Data from: 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 found on
average closer to L. muta’s range centroid than ‘non-mimics’. The color
pattern analysis showed that X. severus is more similar to L. muta than to
B. brazili. Furthermore, ‘mimics’ were significantly closer to the
centroid of L. muta. Our results suggest that Xenodon severus is likely a
mimic of Lachesis muta and that this relationship may vary across their
distribution. Our findings highlight the significant role of citizen
science platforms in assessing ecological relationships and the importance
of using quantitative methods such as dorsal color pattern analysis to
test mimicry.