ABSTRACT During a faunal rescue conducted at a hydroelectric power station constructed in a Cerrado savanna area in the state of Mato Grosso, a sample of five small stripe-patterned individuals of snakes of the genus Apostolepis Cope, 1862 document the existence of an undescribed species, which is named herein. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of scale counts, number of maxillary teeth and color pattern. The new species is most similar to Apostolepis borellii Peracca, 1904, A. lineata Cope, 1887, A. nelsonjorgei Lema & Renner, 2004, A. nigroterminata Boulenger, 1896, A. serrana Lema & Renner, 2006 and A. underwoodi Lema & Campbell, 2017 in its coloration pattern. However, it is distinguished from these species by having a pair of triangular blotches covering portions of the third to sixth supralabials, a white nuchal collar, the shape of the fourth supralabial and the shape of the tip of tail, the number of supralabials in contact with parietals, the size of the anterior chinshields, the color pattern of the paraventral side, parietal and terminal scales, the width of dorsal stripes, and a distinct number of subcaudals. The new species occurs in areas within the Cerrado biome.

Color variation in A. nigrolineata was observed after examination of a large sample. The juveniles have five-stripes, lower sides yellowish cream, snout white, several white blotches on the supralabials, as well as on the nuchal region and the region in which other species have a white collar. The adults become dark, with the paravertebral stripes fading and eventually disappearing; the lower sides become blackish, sometimes forming a stripe under the pleural strip; the snout also darkening and becomes blackish; the supralabial blotches are reduced to small one during ontogeny, being oval, or trapezoidal, under the eye; the nuchal blotches are also reduced to a pair of oval blotches. The background coloration varies from brown to reddish during development. Juveniles from western Maranhão and adjacent areas of Pará are generally darker. The nigrolineata group is restricted to the Amazonian Forest, with the exception of one species that occurs in the northeastern enclave, remnant of the last Quaternary glaciations. A. nigrolineata differs strongly from A. quinquelineata, the latter being plesiomorphic and the former, and apomorphic in relation to it.

A correta aplicação dos nomes Apostolepis nigrolineata, A. quinquelineata, e A. pymi tem sido assunto de considerável controvérsia. Baseado em uma revisão da literatura e das características usadas para distinguir essas espécies umas das outras, nós concluímos que A. pymi é uma espécie válida e que A. quinquelineata é um sinônimo júnior de Apostolepis nigrolineata. Elas diferem uma da outra na morfologia hemipeniana e coloração. A coloração dorsal de A. nigrolineata é marrom avermelhada (vs. marrom em A. pymi). Em adição, apenas a região dorsal do final da cauda de A. nigrolineata é coberta por uma banda preta (vs. o final da cauda é completamente envolto por uma banda preta em A. pymi). Ambas as espécies ocorrem dentro da Amazônia, mas A. nigrolineata ocorre nas regiões oeste e leste enquanto A. pymi é restrita para regiões do leste com registros adicionais para os estados do Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Rondônia e mais uma população endêmica no estado do Ceará, nordeste do Brasil.

The correct application of the names Apostolepis nigrolineata, A. quinquelineata, and A. pymi has been subject of considerable controversy. Based upon review of the literature and the characteristics used to distinguish these species from each other, we conclude that A. pymi is a valid species and that A. quinquelineata is a junior synonym of A. nigrolineata. They differ from each other in hemipenial morphology and coloration. The background color of A. nigrolineata is reddish brown (vs. brown in A. pymi). In addition, only the dorsal region of end of tail is covered by a black band in A. nigrolineata (vs. end of tail completely surrounded by a black band in A. pymi). Both species are sympatrically distributed along the lowlands of Amazonia but A. nigrolineata occurs in both western and eastern regions whereas A. pymi is restricted to eastern regions with additional records from the States of Amazonas, Rondônia, Mato Grosso and an endemic population in the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil.

Analisamos o conteúdo estomacal de 58 espécimes de Teius oculatus (D'Orbigny & Bibron, 1837) (20 machos adultos, 17 fêmeas adultas e 21 jovens), coletados no município de Dom Feliciano, RS, verificando a existência de variação ontogenética e sexual. A dieta esteve composta de 16 itens, todos artrópodes, sendo que Orthoptera foi a ordem mais freqüente. Quantitativamente isópteros foram os itens mais representativos (59,5%). Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas dietas de fêmeas e machos adultos. Foram encontradas diferenças ontogenéticas, principalmente no volume médio de presas consumidas, sendo que em lagartos adultos foi significativamente maior que em jovens (U = 170,00; p < 0,001). Indivíduos jovens, apesar de se alimentarem de uma menor diversidade de presas (10), consumiram um número grande de itens (45,68% do total). A similaridade alimentar foi maior entre jovens e machos adultos (Ojk = 0,97), e a diversidade de presas consumidas foi maior em fêmeas adultas (H'= 2,65). O índice de importância relativa mostrou que o item mais importante na dieta de Teius oculatus foi Orthoptera. Concluímos que T. oculatus, em Dom Feliciano, é um lagarto generalista e oportunista, alimentando-se de artrópodes, principalmente insetos.

