Leucism and albinism in the rear-fanged snakes Tachymenis chilensis chilensis (Schlegel, 1837) and Tachymenis chilensis coronellina Werner, 1898 (Serpentes, Dipsadidae)

By

A. Urra, Felix
Zúñiga, Alejandro
Melero, Nel
Reyes, Nibaldo
Herrera, Yarela
Miranda-Calle, Alejandro Bruno
Ortiz Zapata, Juan Carlos

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021-07-07

Original Publication

Herpetozoa

Volume

34

Pages

125--129

Subjects

phenotype , Reptiles , short-tailed snake , skin coloration , South American snakes

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.34.e63423

 

Abstract

Herein, we report the first observation of two different coloration patterns in Chilean snakes. Based on the alteration of wild coloration patterns, a juvenile specimen of Tachymenis chilensis coronellina Werner, 1898 was diagnosed with albinism and a juvenile specimen of Tachymenis chilensis chilensis (Schlegel, 1837) was diagnosed with leucism. The existence of color variations in wild snake populations and the implications of these for fitness are discussed.