First record of the rare snake Cercophis auratus (Schlegel, 1837) (Serpentes: Colubridae: Dipsadinae) in a relictual forest enclave at Caatinga

Abstract

Cercophis auratus is a rare snake with known disjunct distribution between coastal Atlantic Forest to eastern Amazonia and Guiana Shield. Here we provide a new record of this species from a relictual highland of rainforest inside the xeric Caatinga ecoregion. This new record fill a gap of 1700 kilometers between southern (Barra do Choça – BA) and northern (Augusto Corrêa – PA) in the distribution of C. auratus (Schlegel, 1837), and bring insights about the past connective bridge between Amazonia and Atlantic forests.