title: Taxonomic revision of Chironius flavolineatus (Jan, 1863) with description of a new species (Serpentes: Colubridae).
abstract: We conducted a taxonomic review of Chironius flavolineatus on the basis of continuous and discrete morphological characters. We recognize a new species which is distinguished from all currently recognized congeners by the following unique combination of characters: first third of body black or dark gray; vertebral stripe yellowish or creamish white distinct from dorsals of nape and extending throughout almost whole body length; head dorsum tan to brown, distinct from background color of first third of body; posterior temporal scales ranging one to four; cloacal shield frequently divided; two to four rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody; venter ground color gradually darkening towards cloaca; region of medial constriction of hemipenis slightly covered with spinules separating calyces of apex from spines below region of constriction; in lateral view, sulcus spermaticus positioned on convex face of hemipenis; ascending process of premaxilla oblique anteroposteriorly to longitudinal axis of skull; optic fenestrae not exceeding frontoparietal suture; posterior border of supratemporal exceeding braincase; dorsoventral axis of quadrate oblique mesolaterally, moving away from longitudinal axis of skull. Furthermore, we provide data on morphological variation, distribution, and an emended diagnosis for C. flavolineatus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Coleções Biológicas e Biodiversidade, Instituto Vital Brazil, Rua Maestro José Botelho, 64, Vital Brazil, Niterói, 24230-410, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Laboratório de Répteis, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Laboratório de Biologia Evolutiva Teórica e Aplicada, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-617, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Email: hamdanbreno@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Breno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamdan
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Répteis, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Departamento de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D017812:Colubridae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size