Videos of the new specimens of Helicops boitata (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Hydropsini), with data on morphological variation and behavior

We report information on morphological variation and behavior of the recently described watersnake Helicops boitata, previously known strictly from the holotype. Our data come from five new specimens fortuitously found in a private area near the type locality, in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands. The expanded sample revealed polymorphism in at least two scalation features assumed as diagnostic of the species (i.e., undivided condition of the cloacal plate and nasal scales) and confirmed the uniqueness of the ventral color pattern, as well as the divided condition of the foremost ventral shields. Besides, as reported for the holotype, three individuals collected alive also exhibited harmless behavior when handled, a rather unusual feature among snakes of the genus Helicops. Other new behavioral observations include a mostly nocturnal activity (in contrast with the previous data) and the ability to dig galleries in the soft substrate when attempting to escape. The finding of five individua..., We collected the new specimens of Helicops boitata and deposited them in the Coleção Herpetológica do Instituto de Biociências da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT-R) (see Sabaj 2020). Two snakes freshly killed by the bulldozer were collected on 15 (UFMT-R 12520) and 16 (UFMT-R 12521) October of 2019. UFMT-R 12520 was found by LVSC belly up (exposing its unique ventral pattern) on the bare surface of the soil. UFMT-R 12521 was found the next day, dead and deeply injured, together with many individuals of Helicops leopardinus (Schlegel, 1837) and other three individuals of H. boitata, alive and unharmed (UFMT-R 12504, 12505 and 12506)
When arrived from the field, the alive specimens remained provisionally accommodated in a semi-aquatic terrarium to be euthanized after three days. The terrarium cube (101 cm length, 51 cm width, 61 cm height, Fig. 1) contained quartzitic sand as the main substrate and a fragment of peat soil obtained in the collection site with the snakes. The sand..., , # Videos of the new specimens of Helicops boitata (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Hydropsini), with data on morphological variation and behavior

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.s1rn8pkgn](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.s1rn8pkgn)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data was derived from the following sources:

Videos of specimens of Helicops boitata exhibiting the behavior of the species throroughly described in the \"Results\" section of manuscript entitles \"New specimens of Helicops boitata (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Hydropsini), with data on morphological variation and behavior\"

The behaviours illustrated in the videos represent some unique displays that deserve objective observation from the readers, beyond the simple text description. These behaviour include harmlessness during manipulation, specimens digging the substrate while fleeing, and specimens swimming and exploring the water in an aquarium.

Three videos without mp4 format

The first video (S1) shows a specimen in an entire...