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<mods:title id="5B3D4D3BBB592F13A92FE169F18ED789">The taxonomic status of Tantilla marcovani Lema 2004 (Squamata: Colubridae)</mods:title>
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<docTitle id="BF91967E3D78FF9CFF5FFEC6F28FFE67" box="[151,1415,365,398]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">
The taxonomic status of 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFDD4FEC6F448FE67" bold="true" box="[540,832,365,398]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
Lema 2004
</taxonomicName>
(
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: 
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)
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<paragraph id="FA346F103D78FF9CFF5FFE6BF5F3FE20" blockId="0.[151,1431,445,569]" box="[151,763,445,471]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">VICENTE MATA-SILVA1 &amp; LARRY DAVID WILSON2</paragraph>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D78FF9CFF5FFE49F4E8FDD0" blockId="0.[151,1431,445,569]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFF5FFE49F4E8FDD0" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">
1Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968-0500, 
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E-mail: vmata@utep.edu 2Centro Zamorano de Biodiversidad, Escuela Agrícola Panamericana Zamorano, Departmento de Francisco Morazán, 
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; 16010 SW 207th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33187-1056, 
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E-mail: bufodoc@aol.com
</emphasis>
</paragraph>
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<paragraph id="FA346F103D78FF9CFF5FFDD7F215FC22" blockId="0.[151,1436,636,2014]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">
The colubrid snake genus 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE7FFDD7F501FD7A" box="[439,521,636,659]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
currently comprises 62 valid species distributed from the southern 
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to southern 
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in the west, and 
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and northern 
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in the east (Wilson &amp; Mata-Silva 2014, 2015). Of these 62 species, 13 are found in South 
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(Wilson &amp; Mata-Silva 2014, 2015). The most recently described of these Southamerican species is 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFDBBFD4FF4C0FD12" authority="Lema, 2004" authorityName="Lema" authorityYear="2004" box="[627,968,740,763]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFDBBFD4FF435FD12" box="[627,829,740,763]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
Lema, 2004
</taxonomicName>
. While we were working on a checklist and key to the members of the 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE00FCACF512FCF7" box="[456,538,775,798]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
clade (sensu Holm 2008, including the genera 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBE6FCACF382FCF7" box="[1070,1162,775,798]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Geagras</emphasis>
Cope 1876
</taxonomicName>
, 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFAD4FCACF7FFFCA9" authority="Fitzinger" authorityName="Fitzinger" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Scolecophis" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="genus">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFAD4FCACF293FCF7" box="[1308,1435,775,798]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Scolecophis</emphasis>
Fitzinger
</taxonomicName>
184 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEEDFC82F63AFCA9" box="[293,306,809,832]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">3</emphasis>
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, 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEF7FC82F699FCA9" box="[319,401,809,832]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla</emphasis>
Baird &amp; Girard 1853
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, and 
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<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFD67FC82F418FCA9" box="[687,784,809,832]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantillita</emphasis>
Smith 1941
</taxonomicName>
; Wilson &amp; Mata-Silva 2015), it became apparent that the diagnosis of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFEB4FCE7F500FC8A" box="[380,520,844,867]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEB4FCE7F500FC8A" box="[380,520,844,867]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
entirely falls to distinguish this nominal taxon from the widespread and extensively variable 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFF33FCC4F57CFC6F" authority="Linnaeus 1758" authorityName="Linnaeus" authorityYear="1758" box="[251,628,879,902]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantillita" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFF33FCC4F6B7FC6F" box="[251,447,879,902]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
Linnaeus 1758
</taxonomicName>
. 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFD4FFCC4F482FC6F" box="[647,906,879,902]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFD4FFCC4F482FC6F" box="[647,906,879,902]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, as presently envisioned, is the most broadly distributed member of its genus (Wilson &amp; Mena 1980; Savage 2002; Greenbaum 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBDCFC3AF34BFC41" box="[1044,1091,913,936]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. 2004), occurring from 
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southward into the major portion of the South American continent, apart from 
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and southern 
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.
