PRIMER REGISTRO DE AXANTISMO EN Thamnophis scalaris EN UNA POBLACIÓN URBANA DEL CENTRO DE MÉXICO
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2026.1.1478Palabras clave:
Alteración genética, patrones de coloración, termorregulación, urbanización, axantismoResumen
La coloración tiene un rol sumamente importante en varios aspectos en la historia de vida en vertebrados. Las coloraciones aberrantes que han sido descritas son albinismo, amelanismo, eritrismo, hipomelanismo, leucismo, melanismo, piebaldismo y axantismo. En esta nota se presentan los casos de axantismo en tres individuos, una cría, un juvenil y un adulto de la serpiente Jarretera Alpina Cola-larga (Thamnophis scalaris) en una población urbana del Centro de México; lo que representa el segundo caso de axantismo para un reptil en México.
Citas
Allain, S. J. R., Clemens, D. J., & Thomas, O. (2023). Taste the rainbow: a review of color abnormalities affecting the herpetofauna of the British Isles. Reptiles & Amphibians, 30, e18470. https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v30i1.18470
Andrén, C., & Nilson, G. (1981). Reproductive success and risk of predation in normal and melanistic color morphs of the adder, Vipera berus. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 15(3), 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1981.tb00761.x
Arzate-Garay, L. S., Quiroz-Adrián, S. A., Hernández-Sánchez, L. F., Oviedo-Hernández, E., Hernández-Gallegos, O., & Flores-Santin, J. R. (2024). Primer registro de eritrismo en Thamnophis scalaris (Squamata: Colubridae) en el Estado de México, México. Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología, 7(1), 52–55. https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2024.1.816
Balderas-Valdivia, C. J., Mendoza-Santos, J. F., & Alvarado-Zink, A. (2014). Guía de anfibios y Reptiles: Divulgación de la ciencia y educación ambiental. Reserva Ecológica del Pedregal de San Ángel. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Dirección General de Divulgación de la Ciencia, México.
Bechtel, H. B. (1995). Reptile and Amphibian Variants: Colors, Patterns, and Scales. Krieger Publishing Company.
Bell, T. (1839). A History of British Reptiles. John Van Voorst, London, UK.
Bittner, T. D. (2003). Polymorphic clay models of Thamnophis sirtalis suggest patterns of avian predation. Ohio Journal of Science, 103, 62–66.
Bittner, T. D., King, R. B., & Kerfin, J. M. (2002). Effects of body size and melanism on the thermal biology of garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis). Copeia, 2002(2), 477–482. https://doi.org/10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[0477:EOBSAM]2.0.CO;2
Borteiro, C., Abegg, A. D., Oda, F. H., Cardozo, D. E., Kolenc, F., Etchandy, I., Bisaiz, I., Prigioni, C., & Baldo, D. (2021). Aberrant colourations in wild snakes: case study in Neotropical taxa and a review of terminology. Salamandra, 57(2), 124–138.
Bruni, G., Di Nicola, M. R., Banfi, F., & Faraone, F. P. (2022). Distribution and characterization of melanism in grass snakes from Italy. Naturalista Siciliano, 46(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6784679
Caballero, L., Benítez, M., Alvarez-Buylla, E. R., Hernández, S., Arzola, A. V., & Cocho, G. (2012). An epigenetic model for pigment patterning based on mechanical and cellular interactions. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 318(4), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.b.21401
Calderón de Rzedowski, G., & Rzedowski, J. (2005). Flora fanerogámica del Valle de México (2ª ed., 1ª reimp.). Instituto de Ecología A.C. / Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad.
Cattaneo, A. (2015). The Zamenis longissimus (Laurenti) axanthic phenotype found on the Castelporziano Presidential Estate: Considerations on its morphology, genetic nature and probable extinction (Serpentes: Colubridae). Rendiconti Lincei, 26(Suppl. 3), 385–389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-015-0384-7
Chilote, P. D., & Moreno, L. E. (2019). Primer registro de axantismo para el género Melanophryniscus (Anura: Bufonidae). Boletín de la Asociación Herpetológica Española, 30, 60–61.
