Citizen science and color pattern analysis indicate unreported Batesian mimicry between Neotropical snakes

Batesian mimics decrease their chance of predation by their resemblance to different, dangerous or unpalatable species but this relationship is often inferred without quantitative approaches. Snakes are notorious Batesian mimics, especially the Neotropical genus Xenodon, which comprises species that are putative mimics of venomous snakes such as coral snakes (genus Micrurus) and lanceheads (or ‘fer-de-lance’, genus Bothrops). Herein, we propose that Xenodon severus is a batesian mimic of the sympatric and highly venomous Amazonian bushmaster (Lachesis muta), the longest viper in the world, and not of lanceheads (Bothrops spp.). We compiled all available photographs of X. severus from citizen science platforms and published literature to test this mimicry through a quantitative dorsal color pattern analysis between this species and both L. muta and a lancehead Bothrops brazili. We classified georeferrenced photographs as potential ‘mimic’ or ‘non-mimic’ and tested whether ‘mimics’ were f..., , , # Data from: Citizen science and color pattern analysis indicate unreported Batesian mimicry between Neotropical snakes

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v6wwpzh50](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v6wwpzh50)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data (photographs of *Xenodon severus*) was collected from published literature and citizen science platforms, up until February 2024

### Files and variables

#### File: SuppMat1\_localities.csv

**Description:** 

##### Variables

* id: unique ID of record
* lat: latitude
* long: longitude
* loc: general locality
* country: country
* Lachesis_mimic: is this individual a mimic of Lachesis muta
* age: adult or juvenil
* obs: any noteworthy observations
* link: link to photograph
* photo: photo ID
* dist_Lmuta_km: distance (in km) to centroid of Lachesis muta

#### File: FigS1\_Xenodon\_CORRECTED.png

**Description:** **Figure S1**. Examples of *Xenodon severus *individuals that represent mimics (above) and non-mimics (below) of A) *Lachesi...