Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2012-10-10
Page range: 42–52
Abstract views: 54
PDF downloaded: 1

Taxonomy of Epictia munoai (Orejas-Miranda, 1961) (Squamata: Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae)

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista, São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, 20940-040, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
Reptilia Scolecophidia wormsnakes Epictini redescription geographic variation Cisandine species

Abstract

The wormsnakes Leptotyphlopidae include the smallest and thinnest snakes of the world. This group has historically fewtaxonomic studies and the descriptions of taxa in general are superficial, frequently preventing an accurate identification.This family includes the genus Epictia with many representatives with taxonomic major issues, including Epictia munoai.We redescribe and compare E. munoai with other related cisandine species in order to evaluate its taxonomic status con-sidering the morphological analysis of specimens. A table with some diagnostic characters of each species is presented.Epictia munoai is distinguished from other related species mostly by low number of middorsal and midventral scales, and is distributed in coastal areas in southern Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina.

References

  1. Adalsteinsson, S.A., Branch, W.R., Trape, S., Vitt, L.J. & Hedges, S.B. (2009) Molecular phylogeny, classification, and biogeography of snakes of the family Leptotyphlopidae (Reptilia, Squamata). Zootaxa, 2244, 1–50.

    Arredondo, J.C. & Zaher, H. (2010) A new species of Epictia (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae) from Central Brazil. South American Journal of Herpetology, 5, 189–198.

    Boulenger, G.A. (1893) Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol.1. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 448 pp.

    Broadley, D.G. & Wallach, V. (2007) A revision of the genus Leptotyphlops in northeastern Africa and southwestern Arabia (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Zootaxa, 1408, 1–78.

    Burmeister, H. (1861) Reise durch die La Plata Staaten mit besonderer Rücksicht auf die physische Beschaffenheit und den Culturzustand der Argentinischen Republik. Ausgeführt in den jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 und 1860. Vol.2. Halle, H.W. Schmidt, 538 pp.

    Cundall, D. & Greene, H.W. (2000) Feeding in snakes. In: Schwenk, K. (Ed.) Feeding: Form, Function, and Evolution in Tetrapod Vertebrates. Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 293–333.

    Duméril, A.M.C. & Bibron, G. (1844) Erpetologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complete des Reptiles. Vol.6. Librarie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, 618 pp.

    Fitzinger, L. (1843) Systema Reptilium. Fasciculus primus, Amblygossae. Braumüller et Seidel, Viena, 106 pp.

    Franco, F.L. & Pinto, R.R. (2009) Stenostoma albifrons Wagler in Spix, 1824 as nomen dubium and recognition of the name Leptotyphlops tenellus Klauber, 1939 (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Salamandra, 45, 239–244.

    Freiberg, M.A. & Orejas Miranda, B.R. (1968) Un nuevo Leptotyphlopidae de la Republica Argentina (Reptilia, Ophidia). Physis, 28, 145–148.

    Gray, J.E. (1845) Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collections of the British Museum. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 289 pp.

    Hahn, D.E. (1979) The identity of the blind snake Stenostoma signatum Jan, 1861 (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Herpetologica, 35, 57–60.

    Hahn, D.E. (1980) Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien Anomalepididae, Leptotyphlopidae, Typhlopidae. Das Tierreich, 101, 1–93.

    Hoogmoed, M.S. (1977) On a new species of Leptotyphlops from Surinam, with notes on the other Surinam species of the genus (Leptotyphlopidae, Serpentes). Notes on the herpetofauna of Surinam V. Zoologische Mededelingen, 51, 99–123.

    Hoogmoed, M.S. & Gruber, U. (1983) Spix and Wagler type specimens of reptiles and amphibians in the Natural History Museum in Munich (Germany) and Leiden (The Netherlands). Spixiana, 9, 319–415.

    Jan, G. (1861) Note sulla famiglia dei tiflopidi sui loro generi e sulle specie del genere Stenostoma relative alle Tav. V. e VI del 1º e dalle Tav. V. e VI del 2º fascicolo dell’Iconographie générale des ophidiens. Archivio Per La Zoologia, L’Anatomia e La Fisiologia, Genova, 1(2), 178–199.

    Jan, G. & Sordelli, F. (1860) [1860–1866] Iconographie générale des Ophidiens. Vol.1. J.B. Baillière, Paris, 102 plates.

    Klauber, L.M. (1939) Three new worm snakes of the genus Leptotyphlops. Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History, 9, 59–65.

    Kley, N.J. (2006) Morphology of the Lower Jaw and Suspensorium in the Texas Blindsnake, Leptotyplhops dulcis (Scolecophidia: Leptotyplhopidae). Journal of Morphology, 267, 494–515.

    Laurent, R.F. (1984) The Genus Leptotyphlops in the collection of the Fundacion Miguel Lillo Argentina. Acta Zoologica Lilloana, 38, 29–34.

    McDiarmid, R.W., Campbell, J.A. & Touré, T. (1999) Snake species of the world. A taxonomic and geographic reference. Vol.1. The Herpetologists’ League, Washington DC, 512 pp.

    Morrone, J.J. (2006) Biogeographic areas and transition zones of Latin America and the Caribbean Islands based on panbiogeographic and cladistic analyses of the entomofauna. Annual Review of Entomology, 51, 467–494.