Clusella-Trullas, S., van Wyk, J. H., & Spotila, J. R. (2007). Thermal melanism in ectotherms. Journal of Thermal Biology, 32(5), 235–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2007.01.013
Cook, L., & Saccheri, I. (2013). The peppered moth and industrial melanism: evolution of a natural selection case study. Heredity, 110, 207–212. https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2012.92
De Oliveira, C. R., Mascarenhas, W., Cardozo-Ribeiro S., & Borges-Nojosa, D. M. (2021). Axanthism in Pithecopus gonzagai Andrade et al., 2020 (Anura: Phyllomedusidae). Cuadernos de Herpetología, 35, 157–159.
De Souza, F. C., Ferreira-da Silva, A. L., Saraiva-dos Anjos, C., Freisleben-Estevinho, T., de Oliveira-Lisboa, M., & Menin, M. (2021). New records of morphological anomalies in anurans, with a review for Brazil. Herpetology Notes, 14, 31–41.
Endler, J. A. (1984). Natural and sexual selection on color patterns in poeciliid fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 9(2), 173–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690861
González‐Morales, J. C., Rivera‐Rea, J., Suárez‐Varón, G., Bastiaans, E., & Zarza, H. (2025). Bluer in the city: urban male lizards exhibit more intense sexual coloration and lower parasite loads than non‐urban males. Integrative Zoology, 20(4), 894–908. https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12908
Gibson, A. R., & Falls, J. B. (1979). Thermal biology of the common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis (L.). Oecologia, 43, 99–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346675
Glaw, F., & Vences, M. (1997). Anuran eye colouration: definitions, variation, taxonomic implications and possible functions. In W. Böhme W., W. Bischoff, & T. Ziegler (Eds.), Herpetologia Bonnensis: Proceedings of the Eighth Ordinary General Meeting of the Societas Herpetologica Europaea (pp. 125–138). Societas Herpetologica Europaea (SEH).
Gould, J. (2025). Colour confusion: Reviewing ambiguities in the identification and classification of chromatophore deficiencies among amphibians. Ecology and Evolution, 15(9), e72149. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72149
Hernández-Vázquez, M. E., García-Jiménez, M. A., & Montejo-Hernández, R. (2023). Anomalies in three species of anurans in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Reptiles & Amphibians, 30, e20113. https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v30i1.20113
Hidalgo-Licona, L. F., Cisneros-Bernal, A. Y., Medina-Rangel, G., & Hernández-Jiménez, C.A. (2023). Erythrism in the Long-tailed Alpine Garter Snake, Thamnophis scalaris (Squamata: Colubridae), from Puebla and Tlaxcala, México. Herpetology Notes, 16, 175–177.
Jablonski, D., Alena, A., Vlček, P., & Jandzik, D. (2014). Axanthism in amphibians: A review and the first record in the widespread toad of the Bufotes viridis complex (Anura: Bufonidae). Belgian Journal of Zoology, 144(2), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2014.69
Köhler, G. (2012). Color Catalogue for Field Biologists. Herpeton Verlag Elke Kohler.
Kolenda, K., Najbar, B., Najbar, A., Kaczmarek, P., Kaczmarski, M., & Skawiński, T. (2017). Rare colour aberrations and anomalies of amphibians and reptiles recorded in Poland. Herpetology Notes, 10, 103–109.
Manjarrez, J., Venegas-Barrera, C. S., & García-Guadarrama, T. (2007). Ecology of the Mexican Alpine Blotched Garter Snake (Thamnophis scalaris). The Southwestern Naturalist, 52(2), 258–262. https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909(2007)52%5b258:EOTMAB%5d2.0.CO;2
Martínez-Silvestre, A., Soler, J. & Montori, A. (2016). Axantismo en Pelophylax perezi: nuevas citas en Cataluña. Boletín de la Asociación Herpetológica Española, 27, 53–55.
