Argentinian snakes

17
Distribution: Misiones. In Brazil from Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro to Paraná. Also in eastern Bolivia
and Paraguay (Giraudo, 1997). Paranaense province.
Helicops Wagler, 1830
Helicops Wagler, 1830. Nat. Syst. Amph. 170
Tachynectes Fitzinger, 1843. Syst. Rept. 25.
Uranops Fitzinger, 1843. Syst. Rept. 25.
Type species: Helicops carinicaudus (= Coluber carinicaudus Wied, 1825) by subsequent designation,
Fitzinger, 1843: 25.
Comments: The two Argentinian taxa of the genus were raised to species level by Deiques & Cechin (1991);
however, the variability observed by Giraudo (1997) questions most of these authors' conclusions.
Nonetheless, we maintain the status assigned to them in the recent publications (Deiques & Cechin, 1991;
Cei, 1993; Williams & Scrocchi, 1994).
Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865
Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865. Arch. Zool. Anat. Fisiol. 3: 253.
Helicops carinicaudus var. gastrosticta Jan, 1865. Arch. Zool. Anat. Fis. 3: 253.
Helicops trivittatus Cope, 1878. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 17 (1877): 92.
Helicops baliogaster Cope, 1885. Proc. Amer, Philos. Soc. 22 (1884): 193.
Helicops pictiventris Werner, 1897. Sitz. Akad. Wiss. München 1897: 208.
Helicops carinicauda var. infrataeniata Griffin, 1916. Mem. Carnegie Mus. 7: 179.
Helicops carinicauda infrataeniata Lema, 1958. lheringia (zool.) (10): 19.
Helicops carinicaudus infrataeniatus Rossman, 1970. In Peters & Orejas-Miranda, Bull. U. S.
Nat. Mus. (297): 123.
Helicops infrataeniatus Deiques & Cechin, 1991. Acta Biol. Leopoldensia 12 (2): 317.
Type locality: “Surinam” and “Brazile”.
Distribution: Individuals from Buenos Aires, Corrientes, Entre Ríos and Misiones were examined. The
species was mentioned from Chaco, Formosa, and Santa Fe, but this requires confirmation. Also in Brazil, in
Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul States, in Uruguay and southern Paraguay (Deiques & Cechin, 1991;
Lema, 1994; Williams & Scrocchi, 1994; Achával & Olmos, 1997; Giraudo & Quaini, 1997). Paranaense
province and Chaqueña province (Chaqueño Oriental district).
Helicops leopardinus (Schlegel, 1837)
Homalopsis leopardina Schlegel, 1837. Essai. Physiog. Serpens. 2: 358.
Helicops Leprieurii Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854. Erp. Gén. 7: 750
Helicops leopardinus Jan, 1865. Arch. Zool. Anat. Fis. 3: 251.
Helicops leopardina Amaral, 1929. Mem. Inst. Butantan 4: 149.
Helicops leopardinus Rossman, 1970. In Peters & Orejas-Miranda, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus (297) I: 124.
Type locality: Unknown.
Distribution: Buenos Aires, Corrientes, Chaco, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta and Santa Fe
(Koslowsky, 1898; Serié, 1936; Abalos & Mischis, 1975; Gallardo, 1986; Williams & Scrocchi, 1994;
Giraudo & Quaini, 1997). Wide distribution in South America, from Guianas to Argentina (Rossman 1970;
Hoogmoed, 1979, 1982), although the records for the Colombian Amazonia were based on individuals of
Helicops danieli (Yuki, 1994). Many northern records should be revised. Chaqueña province and transitional
areas with Paranaense province, always related to rivers, floodlands and bañados. Using aquatic enviroments
the species enters into Espinal province.
Hydrodynastes Fitzinger 1843
Hydrodynastes Fitzinger, 1843. Syst. Rept.: 25
Lejosophis Jan, 1863. Arch. Zool. Anat. Fis. 2: 320
Dugandia Dunn, 1944. Caldasia 3: 70.
Type species: Elaps schranckii Wagler, 1824 (= Hydrodynastes bicinctus Hermann, 1804) by original
designation.