</paragraph>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D78FF9CFF0FFC7CF314FA0F" blockId="0.[151,1436,636,2014]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">
The concept of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFEB1FC7CF570FC07" box="[377,632,983,1006]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEB1FC7CF570FC07" box="[377,632,983,1006]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
has changed somewhat since the work of Wilson &amp; Mena (1980). This conceptual change was effected mainly by two studies. Initially, Savage (2002) resurrected two names (
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFB29FC53F294FBE6" authority="Cope" authorityName="Cope" box="[1249,1436,1016,1039]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="armillata">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFB29FC53F255FBE6" box="[1249,1373,1016,1039]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. armillata</emphasis>
Cope
</taxonomicName>
“1875” [1876] and 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFEA4FBB1F568FBD8" authority="Cope 1894" authorityName="Cope" authorityYear="1894" box="[364,608,1050,1073]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="ruficeps">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEA4FBB1F6D7FBD8" box="[364,479,1050,1073]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. ruficeps</emphasis>
Cope 1894
</taxonomicName>
) from the synonymy of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFCA6FBB1F326FBD8" box="[878,1070,1050,1073]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFCA6FBB1F326FBD8" box="[878,1070,1050,1073]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, as predicted by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980). Savage (2002: 693) examined the status of the populations allocated to 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFBC9FB97F3C8FBBA" box="[1025,1216,1084,1107]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBC9FB97F3C8FBBA" box="[1025,1216,1084,1107]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980) and concluded that “in 
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, where the ranges of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFC90FBF6F4D0FB9D" box="[856,984,1117,1140]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="armillata">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFC90FBF6F4D0FB9D" box="[856,984,1117,1140]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. armillata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFBDBFBF6F38EFB9D" box="[1043,1158,1117,1140]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="ruficeps">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBDBFBF6F38EFB9D" box="[1043,1158,1117,1140]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. ruficeps</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
meet, the two behave as distinct species [and that] the populations referred to 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFCCCFBD4F4CFFB7F" box="[772,967,1151,1174]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFCCCFBD4F4CFFB7F" box="[772,967,1151,1174]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
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to western 
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are considered to constitute two distinct species, 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFDB5FB0BF5F3FB5E" box="[637,763,1184,1207]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="armillata">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFDB5FB0BF5F3FB5E" box="[637,763,1184,1207]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. armillata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFCF9FB0BF4A9FB5E" box="[817,929,1184,1207]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="ruficeps">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFCF9FB0BF4A9FB5E" box="[817,929,1184,1207]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. ruficeps</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, that are marginally sympatric in central 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFA97FB0BF7C5FB30" name="Costa Rica" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Costa Rica</collectingCountry>
.” Subsequently, Greenbaum 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE37FB69F525FB30" box="[511,557,1218,1241]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. (2004) undertook a detailed study of the variation of 
<specimenCount id="EC8DA4993D78FF9CFBA7FB69F3F7FB30" box="[1135,1279,1218,1241]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" type="generic">42 specimens</specimenCount>
allocated to 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFA40FB69F632FB12" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFA40FB69F632FB12" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFE4FFB4FF6D6FB12" box="[391,478,1252,1275]" name="Panama" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Panama</collectingCountry>
, 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFE27FB4FF553FB12" box="[495,603,1252,1275]" name="Colombia" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Colombia</collectingCountry>
, and 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFD56FB4FF5FFFB12" box="[670,759,1252,1275]" name="Ecuador" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Ecuador</collectingCountry>
west of the Andes, as compared to that exhibited by four specimens allocated to 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFE47FAAEF413FAF5" authority="Wilson &amp; Mena 1980" authorityName="Wilson &amp; Mena" authorityYear="1980" box="[399,795,1285,1308]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="equatoriana">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE47FAAEF523FAF5" box="[399,555,1285,1308]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. equatoriana</emphasis>
Wilson &amp; Mena 1980
</taxonomicName>
, including the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D78FF9CFC71FAAEF31EFAF5" box="[953,1046,1285,1308]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of this nominal species. Greenbaum 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFF5FFA8CF7C1FAD7" box="[151,201,1319,1342]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. (2004: 457) concluded that, based on their analysis of several characters of color pattern and the numbers of subcaudals, “and a Principal Components Analysis of morphometric variation of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFC33FAE3F39FFAB6" box="[1019,1175,1352,1375]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="equatoriana">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFC33FAE3F39FFAB6" box="[1019,1175,1352,1375]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. equatoriana</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFB04FAE3F281FAB6" box="[1228,1417,1352,1375]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFB04FAE3F281FAB6" box="[1228,1417,1352,1375]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,” the characters used by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980) to diagnose 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFCFCFAC1F4DDFA68" box="[820,981,1386,1409]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="equatoriana">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFCFCFAC1F4DDFA68" box="[820,981,1386,1409]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. equatoriana</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
all overlap with those evidenced by the material of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFEEEFA27F6E5FA4A" box="[294,493,1420,1443]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEEEFA27F6E5FA4A" box="[294,493,1420,1443]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
they examined; thus, they treated “ 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFC6CFA27F342FA4A" box="[932,1098,1420,1443]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="equatoriana">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFC6CFA27F342FA4A" box="[932,1098,1420,1443]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. equatoriana</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
as a junior synonym of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFA40FA27F632FA2D" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFA40FA27F632FA2D" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
.” 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFE90FA06F67EFA2D" box="[344,374,1453,1476]" name="American Samoa" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">As</collectingCountry>
a result of the actions taken by Savage (2002) and Greenbaum 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFB9CFA06F38FFA2D" box="[1108,1159,1453,1476]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. (2004), the range of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFA40FA06F632FA0F" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFA40FA06F632FA0F" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
became restricted to South 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFDAAFA64F5B5FA0F" box="[610,701,1487,1510]" name="United States of America" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">America</collectingCountry>
and central and eastern 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFC08FA64F310FA0F" box="[960,1048,1487,1510]" name="Panama" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Panama</collectingCountry>
.
