Damsel in distress: is the nomenclature of Lachesis melanocephala Solórzano & Cerdas, 1986 (Serpentes, Viperidae) in need of rescue?

Abstract

The neotropical viperid snake genus Lachesis Daudin, 1803 accomodates four venomous species that occur in forested areas from Central America, in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, to most of South America, southwards into southeastern Brazil and Bolivia (Campbell & Lamar 2004). This genus is unique among neotropical crotalines in having a high number of ventrals, dorsal, and cephalic scales, while also being oviparous (Campbell & Lamar 2004). Lachesis melanocephala Solórzano & Cerdas, 1986 is a large-sized viper, distributed from the Pacific coast of southwestern Costa Rica to northwestern Panama (Campbell & Lamar 2004). This species reaches up to 2.4 meters of total length, and can be diagnosed based on its uniformly black dorsal head pattern and inconspicuous postocular black stripe (Fig. 1; Campbell & Lamar 2004).