Tachymenis peruviana Wiegmann, 1834 (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) in Argentina: geographic distribution and a new province record

Gabriela A Gallardo,Santiago J Nenda,Gustavo J Scrocchi Manfrini

doi:10.15560/15.1.7

Abstract

Tachymenis peruviana Wiegmann, 1834 (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) is known from Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and northwestern Argentina. In northwestern Argentina, the species is distributed from Jujuy to Catamarca province. In this study, we present the accurate distribution of the species in Argentina and the first records from La Rioja province, at 2000 and 3000 m a.s.l. in the Famatina region, extending the known distribution to the southwest.

Highlights

Species of the genus Tachymenis are small to moderate-sized snakes, distributed from Peru to southern Argentina and Chile
The genus is represented in Argentina by 2 taxa: Tachymenis chilensis chilensis, known to inhabit southern Chile and the Argentine provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, and Chubut (Scrocchi et al 2010, Giraudo et al 2012a, b, Nenda et al 2017), and Tachymenis peruviana, which was known until now in Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and the northwestern Argentine provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca (Cei 1993, Giraudo and Scrocchi 2002, Scrocchi et al 2006, Giraudo et al 2012a)
Luna Toledo, 04/14/2011), near an ocher mine. Both localities are on the Sistema de Famatina, an extra-andean geologic system located from 27° to 31° S in northwestern Argentina, with elevations that reaches 6000 m a.s.l. (Ramos 1999)

Summary

Introduction

Species of the genus Tachymenis are small to moderate-sized snakes, distributed from Peru to southern Argentina and Chile. The genus is represented in Argentina by 2 taxa: Tachymenis chilensis chilensis, known to inhabit southern Chile and the Argentine provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, and Chubut (Scrocchi et al 2010, Giraudo et al 2012a, b, Nenda et al 2017), and Tachymenis peruviana, which was known until now in Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and the northwestern Argentine provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca (Cei 1993, Giraudo and Scrocchi 2002, Scrocchi et al 2006, Giraudo et al 2012a) In this wide range of distribution, T. peruviana dwells from 1800 to 4400 m a.s.l. in areas with shrubs and grasslands from the biogeographic provinces of Yungas, Prepuna, Puna, and Altoandina (Aparicio 1994, Cabrera and Willink 1980, Giraudo and Scrocchi 2002).

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Discussion