</paragraph>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D78FF9CFF0FFA5BF436F837" blockId="0.[151,1436,636,2014]" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">
Lema (2004) described 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFE04FA5BF59FF9EE" box="[460,663,1520,1543]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE04FA5BF59FF9EE" box="[460,663,1520,1543]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, based on a single specimen (
<figureCitation id="62B073953D78FF9CFC2CFA5BF344F9EE" box="[996,1100,1520,1543]" captionStart-0="FIGURE 1" captionStart-1="FIGURE 2" captionStartId-0="1.[151,244,1576,1598]" captionStartId-1="1.[151,244,2010,2032]" captionTargetBox-0="[163,1424,194,1553]" captionTargetBox-1="[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetId-0="figure@1.[163,1424,194,1553]" captionTargetId-1="figure@1.[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetPageId-0="1" captionTargetPageId-1="1" captionText-0="FIGURE 1. Dorsal view of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani (MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate." captionText-1="FIGURE 2. Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani (MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate." httpUri-0="https://zenodo.org/record/258596/files/figure.png" httpUri-1="https://zenodo.org/record/258597/files/figure.png" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Figs. 1–2</figureCitation>
), an adult male from “Pico do Jabre, highest point of Paraiba State, 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D78FF9CFDFBF9B9F57CF9C0" box="[563,628,1554,1577]" name="Brazil" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Brazil</collectingCountry>
at 
<quantity id="3D73C2F53D78FF9CFD52F9B9F5E8F9C0" box="[666,736,1554,1577]" metricMagnitude="4" metricUnit="m" metricValue="5.0" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" unit="km" value="50.0">50 km</quantity>
SW from Teixeira city (
<geoCoordinate id="9FBF09D73D78FF9CFC39F9B9F376F9C0" box="[1009,1150,1554,1577]" direction="south" orientation="latitude" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" precision="15" value="-7.13">07° 07’48’’S</geoCoordinate>
, 
<geoCoordinate id="9FBF09D73D78FF9CFB45F9B9F22DF9C0" box="[1165,1317,1554,1577]" direction="west" orientation="longitude" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" precision="15" value="-37.15">37° 08’60’’W</geoCoordinate>
), Matureia locality” (Lema 2004: 269). He further noted that “the region is located in highlands within Caatinga, with 
<quantity id="3D73C2F53D78FF9CFACDF99FF25EF9A2" box="[1285,1366,1588,1611]" metricMagnitude="3" metricUnit="m" metricValue="1.09" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" unit="m" value="1090.0">1090 m</quantity>
above sea level.” Since the original description, the name 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFD71F9FEF48AF985" box="[697,898,1621,1644]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFD71F9FEF48AF985" box="[697,898,1621,1644]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
has appeared infrequently in the literature (Freitas &amp; Silva 2007; Hamdan &amp; Lira-da-Silva 2012; Guedes 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFD16F9DCF405F967" box="[734,781,1655,1678]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. 2014). Hamdan &amp; Lira-da-Silva (2012) reported a specimen identified as 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFEE8F933F6A3F946" box="[288,427,1688,1711]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFEE8F933F6A3F946" box="[288,427,1688,1711]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from Santo Inácio in the state of Bahia, which they indicated constituted the second record for the species from a locality ca. 
<quantity id="3D73C2F53D78FF9CFE25F911F549F938" box="[493,577,1722,1745]" metricMagnitude="5" metricUnit="m" metricValue="4.56" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" unit="km" value="456.0">456 km</quantity>
N of the type-locality. They did not state, however, how they identified their specimen as belonging to 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFE77F977F546F91A" box="[447,590,1756,1779]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE77F977F546F91A" box="[447,590,1756,1779]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, as opposed to 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFCCFF977F4C1F91A" box="[775,969,1756,1779]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFCCFF977F4C1F91A" box="[775,969,1756,1779]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. Guedes 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBFFF977F362F91A" box="[1079,1130,1756,1779]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. (2014) indicated that “the determination of this species is problematic and we thus opted to restrict the name 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFBF3F956F3C2F8FD" box="[1083,1226,1789,1812]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBF3F956F3C2F8FD" box="[1083,1226,1789,1812]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
only to specimens collected in Pico do Jabre” (the type-locality). Thus, their distribution map (Guedes 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFBF3F8B4F363F8DF" box="[1083,1131,1823,1846]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. 2014: figure 26.1) for this species and 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFED2F8EBF6D0F8BE" box="[282,472,1856,1879]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFED2F8EBF6D0F8BE" box="[282,472,1856,1879]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
indicates a single locality for 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFCD7F8EBF4A4F8BE" box="[799,940,1856,1879]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFCD7F8EBF4A4F8BE" box="[799,940,1856,1879]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Pico do Jabre) located within the range of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFA40F8EBF632F890" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFA40F8EBF632F890" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, which is recorded from throughout the Caatinga. Based on the opinion expressed about the recognizability of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFE95F82FF6E2F872" box="[349,490,1924,1947]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFE95F82FF6E2F872" box="[349,490,1924,1947]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
by Guedes 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFDA5F82FF594F872" box="[621,668,1924,1947]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">et al</emphasis>
. (2014) and our own reading of the diagnosis of this nominal taxon in Lema (2004), we have undertaken an examination of the utility of this diagnosis to discriminate between the restricted 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFF5FF86CF668F837" box="[151,352,1991,2014]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFF5FF86CF668F837" box="[151,352,1991,2014]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and the widespread 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D78FF9CFDF4F86CF43FF837" box="[572,823,1991,2014]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="421" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D78FF9CFDF4F86CF43FF837" box="[572,823,1991,2014]" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="421">Tantilla melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
.
