Revisão sistemática do gênero Lachesis Daudin, 1803 (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae)

Abstract

The genus Lachesis Daudin, 1803 was split-up in six populations in order to evaluate the taxonomic status and the phylogenetic relationships among such taxa. Characters of external morphology and hemipenis were used. The Central American species L. melanocephala and L. stenophrys are recognized as distinct species and had your taxonomic status maintained. The South American species L. muta is recognized as monotypic, without further differentiation in subspecies, based on the results obtained through the phylogenetic and statistical analysis. Such results confirm the independence of the Central American lineages in relation to the South American and are congruent with other studies based on molecular data to infer phylogenetic relationships in Lachesis.