    Morrone, J.J. (2010) América do Sul e geografia da vida: comparação de algumas propostas de regionalização. In: de Carvalho, C.J.B. & Almeida, E.A.B. (Orgs.), Biogeografia da América do Sul, padrões e processos. Editora Roca, São Paulo, pp. 14–40.

    Orejas-Miranda, B.R. (1961) Una nueve especie de ofidio de la familia Leptotyphlopidae. Acta Biologica Venezuelica, 3, 83–97.

    Orejas-Miranda, B.R. (1967) El genero "Leptotyphlops" en la región Amazónica. Atas do Simpósio sôbre a Biota Amazonica, 5, 421–442.

    Orejas-Miranda, B.R. (1969) Tres nuevos leptotyphlops (Reptilia: Serpentes). Comunicaciones Zoologicas del Museo de Historia Natural de Montevideo, 10, 1–11.

    Passos, P., Caramaschi, U. & Pinto, R.R. (2005) Rediscovery and redescription of Leptotyphlops salgueiroi Amaral, 1954 (Squamata, Serpentes, Leptotyphlopidae). Boletim do Museu Nacional, Nova Série Zoologia, 520, 1–10.

    Passos, P., Caramaschi, U. & Pinto, R.R. (2006) Redescription of Leptotyphlops koppesi Amaral, 1954, and description of a new species of the Leptotyphlops dulcis group from Central Brazil (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Amphibia- Reptilia, 27, 347–357.

    Peters, J.A. & Orejas-Miranda, B.R. (1970) Catalogue of the Neotropical Squamata: Part 1. Snakes. Bulletin of the United States of National Museum, 297, 1–347.

    Peters, W.C.H. (1881) Herpetologische Mittheilungen. I. Uebersicht der zu den Familien der Typhlopes und Stenostomi gehörigen Gattungen oder Untergattungen. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin, 69–71.

    Pinto, R.R, Passos, P., Portilla, J.R.C., Arredondo, J.C. & Fernandes, R. (2010) Taxonomy of the Threadsnakes of the tribe Epictini (Squamata: Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae) in Colombia. Zootaxa, 2724, 1–28.

    Pinto, R.R. & Curcio, F. (2011) On the generic identity of Siagonodon brasiliensis, with the description of a new leptotyphlopid from Central Brazil (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Copeia, 2011, 53–63.

    Pinto, R.R. & Fernandes, R. (2012) A new blind snake species of the genus Tricheilostoma from Espinhaço Range, Brazil and taxonomic status of Rena dimidiata (Jan, 1861) (Serpentes: Epictinae: Leptotyphlopidae). Copeia, 2012, 37–48.

    Schlegel, H. (1839) Abbildungen neuer oder unvollständig bekannter Amphibien, nach der Natur oder dem Leben entworfen, herausgegeben und mit einem erläuternden Texte begleitet. Arnz, Düsseldorf, 141 pp.

    Schmidt, K.P. & Walker, W.F. (1943) Snakes of the Peruvian coastal region. Field Museum of Natural History, Zoological Series, 24, 297–324.

    Smith, H.M. & Laufe, L.E. (1945) A new South American Leptotyphlops. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 58, 29–32.

    Spix, J. B. von (1824) Serpentum Brasiliensium species novae, ou histoire naturelle des espèces nouvelles de serpens, recuillies et observées pendant le voyage dans l’interieur do Brésil dans les années 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820 execute par ordre de AS Majesté le Roi de Bavière, publiée par Jean de Spix, Chevalier de lórdre civil de la Couronne de Bavière, Membre de l’Académie Royale de Munich, Conservateur du Musée zoologique, zootomique et ethnographique, Membre de l”Academie des Curieux de la Nature etc. Écrite d’après les notes du voyage par Jean Wagler. – Monachii, Typis Franc. Seraph. Hübschmanni, vii + 75 pp., 26 plates. Facsimile SSAR, Lawrence, 98 pp.

    Taylor, E.H. (1940) [dated of 1939] Herpetological miscellany no. I. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 26, 489–571.

    Thomas, R. (1965) The genus Leptotyphlops in the West Indies with the description of a new species from Hispaniola (Serpentes, Leptotyphlopidae). Breviora, Museum of Comparative Zoology, 222, 1–12.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (1996) A new (and very old) species of Leptotyphlops from northeastern Brasil (Serpentes, Leptotyphlopidae). Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia, 39, 281–291.

    Villa, J.D. (1990) Leptotyphlops nasalis (Taylor, 1940). Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, 473, 1.

    Wallach, V. & Boundy, J. (2005) Leptotyphylops greenwelli a new wormsnake of the L. bicolor species group from Nigeria (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Annals of Carnegie Museum, 74, 39–44.

    Webb, J.K., Shine, R., Branch, W.R. & Harlow, P.S. (2000) Life-history strategies in basal snakes: reproduction and dietary habits of the African thread snake Leptotyphlops scutifrons (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). Journal of Zoology, 250, 321–327.

    Zar, J.H. 1999. Biostatistical Analysis, Fourth edition. Prentice-Hall Published, New Jersey, 666 pp.