</paragraph>
<caption id="AEF43F983D79FF9DFF5FF983F37CF9D7" box="[151,1140,1576,1598]" httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/258596/files/figure.png" pageId="1" pageNumber="422" targetBox="[163,1424,194,1553]" targetPageId="1">
<paragraph id="FA346F103D79FF9DFF5FF983F37CF9D7" blockId="1.[151,1140,1576,1598]" box="[151,1140,1576,1598]" pageId="1" pageNumber="422">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D79FF9DFF5FF983F605F9D7" bold="true" box="[151,269,1576,1598]" pageId="1" pageNumber="422">FIGURE 1.</emphasis>
Dorsal view of the holotype of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D79FF9DFDF5F982F5FBF9D7" box="[573,755,1577,1598]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="1" pageNumber="422" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D79FF9DFDF5F982F5FBF9D7" box="[573,755,1577,1598]" italics="true" pageId="1" pageNumber="422">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<caption id="AEF43F983D79FF9DFF5FF871F294F806" box="[151,1436,2010,2032]" httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/258597/files/figure.png" pageId="1" pageNumber="422" targetBox="[151,1436,1646,1989]" targetPageId="1">
<paragraph id="FA346F103D79FF9DFF5FF871F294F806" blockId="1.[151,1436,2010,2032]" box="[151,1436,2010,2032]" pageId="1" pageNumber="422">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D79FF9DFF5FF871F604F819" bold="true" box="[151,268,2010,2032]" pageId="1" pageNumber="422">FIGURE 2.</emphasis>
Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head of the holotype of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D79FF9DFCA1F871F316F806" box="[873,1054,2010,2031]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="1" pageNumber="422" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D79FF9DFCA1F871F316F806" box="[873,1054,2010,2031]" italics="true" pageId="1" pageNumber="422">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D7AFF9EFF0FFF33F291FE48" blockId="2.[151,1436,152,2012]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">
The description and diagnosis of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD88FF33F406FF46" box="[576,782,152,175]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD88FF33F406FF46" box="[576,782,152,175]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
are based on the data of their 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFBBCFF33F3DDFF46" box="[1140,1237,152,175]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
. The comparative statements in the diagnosis are based, apparently, on the features exhibited by a series of 20 additional specimens of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFA40FF11F632FF1D" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFA40FF11F632FF1D" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFEB5FF76F6E2FF1D" box="[381,490,221,244]" name="Argentina" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Argentina</collectingCountry>
, 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFE3EFF76F532FF1D" box="[502,570,221,244]" name="Brazil" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Brazil</collectingCountry>
, and 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFDBDFF76F5DBFF1D" box="[629,723,221,244]" name="Uruguay" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Uruguay</collectingCountry>
, although Lema (2004) did not state this explicitly to be the case. Regardless, Lema did not examine material from elsewhere in the range of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFC34FEABF3B6FEFE" box="[1020,1214,256,279]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFC34FEABF3B6FEFE" box="[1020,1214,256,279]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in constructing the diagnosis for 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFEEEFE89F6B9FED0" box="[294,433,290,313]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFEEEFE89F6B9FED0" box="[294,433,290,313]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. In attempting to decipher the 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD3DFE89F488FED0" box="[757,896,290,313]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD3DFE89F488FED0" box="[757,896,290,313]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
diagnosis, we constructed a table that indicates the condition of nine features of head shape and coloration. In doing so, we have hewed to the language used by Lema (2004), which as will be noted below, is, in some cases, indecipherable. Most of our commentaries are based on an extensive sample of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFEB9FE21F565FE48" box="[369,621,394,417]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFEB9FE21F565FE48" box="[369,621,394,417]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Tantilla melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
examined by one of us (LDW), previously listed in Wilson &amp; Mena (1980).
</paragraph>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D7AFF9FFF0FFE06F49AFEB5" blockId="2.[151,1436,152,2012]" lastBlockId="3.[151,1436,152,348]" lastPageId="3" lastPageNumber="424" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">
In order to establish the taxonomic status of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD62FE06F47DFE2D" box="[682,885,429,452]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD62FE06F47DFE2D" box="[682,885,429,452]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
we reviewed the features formally employed in its diagnosis, as following: 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFE6BFE7BF6CAFE0E" bold="true" box="[419,450,464,487]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(1)</emphasis>
Head width, Lema (2004: 269) stated the head of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFC3AFE7BF388FE0E" box="[1010,1152,464,487]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFC3AFE7BF388FE0E" box="[1010,1152,464,487]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is “wider” than that of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFA40FE7BF632FDE0" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFA40FE7BF632FDE0" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, which is indicated to be “elongated” (
<tableCitation id="B7095AAB3D7AFF9EFD13FE59F424FDE0" box="[731,812,498,521]" captionStart="TABLE 1. A" captionStartId="3.[151,239,394,417]" captionTargetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" captionTargetPageId="3" captionText="TABLE 1. A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani compared with T. melanocephala (based on Lema 2004)." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" tableUuid="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D">Table 1</tableCitation>
). Since neither of these conditions is defined, they cannot be used to distinguish 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFE4DFDBEF518FDC5" box="[389,528,533,556]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFE4DFDBEF518FDC5" box="[389,528,533,556]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD99FDBEF406FDC5" box="[593,782,533,556]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD99FDBEF406FDC5" box="[593,782,533,556]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFCD4FDBEF433FDC5" bold="true" box="[796,827,533,556]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(2)</emphasis>
Snout shape, Lema (2004: 269) indicated the snout to be “wide and straight” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFE52FD93F521FDA6" box="[410,553,568,591]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFE52FD93F521FDA6" box="[410,553,568,591]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and “slender and long” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFCA9FD93F32AFDA6" box="[865,1058,568,591]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFCA9FD93F32AFDA6" box="[865,1058,568,591]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. Neither of the terms “wide” nor “slender” are defined and, so, cannot be used for discrimination. The terms “straight” and “long” are also not defined and, furthermore, do not describe conditions of the same character and also cannot be used for species discrimination; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFAB5FDD6F294FD7D" bold="true" box="[1405,1436,637,660]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(3)</emphasis>
Head diameter, Lema (2004: 269–270) described the head “diameter” (presumably the head width) as “wider than neck” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFF7DFD69F64CFD30" box="[181,324,706,729]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFF7DFD69F64CFD30" box="[181,324,706,729]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and “equal to neck” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD9CFD69F41CFD30" box="[596,788,706,729]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD9CFD69F41CFD30" box="[596,788,706,729]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. The junior author of this paper (LDW) examined a large number of specimens of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFE6EFD4EF56EFD15" box="[422,614,741,764]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFE6EFD4EF56EFD15" box="[422,614,741,764]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
