A new species of Apostolepis (Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Elapomorphini) from the Cerrado of Central Brazil.

We describe a new species of the genus Apostolepis found near São Salvador Hydroelectric Power Plant, municipality of São Salvador do Tocantins, in the central Cerrado ecoregion. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of eleven dorsolateral stripes, five infralabial scales and the lack of preoculars scales. The new species shares some external characteristics mainly with A. arenaria, A. gaboi and A. nelsonjorgei, with which it is compared.

Morphological variation of the rare psammophilous species Apostolepis gaboi (Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Elapomorphini).

Apostolepis gaboi was described based only on the holotype found in the Queimadas, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Since its original description, no additional specimens were reported in literature and the species was considered to be rare and poorly known. Here, we provide a detailed description for the species based on the examination of the holotype and 34 additional specimens from the type locality and adjacent areas. Additional information is also provided on intraspecific color variation and hemipenial morphology.

Another new and threatened species of lancehead genus Bothrops (Serpentes, Viperidae) from Ilha dos Franceses, Southeastern Brazil.

A new insular species of the genus Bothrops is described from Ilha dos Franceses, a small island off the coast of Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil. The new species differs from mainland populations of B. jararaca mainly by its small size, relative longer tail, relative smaller head length, and relative larger eyes. The new species is distinguished from B. alcatraz, B. insularis and B. otavioi by the higher number of ventral and subcaudal scales, relative longer tail and smaller head. The new species is highly abundant on the island, being nocturnal, semiarboreal, and feeding on small lizards and centipeds. Due its unique and restricted area of occurrence, declining quality of habitat, and constant use of the island for tourism, the new species may be considered as critically endangered.

Tail Luring by the Golden Lancehead (Bothrops insularis), an Island EndemicSnake from South-Eastern Brazil

Herein, we report on direct and indirect evidence of tail luring by the golden lancehead, Bothrops insularis (Viperidae), a threatened snake species endemic to a small island off the coast of South-eastern Brazil. Tail luring was recorded for a juvenile male in nature and circumstantial evidence indicates that it was directed to ectothermic prey. Indeed, B. insularis juveniles feed on small lizards and frogs and tail luring is probably an important hunting strategy of this species. Adult golden lanceheads prey mostly on birds. A frequently seen characteristic ambush posture, coiled with the conspicuous tail tip exposed close to the head, indicates that they use tail luring as well. Lured birds may peck at a snake's tail, and the high frequency of tail tip injuries in B. insularis (20.9%) compared to a continental sister species that rarely preys on birds (B. jararaca, 7.3%) strengthens the view that B. insularis adults lure birds.