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Issue: Vol. 2028 No. 1: 6 Mar. 2009
Type: Article
Published: 2009-03-06
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2028.1.6
Page range: 59–66
Abstract views: 53
PDF downloaded: 2

Taxonomy of the Cuban blind snakes (Scolecophidia, Typhlopidae), with the description of a new large species

División Colecciones Zoológicas y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática (IES), A.P. 8029, Carretera Varona Km 3½, Capdevila, Boyeros, C. P. 10800, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba Present address: Avenida de Niza 3, 6º A, Alicante, 03540, Spain
División Colecciones Zoológicas y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática (IES), A.P. 8029, Carretera Varona Km 3½, Capdevila, Boyeros, C. P. 10800, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba
Reptilia Serpentes Scolecophidia Typhlops biminiensis species group Cuba West Indies

Abstract

Typhlops golyathi sp. nov. is described from Pinar del Río Province, Western Cuba. It is characterized by its large size, sharp–pointed to rounded snout, broad rostral in dorsal view, broader than long, preocular in contact with second and third supralabials, greater number of middorsal scales than any other West Indian scolecophidian (629), and 26 longitudinal scale rows anteriorly reducing to 22 posteriorly at 42 % total length. It can be placed within the T. biminiensis species group and a key to the Cuban species is presented.

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