during the writing of Wilson &amp; Mena (1980) and found none in which the head was anything other than “wider than the neck.” Even so, this comparison is not supported by any mensural data and is based on a comparison of the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFE38FC81F545FCA8" box="[496,589,810,833]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFDBAFC81F5F4FCA8" box="[626,764,810,833]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFDBAFC81F5F4FCA8" box="[626,764,810,833]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
with only 
<specimenCount id="EC8DA4993D7AFF9EFCB9FC81F30AFCA8" box="[881,1026,810,833]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" type="generic">20 specimens</specimenCount>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFBEEFC81F3ECFCA8" box="[1062,1252,810,833]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFBEEFC81F3ECFCA8" box="[1062,1252,810,833]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from a restricted portion of its total range of distribution and, in our opinion, also is not usable to discriminate between the two taxa; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFAB5FCE6F294FC8D" bold="true" box="[1405,1436,845,868]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(4)</emphasis>
Snout color, Lema (2004: 270) indicated the snout color of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFCDFFCDBF4ACFC6E" box="[791,932,880,903]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFCDFFCDBF4ACFC6E" box="[791,932,880,903]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
to be “light immaculate” meaning presumably “immaculate cream” and that of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFDCFFC39F5C0FC40" box="[519,712,914,937]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFDCFFC39F5C0FC40" box="[519,712,914,937]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
as “black or black blotched.” Wilson &amp; Mena (1980), however, characterized both color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFE26FC1EF52EFC25" box="[494,550,949,972]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">types</typeStatus>
C and D, which are the two found in 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFC7BFC1EF4FFFC25" box="[947,1015,949,972]" name="Brazil" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Brazil</collectingCountry>
, as having “pale pigment on internasals and prefrontals” (
<tableCitation id="B7095AAB3D7AFF9EFE99FC73F6A8FC06" box="[337,416,984,1007]" captionStart="TABLE 1. A" captionStartId="3.[151,239,394,417]" captionTargetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" captionTargetPageId="3" captionText="TABLE 1. A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani compared with T. melanocephala (based on Lema 2004)." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" tableUuid="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D">Table 1</tableCitation>
). Therefore, this distinction does not hold up to scrutiny; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFBCFFC73F32DFC06" bold="true" box="[1031,1061,984,1007]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(5)</emphasis>
Black head cap, Lema (2004: 270) described the dark head cap as “small, restricted to frontal and parietal region” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFBDEFC51F3ABFBF8" box="[1046,1187,1018,1041]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFBDEFC51F3ABFBF8" box="[1046,1187,1018,1041]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and “over all the head from the snout to the nape” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFDC2FBB6F5C6FBDD" box="[522,718,1053,1076]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFDC2FBB6F5C6FBDD" box="[522,718,1053,1076]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. Apparently, this distinction reflects Lema’s contention that 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFA40FBB6F600FBBE" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFA40FBB6F600FBBE" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
differed from 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFE6DFBEBF569FBBE" box="[421,609,1088,1111]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFE6DFBEBF569FBBE" box="[421,609,1088,1111]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in having a pale snout. 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFCAAFBEBF488FBBE" box="[866,896,1088,1111]" name="American Samoa" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">As</collectingCountry>
we noted above, however, the pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFAD6FBEBF25EFBBE" box="[1310,1366,1088,1111]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">types</typeStatus>
found throughout 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFEDBFBC9F65CFB90" box="[275,340,1122,1145]" name="Brazil" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Brazil</collectingCountry>
also have pale snouts, so this feature will not operate for discrimination either; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFB67FBC9F3C6FB90" bold="true" box="[1199,1230,1122,1145]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(6)</emphasis>
Color of head cap, Lema (2004: 270) stated that the dark head cap of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD7EFB2EF449FB75" box="[694,833,1157,1180]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD7EFB2EF449FB75" box="[694,833,1157,1180]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
was “grayish brown” (presumably in life) and that of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFA40FB2EF632FB56" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFA40FB2EF632FB56" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is “black.” The color photograph of the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFD3BFB03F458FB56" box="[755,848,1192,1215]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFCBEFB03F30BFB56" box="[886,1027,1192,1215]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFCBEFB03F30BFB56" box="[886,1027,1192,1215]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(figure 2 of Lema 2004 and 
<figureCitation id="62B073953D7AFF9EFAF6FB03F275FB56" box="[1342,1405,1192,1215]" captionStart="FIGURE 2" captionStartId="1.[151,244,2010,2032]" captionTargetBox="[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetId="figure@1.[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetPageId="1" captionText="FIGURE 2. Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani (MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate." httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/258597/files/figure.png" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Fig. 2</figureCitation>
of present study), however, demonstrates the head cap to be dark brown in color with some paler marbling. Furthermore, Wilson &amp; Mena (1980; 
<tableCitation id="B7095AAB3D7AFF9EFE68FB46F6F8FAED" box="[416,496,1261,1284]" captionStart="TABLE 1. A" captionStartId="3.[151,239,394,417]" captionTargetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" captionTargetPageId="3" captionText="TABLE 1. A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani compared with T. melanocephala (based on Lema 2004)." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" tableUuid="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D">Table 1</tableCitation>
) stated that the dark head cap in color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFC35FB46F323FAED" box="[1021,1067,1261,1284]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">type</typeStatus>
C is “brown to dark brown” and “brown” in color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFE66FABBF6D4FACE" box="[430,476,1296,1319]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">type</typeStatus>
D and not black; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD60FABBF5CFFACE" bold="true" box="[680,711,1296,1319]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(7)</emphasis>
Oblique black band over eyes, such a feature described by Lema (2004: 270) was indicated by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980; 
<tableCitation id="B7095AAB3D7AFF9EFD04FA99F411FAA0" box="[716,793,1330,1353]" captionStart="TABLE 1. A" captionStartId="3.[151,239,394,417]" captionTargetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" captionTargetPageId="3" captionText="TABLE 1. A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani compared with T. melanocephala (based on Lema 2004)." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" tableUuid="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D">Table 1</tableCitation>
) to be the “lateral extension of dark head cap.” Lema (2004) stated that in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFEE6FAFEF6B4FA85" box="[302,444,1365,1388]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFEE6FAFEF6B4FA85" box="[302,444,1365,1388]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