Martínez‑Vaca León, O. I., Rojas Velasco, I. Y., & Neria Hernández, D. A. (2025). Registro de eritrismo para la Culebra de Agua Thamnophis scalaris (Natricidae) en Metepec, Estado de México. Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología, 8(3), e1327, 136–142. https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2025.3.1327
Mcalpine, D. F., Sabine, M., Sabine, D., Arielle, D., & Craig, K. 2022. Thamnophis sirtalis pallidulus (Maritime Gartersnake). Coloration. Herpetological Review, 53(1), 159–161.
Mooi, R. D., Wiens, J. P., & Casper, G. S. 2011. Extreme color variation within populations of the Common Gartersnake, Thamnophis sirtalis, in central North America, with implications for subspecies status. Copeia, 2011, 187–200. https://doi.org/10.1643/CH-10-067.
Ramírez-Bautista, A., Hernández-Salinas, U., García-Vázquez, U.O., Leyte-Manríquez, A., & Canseco-Márquez, L. (2009). Herpetofauna del Valle de México: Diversidad y conservación. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo / Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y uso de la Biodiversidad.
Rojas, B. (2017). Behavioural, ecological, and evolutionary aspects of diversity in frog colour patterns. Biological Reviews, 92(2), 1059–1080. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12269
Rojas-Mendez, M. A., Saldaña-Martínez, S., & Villegas-Ruíz, J. (2025). Primer registro de axantismo en un reptil mexicano: El caso del garrobo negro, Ctenosaura similis (Squamata: Iguanidae). Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología, 8(2), 130–136. https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2025.2.1217
Rossman, D. A., & Gongora, G. L. (1997). Variation in the Mexican garter snake Thamnophis scalaris Cope and the taxonomic status of T. scaliger (Jan). Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, 74(1),1–14. https://doi.org/10.31390/opmns.074
Shine, R., & Kearney, M. (2001). Field studies of reptile thermoregulation: How well do physical models predict operative temperatures? Functional Ecology. 15(2), 282–288. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2435.2001.00510.x
Smyers, S. D., McKenna-Foster, A., & Shuster, J. D. (2014). Quantification of color pattern variation in the Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) from two coastal islands and mainland, Massachusetts, USA. Herpetological Review, 45(1), 8–12.
Sztatecsny M., Preininger D., Freudmann A., Loretto M. C., Maier F. & Hödl W. (2012). Don't get the blues: conspicuous nuptial colouration of male moor frogs (Rana arvalis) supports visual mate recognition during scramble competition in large breeding aggregations. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 66, 1587–1593. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-012-1412-6
Tanaka, K. (2005). Thermal aspects of melanistic and striped morphs of the snake Elaphe quadrivirgata. Zoological Science, 22(11),1173–1179. https://doi.org/10.2108/zsj.22.1173
Tanaka, K. (2009). Does the thermal advantage of melanism produce size differences in color- dimorphic snakes? Zoological Science, 26(10), 698–703. https://doi.org/10.2108/zsj.26.698
True, J. R. (2003). Insect melanism: the molecules matter. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 18(12), 640–647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2003.09.006
Trullas S. C., van Wyk J. H. & Spotila J. R. (2007). Thermal melanism in ectotherms. Journal of Thermal Biology, 32(5), 235-245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2007.01.013
Vásquez-Cruz, V., & Fuentes-Moreno, A. (2020). Antes verde, ahora azul: primer caso de axantismo en Smilisca baudinii (Duméril y Bibron, 1841) (Amphibia: Anura). Cuadernos de Herpetología, 34, 313–320. https://doi.org/10.31017/CdH.2020.(2020-007)
Vershinin, V.L. (2004). Hematopoiesis of anurans: specific features of species adaptiogenesis in recent ecosystems. Entomological Review, 84(1),113–119.
Vitt, L. J., & Caldwell, J. P. (2009). Herpetology: An introductory biology of amphibians and reptiles (3rd ed.). Academic Press.
Descargas
Publicado
Cómo citar
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0.
