Which morphological trait is unique to the species Oxybelis acuminatus?
Answer
Second upper labial contacting the preocular scale
Taxonomists rely on minute scale variations to distinguish between closely related brown-colored vine snakes. While most members of the Oxybelis aeneus complex typically have the third upper labial scale in contact with the preocular scale, Oxybelis acuminatus is uniquely identified by having the second upper labial scale in contact with the preocular scale.
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