it is “attaining first supralabials, with remainder cream” and in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFB4AFAFEF24AFA85" box="[1154,1346,1365,1388]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFB4AFAFEF24AFA85" box="[1154,1346,1365,1388]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
there is “none present on eyes and last supralabial.” Neither of these descriptions makes sense to us and otherwise do not describe the actual appearance of this feature in these snakes. The color photograph of the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFB9FFA31F3BCFA58" box="[1111,1204,1434,1457]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFB1FFA31F26AFA58" box="[1239,1378,1434,1457]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFB1FFA31F26AFA58" box="[1239,1378,1434,1457]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(
<figureCitation id="62B073953D7AFF9EFAB8FA31F7ADFA3D" captionStart="FIGURE 2" captionStartId="1.[151,244,2010,2032]" captionTargetBox="[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetId="figure@1.[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetPageId="1" captionText="FIGURE 2. Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani (MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate." httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/258597/files/figure.png" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Fig. 2</figureCitation>
) illustrates that the lateral extension of the dark head cap does not reach the lip, differing slightly from the condition indicated in 
<tableCitation id="B7095AAB3D7AFF9EFED4FA4BF664FA1E" box="[284,364,1504,1527]" captionStart="TABLE 1. A" captionStartId="3.[151,239,394,417]" captionTargetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" captionTargetPageId="3" captionText="TABLE 1. A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani compared with T. melanocephala (based on Lema 2004)." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" tableUuid="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D">Table 1</tableCitation>
of Wilson &amp; Mena (1980) for color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFC84FA4BF48CFA1E" box="[844,900,1504,1527]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">types</typeStatus>
C and D, in which the lateral extension is said to reach the lip (as is evident, for example in the drawing of the head of a member of color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFB6BF9A9F3D9F9F0" box="[1187,1233,1538,1561]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">type</typeStatus>
D from 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7AFF9EFAE6F9A9F293F9F0" box="[1326,1435,1538,1561]" name="Venezuela" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Venezuela</collectingCountry>
in figure 3 from Wilson &amp; Mena 1980). Given that Lema’s description of this feature in the two taxa is incomprehensible, it is not possible to use it for the purposes of distinction; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFCDEF9E3F43DF9B6" bold="true" box="[790,821,1608,1631]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(8)</emphasis>
Posterior end of head, it is not clear how Lema (2004) defined the “posterior end of [the] head,” but perhaps he meant the posterior end of the parietal scales. Otherwise, the posterior end of the head is defined usually as the point to which the posterior end of the lower jaw reaches. Regardless, Lema stated that the “posterior end of the head” is “cream attaining nuchal light collar” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFBA3F91BF3FFF92E" box="[1131,1271,1712,1735]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFBA3F91BF3FFF92E" box="[1131,1271,1712,1735]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and “not black with pair of narrow cream blotches” in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFD8CF979F40BF900" box="[580,771,1746,1769]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFD8CF979F40BF900" box="[580,771,1746,1769]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. These descriptions also are indecipherable, so their utility is indeterminable. Nonetheless, the drawing of the head of the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7AFF9EFC9EF95EF4BBF8E5" box="[854,947,1781,1804]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFC2CF95EF37EF8E5" box="[996,1142,1781,1804]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFC2CF95EF37EF8E5" box="[996,1142,1781,1804]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in Lema (2004) and our photograph (
<figureCitation id="62B073953D7AFF9EFED6F8B3F656F8C6" box="[286,350,1816,1839]" captionStart="FIGURE 2" captionStartId="1.[151,244,2010,2032]" captionTargetBox="[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetId="figure@1.[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetPageId="1" captionText="FIGURE 2. Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani (MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate." httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/258597/files/figure.png" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">Fig. 2</figureCitation>
) indicates that the pale nuchal band begins at about the mid-point of the parietals and extends to about the mid-point of the first nuchal scale behind the posteriormost point of the parietal scales. The dark head cap is also almost in contact with an anteriomedial extension of the dark nape band, thus almost completely dividing the pale nuchal band medially; 
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFEF7F82BF656F87E" bold="true" box="[319,350,1920,1943]" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">(9)</emphasis>
Black cervical collar, this is the feature described by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980) as the dark nape band. Lema (2004) described it in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFE3AF809F58EF850" box="[498,646,1954,1977]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFE3AF809F58EF850" box="[498,646,1954,1977]" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
as “evident, only vertebral, three vertebral scales long” and in 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7AFF9EFA40F809F632F835" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="2" pageNumber="423" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7AFF9EFA40F809F632F835" italics="true" pageId="2" pageNumber="423">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
as “not narrow, feeble or almost indistinct dark collar.” These statements do not function to describe the actual conditions in these snakes and, therefore, cannot be used to discriminate between them. Nonetheless, in the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7BFF9FFF5FFF11F7FCFF38" box="[151,244,186,209]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFED0FF11F6ABFF38" box="[280,419,186,209]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFED0FF11F6ABFF38" box="[280,419,186,209]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, the dark nape band is almost connected to the dark head cap along the common parietal suture and otherwise extends for four middorsal scales posterior to the posterior end of the common parietal suture (
<figureCitation id="62B073953D7BFF9FFA82FF76F287FF1D" box="[1354,1423,221,244]" captionStart="FIGURE 2" captionStartId="1.[151,244,2010,2032]" captionTargetBox="[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetId="figure@1.[151,1436,1646,1989]" captionTargetPageId="1" captionText="FIGURE 2. Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views of the head of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani (MNRJ 6525). Photo by Marcos Bilate." httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/258597/files/figure.png" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Fig. 2</figureCitation>
). Wilson &amp; Mena (1980: 
<tableCitation id="B7095AAB3D7BFF9FFE5DFEABF6EBFEFE" box="[405,483,256,279]" captionStart="TABLE 1. A" captionStartId="3.[151,239,394,417]" captionTargetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" captionTargetPageId="3" captionText="TABLE 1. A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of Tantilla marcovani compared with T. melanocephala (based on Lema 2004)." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" tableUuid="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D">Table 1</tableCitation>
) indicated the mean length of the dark nape band in the members of color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7BFF9FFA9DFEABF28BFEFE" box="[1365,1411,256,279]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">type</typeStatus>
C to be 3.9 middorsal scales and that of those belonging to color pattern 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7BFF9FFC66FE89F4D4FED0" box="[942,988,290,313]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">type</typeStatus>
D to be 3.6 middorsal scales. Thus, the condition in the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7BFF9FFE8DFEEEF6AAFEB5" box="[325,418,325,348]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFE0DFEEEF559FEB5" box="[453,593,325,348]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFE0DFEEEF559FEB5" box="[453,593,325,348]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is close to these mean values.
