Contribution to the Herpetology of Sonora, Mexico: Descriptions of New Subspecies of Snakes (Micruroides euryxanthus and Lampropeltis getulus) and Miscellaneous Collecting Notes

Abstract

The basis for this report lies largely in a collection of reptiles and amphibians made in Sonora by the authors in the course of three trips to that state. During late January and early February, 1950, the junior author obtained a few turtles incidental to fish collecting. At the same time, the senior author accompanied William G. Reeder south as far as Guirocoba, Sonora. On this latter trip, about 75 lizards and frogs were collected, all in the southern portion of the state. In August, 1950, the authors accompanied by Mr. Reeder, journeyed south to Guirocoba where two weeks were spent. Although some of the 123 amphibians, 123 snakes, 184 lizards and 21 turtles taken on this trip were obtained enroute between Guirocoba and the International Boundary, the vast majority came from Guirocoba. The size of the Guirocoba collection is a tribute to the ability of the native collectors, since climate and bacilli combined to reduce greatly the gringo's efficiency. Bogert and Oliver (1945) have provided a description of Guirocoba. Briefly, it lies in the Tropical Deciduous Forest about 28 miles by road east southeast of Alamos. Dr. L. M. Klauber has kindly made available to us Sonoran reptiles in his own personal collection and in the collection of the San Diego Society of Natural History. These collections have yielded several new records for the state. A small collection from the vicinity of Guaymas was kindly donated to us by A. A. Allanson of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Another small but valuable collection was presented by Mr. Sterling Bunnell of Berkeley, California.