CHECKLIST OF THE SNAKES OF MEXICO 39 



or, inner dark border of dorsolateral tail stripes present on posterior 

 part of body 8 



8. A series of dark spots between lateral and middorsal light lines ; dark 



border on inner edge of dorsolateral stripes distinct on body as well 



as tail ; scales in 21 rows fissidens punctig'ularis 



Color not as described; markings dim, except (in young) a middorsal 

 dark line 9 



9. Ventrals fewer (120 to 122 in known males) ; caudals more numerous 



(81, male) ; ventrals minus caudals lower (41, male) fissidens dispersus 



Ventrals more numerous (126 to 133 in males) ; caudals fewer (64 to 76 

 in males) ; ventrals minus caudals higher (51 to 65 in males). 



fissidens proterops 



10. Body nearly unicolor, reddish brown ; dorsals in 17 rows meridanus 



Body with a lateral and, usually, a middorsal stripe ; dorsals in 19 rows__ 11 



11. Middorsal stripe one and two half scale rows wide imperialis imperialis 



Middorsal stripe if present not more than one scale row wide 12 



12. Middorsal stripe very narrow and continuous ; lateral dark stripe dis- 



tinctly darker on upper half; ventrals minus caudals, males 50-60, 



females 58-71 imperialis copei 



Middorsal stripe variable, broken into spots, missing, or continuous but 

 about one scale row wide ; lateral dark stripe usually uniformly dark 

 (except anteriorly) ; ventrals minus caudals lower than in imperialis 

 copei except in Campeche and Quintana Roo imperialis clavatus 



CONIOPHANES BIPUNCTATUS BISERIATUS Smith 



Coniophanes tipunctatus Hseriatus Smith, Proo. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 

 53, 1940, pp. 59-60 ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 93, 1943, pp. 403-404. 



Type.—V.^.'^M. No. 108595. 



Type locality. — Palenque, Chiapas. 



Range. — Atlantic slopes from central Veracruz to northern central 

 Chiapas and western Campeche (authentic records in Mexico are from 

 Orizaba, Potrero Viejo, and Tierra Colorada, Veract'uz; Palenque, 

 Chiapas; and Pacaitun, Campeche). 



CONIOPHANES FISSIDENS FISSIDENS (Gunther) 



Coronella fissidens Gunther, Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum, 



1858, p. 36. 

 Coniophanes fissidens fissidens Bailey, Pap. Michigan Acad. Sci. Arts Lett., vol. 



24, pt. 2, 1938 (1939), pp. 14-23, pi. 1, fig. 4, pi. 3, fig. 1, map text fig. 



2 (part).— Smith, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 91, 1941, p. 104, map fig. 33. 



Type. — Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist., 8 cotypes. 



Type locality. — Mexico. 



Range. — Atlantic slopes from extreme southern Veracruz to Co- 

 lombia, avoiding high mountains and the Yucatan Peninsula (records 

 in Mexico are from Teapa, Tabasvo., and San Andres Tuxtla, 

 Veracruz). 



CONIOPHANES FISSIDENS DISPERSUS Smith 



Coniophanes fissidens dispersus Smith, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 91, 1941, pp. 

 106-107, map fig. 33. 