</paragraph>
<caption id="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" ID-Table-UUID="AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/AEF43F983D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" targetBox="[159,1423,479,919]" targetIsTable="true" targetPageId="3">
<paragraph id="FA346F103D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F53FFE2D" blockId="3.[151,1435,394,452]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFF5FFE21F619FE48" bold="true" box="[151,273,394,417]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">TABLE 1.</emphasis>
A synthesis of putative diagnostic features of the holotype of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFC3EFE21F3CEFE48" box="[1014,1222,394,417]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFC3EFE21F3CEFE48" box="[1014,1222,394,417]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
compared with 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFA40FE21F632FE2D" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFA40FE21F632FE2D" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(based on Lema 2004).
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D7BFF9FFF57FE74F287FC93" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<table id="888B9DB03D7B0063FF57FE74F287FC7E" box="[159,1423,479,919]" gridcols="3" gridrows="10" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FE74F287FE1D" box="[159,1423,479,500]" gridrow="0" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FE74F6B4FE1D" box="[159,444,479,500]" gridcol="0" gridrow="0" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Diagnostic features</th>
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FE74F486FE1D" box="[473,910,479,500]" gridcol="1" gridrow="0" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFE11FE74F587FE1D" box="[473,655,479,500]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFE11FE74F587FE1D" box="[473,655,479,500]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
</th>
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FE74F287FE1D" box="[945,1423,479,500]" gridcol="2" gridrow="0" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFC79FE74F39CFE1D" box="[945,1172,479,500]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFC79FE74F39CFE1D" box="[945,1172,479,500]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
</th>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FDACF287FDF5" box="[159,1423,519,540]" gridrow="1" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FDACF6B4FDF5" box="[159,444,519,540]" gridcol="0" gridrow="1" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Head width</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FDACF486FDF5" box="[473,910,519,540]" gridcol="1" gridrow="1" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Wider</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FDACF287FDF5" box="[945,1423,519,540]" gridcol="2" gridrow="1" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Elongated</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FD84F287FDAD" box="[159,1423,559,580]" gridrow="2" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FD84F6B4FDAD" box="[159,444,559,580]" gridcol="0" gridrow="2" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Snout shape</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FD84F486FDAD" box="[473,910,559,580]" gridcol="1" gridrow="2" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Wide and straight</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FD84F287FDAD" box="[945,1423,559,580]" gridcol="2" gridrow="2" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Slender and long</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FDFCF287FD85" box="[159,1423,599,620]" gridrow="3" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FDFCF6B4FD85" box="[159,444,599,620]" gridcol="0" gridrow="3" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Head diameter</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FDFCF486FD85" box="[473,910,599,620]" gridcol="1" gridrow="3" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Wider than neck</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FDFCF287FD85" box="[945,1423,599,620]" gridcol="2" gridrow="3" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Equal to neck</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FDD4F287FD7D" box="[159,1423,639,660]" gridrow="4" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FDD4F6B4FD7D" box="[159,444,639,660]" gridcol="0" gridrow="4" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Snout color</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FDD4F486FD7D" box="[473,910,639,660]" gridcol="1" gridrow="4" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Light immaculate</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FDD4F287FD7D" box="[945,1423,639,660]" gridcol="2" gridrow="4" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Black or black blotched</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FD0CF287FD55" box="[159,1423,679,700]" gridrow="5" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FD0CF6B4FD55" box="[159,444,679,700]" gridcol="0" gridrow="5" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Black head cap</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FD0CF486FD55" box="[473,910,679,700]" gridcol="1" gridrow="5" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Small, restricted to frontal and parietal region</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FD0CF287FD55" box="[945,1423,679,700]" gridcol="2" gridrow="5" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Over all the head from the snout to the nape</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FD64F287FD0D" box="[159,1423,719,740]" gridrow="6" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FD64F6B4FD0D" box="[159,444,719,740]" gridcol="0" gridrow="6" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Color of head cap</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FD64F486FD0D" box="[473,910,719,740]" gridcol="1" gridrow="6" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Grayish brown</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FD64F287FD0D" box="[945,1423,719,740]" gridcol="2" gridrow="6" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Black</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FD5CF287FCC3" box="[159,1423,759,810]" gridrow="7" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FD5CF6B4FCC3" box="[159,444,759,810]" gridcol="0" gridrow="7" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Oblique black band over eyes</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FD5CF486FCC3" box="[473,910,759,810]" gridcol="1" gridrow="7" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Attaining first supralabials, with remainder cream</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FD5CF287FCC3" box="[945,1423,759,810]" gridcol="2" gridrow="7" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">None present on eyes and last supralabial</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FC96F287FCBB" box="[159,1423,829,850]" gridrow="8" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FC96F6B4FCBB" box="[159,444,829,850]" gridcol="0" gridrow="8" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Posterior end of head</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FC96F486FCBB" box="[473,910,829,850]" gridcol="1" gridrow="8" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Cream attaining nuchal light collar</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FC96F287FCBB" box="[945,1423,829,850]" gridcol="2" gridrow="8" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Not black with pair of narrow cream blotches</td>