We analyzed stomach contents of 58 specimens of Teius oculatus (D'Orbigny & Bibron, 1837) (20 adult males, 17 adult females and 21 juveniles) captured in Dom Feliciano, RS, Brazil, to evaluate diet composition and sexual and ontogenetic variations in prey consumption. Diet was composed of 15 prey categories, all arthropods. Orthoptera was the most frequent prey type. Quantitatively, termites were the most important prey item (59.5%). There were no significant differences between the diets of adult males and females. Ontogenetic differences were found, mainly concerning volume of prey consumed. Adult lizards ingested significantly larger prey than juveniles (U = 170.00; p < 0.001). Juveniles, although having a comparatively less diverse diet (10 prey types) consumed a larger number of items (45.7% of total). Diet similarity was higher between juveniles and adult males (Ojk = 0.97) and prey diversity was higher in the diet of adult females (H' = 2.65). Based on importance value index the most important item in the diet of T. oculatus was Orthoptera. We conclude that T. oculatus in Dom Feliciano has a relatively generalized diet and it is an opportunist lizard, feeding on arthropods, mainly insects.

A comparação dos espécimes-tipo de Phalotris tricolor (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) e Elapomorphus punctatus Lema, 1979 demonstrou que ambos nomes se referem ao mesmo táxon; o nome P. tricolor, empregado até o momento, é um complexo de P. tricolor e uma espécie ainda não conhecida, descrita aqui como P. matogrossensis sp. nov. distribuída do sudoeste do Brasil às áreas adjacentes no Paraguai, em formações de Cerrado. A nova espécie difere de P. tricolor principalmente por apresentar região inferior da cabeça branca, ao invés de inteiramente preta; colar branco mais longo que o preto; ao invés de curto e com um colar preto muito mais longo; colar preto apenas dorsal, ao invés de atingir os lados do ventre; coloração dorsal de fundo vermelha brilhante e não amarelada ou marrom-avermelhada, com pontos pretos dispersos em séries longitudinais. O crânio e hemipênis das duas espécies não apresentam maiores diferenças. As duas espécies, mais P. mertensi (Hoge, 1955) e P. cuyanus (Cei, 1984), compõem o grupo tricolor e é apresentada uma chave para a identificação das espécies do grupo.

The comparison of the types of Phalotris tricolor (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) and Elapomorphus punctatus Lema, 1979 showed that both names refer to a single species; up to date the current name P. tricolor is a compound of P. tricolor and an unknown species that is described here as P. matogrossensis sp. nov. from southwestern Brazil to adjacent Paraguay at Cerrado domain. The new species differs from P. tricolor mainly by white lower side of head, instead entirely black; white collar longer than the black collar, instead short with very longer black collar; black collar only dorsal, instead attaining ventral side; back ground coloration uniformly brilliant red, instead yellowish to brownish red, with widespread black dots usually in longitudinal series. The skull and hemipenis from both species do not present major differences. These species, plus P. mertensi (Hoge, 1955) and P. cuyanus (Cei, 1984), compose the tricolor group; a key is provided to identification of species.

Boiruna maculata Boulenger, 1896 and Clelia rustica (Cope, 1878) were observed in captivity feeding snakes and rodents, respectively. Both species have shown a similar procedure in relation to the prey. Major behavior differences among the two species were: rodents killed before being swallowed, and snakes were mostly swallowed alive; both species are able to find the rodents head faster than the snake one; the coils formed during constriction were also used to hold the prey, specially the last coil, while swallowing rodents. Informations on stomach contents was gathered by dissection of preserved specimens of Clelia clelia (Daudin, 1803) and C. plumbea (Wied, 1820) were also included in the dietary study. The majority of preys consisted on snakes and lizards. Other prey items were mammals and birds. Adult snakes prey relatively smaller animals than the juvenile snakes do.

In this paper we are presenting the list of the specimens and the taxa obtained; there are 73 names of species belonging to 40 genera, of which 32 species and 13 genera are amphibians, and 42 species and 27 genera are reptiles. There are several field notes of Milstead and many data on the snakes studied by Lema with Milstead. The collection was widespread by Milstead to several institutions, but mainly to Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This paper reports the preliminary results of two years of herpetogeographic studies in the region called «Grande Porto Alegre» at its northern portion. The physiognomy shows, at North, slopes of the Brazilian Southern Plateau, more or less forested in a general view; these elevations graãuálly decrease to the South until the levei of the sea to Atlantic littoral by the eastern border, and to Rio Grande do Sul savanah, which extends to Uruguay and Argentina. The biota is transitional from the highland prairies and forests of the plateau to lowland prairies of the pampas. Three faunistic Provinces are included: Guarani, Pampean, and Tupi. The most conspicuous dispersion is shown by the taxa proceeding from the plateau to savanah (Dispersion Centre Guarani); the pampean species occur in low percentage (Dispersion Centre Uruguay), and an inappreciable account of Tupi fauna (Dispersion Centre of «Serra do Mar»). The new records are: presence of Chironius pyrrhopogon, Hydrodynastes gigas, Bothrops neuwiedi para-naensis, Micrurus corallinus; intergradation zone of Guarani and Pampean geographic roces; and new taxa of snakes, which will be described brieflly. The systematic composition presents: Chelonia, 4 (3 Chelidae, 1 Testudinidae); Sauria, 10 (1 Gekkonidae, 2 Iguanidae, 1 Anguidae, 3 Teiidae, 3 Amphisbaenidae); Serpentes, 45 (35 Colubridae, 4 Elapidae, 6 Viperidae); Crocodylia (1 Crocodylidae).