Genus Ninia and a New Species from Trinidad, West Indies (Serpentes: Dipsadidae)," South American Journal of Herpetology 9(2), 114-130, (1 August 2014). https://doi.org/10.2994/SAJH-D-12-00004.1
Received: 22 May 2012; Accepted: 1 July 2014; Published: 1 August 2014
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