</tr>
<tr id="44BB6D523D7B0063FF57FCCEF287FC7E" box="[159,1423,869,919]" gridrow="9" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
<th id="076A042E3D7B0063FF57FCCEF6B4FC7E" box="[159,444,869,919]" gridcol="0" gridrow="9" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Black cervical collar</th>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FE11FCCEF486FC7E" box="[473,910,869,919]" gridcol="1" gridrow="9" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Evident, only vertebral, three vertebral scales long</td>
<td id="076A042E3D7B0063FC79FCCEF287FC7E" box="[945,1423,869,919]" gridcol="2" gridrow="9" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Not narrow, feeble or almost indistinct dark collar</td>
</tr>
</table>
</paragraph>
<paragraph id="FA346F103D7BFF9FFF0FFC76F3F6FA5E" blockId="3.[151,1436,989,1463]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">
Based on our analysis of the diagnosis for 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFD44FC76F45EFC1D" box="[652,854,989,1012]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFD44FC76F45EFC1D" box="[652,854,989,1012]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, there are no features included within it that can act to distinguish (= unique state or combination of characters) this putative taxon from the widespread and highly variable 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFA40FBABF632FBD0" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFA40FBABF632FBD0" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in its current concept. Although the number of ventral scales in the male 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7BFF9FFB93FB89F3B0FBD0" box="[1115,1208,1058,1081]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFB16FB89F263FBD0" box="[1246,1387,1058,1081]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFB16FB89F263FBD0" box="[1246,1387,1058,1081]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
was not used by Lema (2004) in his diagnosis, it is worthwhile to compare it to the data supplied by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980, Table 3). This segmental count is the only one usable for such a comparison, since the tail of the 
<typeStatus id="2530D1B23D7BFF9FFB69FBC3F3F6FB96" box="[1185,1278,1128,1151]" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" type="holotype">holotype</typeStatus>
is incomplete. The ventral count given by Lema for this specimen is 145. This number is reasonably close to the mean number of ventrals given by Wilson &amp; Mena (1980) for male 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFD7BFB06F478FB2D" box="[691,880,1197,1220]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFD7BFB06F478FB2D" box="[691,880,1197,1220]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
<collectingCountry id="829C2F803D7BFF9FFC79FB06F4FDFB2D" box="[945,1013,1197,1220]" name="Brazil" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Brazil</collectingCountry>
, which is 143.4 (range 136–154). Thus, this feature would not have served either to differentiate 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFCDBFB7BF4AAFB0E" box="[787,930,1232,1255]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFCDBFB7BF4AAFB0E" box="[787,930,1232,1255]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFC22FB7BF3A3FB0E" box="[1002,1195,1232,1255]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFC22FB7BF3A3FB0E" box="[1002,1195,1232,1255]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. In conclusion, while attempting to construct an identification key for the 66 members of the 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFC5DFB59F4EFFAE0" box="[917,999,1266,1289]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="genus">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFC5DFB59F4EFFAE0" box="[917,999,1266,1289]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
clade (sensu Holm 2008) we discovered that the diagnosis proposed by Lema (2004) for 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFD5EFABEF457FAC5" box="[662,863,1301,1324]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFD5EFABEF457FAC5" box="[662,863,1301,1324]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
would not serve to distinguish it from the widespread and extensively variable 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFE57FA93F552FAA6" box="[415,602,1336,1359]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFE57FA93F552FAA6" box="[415,602,1336,1359]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and, thus, would not allow for the design of a couplet in the key to accomplish this. We undertook, therefore, to examine Lema’s diagnosis in detail. This analysis demonstrated that no single feature of this diagnosis would work to distinguish 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFDAAFAD6F5F8FA7D" box="[610,752,1405,1428]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFDAAFAD6F5F8FA7D" box="[610,752,1405,1428]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. marcovani</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFCF1FAD6F4F2FA7D" box="[825,1018,1405,1428]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFCF1FAD6F4F2FA7D" box="[825,1018,1405,1428]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">T. melanocephala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. Therefore, we conclude that 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFA82FAD6F698FA5E" authority="Lema, 2004" authorityName="Lema" authorityYear="2004" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="marcovani">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFA82FAD6F600FA5E" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla marcovani</emphasis>
Lema, 2004
</taxonomicName>
, should be placed into the synonymy of 
<taxonomicName id="3D8B14933D7BFF9FFCF7FA0BF3F2FA5E" authority="Linnaeus, 1758" authorityName="Linnaeus" authorityYear="1758" box="[831,1274,1440,1463]" class="Reptilia" family="Colubridae" genus="Tantilla" kingdom="Animalia" order="Squamata" pageId="3" pageNumber="424" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="melanocephala">
<emphasis id="C8FFB3023D7BFF9FFCF7FA0BF332FA5E" box="[831,1082,1440,1463]" italics="true" pageId="3" pageNumber="424">Tantilla melanocephala</emphasis>
(Linnaeus, 1758)
</taxonomicName>
.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
</treatment>
</subSection>
</document>