Abstract
Liophis miliaris is shown to be one of several widely distributed species of Liophis in South America; it is extremely abundant in eastern Brazil. Liophis miliaris was originally described by Linnaeus in 1758, and 16 later named taxa are shown to be conspecific with it, including the currently recognized species L. amazonicus, L. chrysostomus, L. mossoroensis and L. purpurans. All populations were analyzed statistically and the pertinent data for scale features are presented. Gans' (1964) work on L. miliaris from the southern part of its range was well done and some of his data is summarized herein. Gans' restriction of the type locality of L. miliaris to Santos, Brazil, is rejected, and the true type locality is suggested to be in the coastal savannah of the Guiana Shield. The latter determination is based upon the historical evidence surrounding the early collections of King Adolf and King Fredrik. The taxonomic realignments are in accordance with the physiographic, edaphic and/or climatic factors that appear to govern the geographic variation expressed by L. miliaris.
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