Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2011-09-14
Page range: 63-64
Abstract views: 42
PDF downloaded: 28

The type species of the threadsnake genus Tricheilostoma Jan revisited (Squamata, Leptotyphlopidae)

Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biology, University Park, PA 16802 USA
Reptilia Squamata Leptotyphlopidae

Abstract

For most of the last 150 years, Tricheilostoma Jan, 1860 has resided in the synonymy of other snake genera such as Glauconia Gray, 1845 and Leptotyphlops Fitzinger, 1843 (Boulenger, 1893; McDiarmid et al., 1999). Thus there has been less practical concern over the identity of the type species. This changed recently with the proposal of a new classification of the family Leptotyphlopidae and resurrection of the Genus Tricheilostoma (Adalsteinsson et al., 2009). Pinto et al. (2010) alluded to a potential taxonomic problem with the type species of that genus, but determined that no change was necessary. However, the problem remains and affects 15 species of South American and African snakes. The purpose of this note is to resolve the issue and make the necessary taxonomic changes.

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.

    Amaral, A.D. (1955 [dated 1954]) Contribuição ao conhecimento dos ofidios do Brasil XIV. Memorias do Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 26, 203–205.

    Bailey, J.R. (1946) Leptotyphlops anthracinus, a new blind snake from eastern Ecuador. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 492, 1–5.

    Boulenger, G.A. (1893) Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol. I, containing the families Typhlopidae, Glauconiidae, Boidae, Ilysiidae, Uropeltidae, Xenopeltidae, and Colubridae aglyphae, part. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 448 pp.

    Dunn, E.R. (1944) A review of the Colombian snakes of the families Typhlopidae and Leptotyphlopidae. Caldasia, 3, 47–55.

    Dunn, E.R. (1946) A new snake from the Eastern Andes of Colombia. Caldasia, 4, 121–122.

    Fitzinger, L.J.F.J. (1843) Systema Reptilium. Fasciculus primus. Amblyglossae. Braumüller et Seidel Bibliopolas, Wien, 106 pp.

    Gray, J.E. (1845) Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. British Museum (Natural History), London, 289 pp.

    Jan, G. (1860) Première Livraison. Iconographie Générale des Ophidiens, 1 (1), plates 1–6.

    Jan, G. (1861a) Deuxième Livraison. Iconographie Générale des Ophidiens, 1 (2), plates 1–6.

    Jan, G. (1861b) Note sulla famiglia dei tiflopidi sui loro generi e sulle specie del genere Stenostoma. Archivo per La Zoologia, l'Anatomia e la Fisiologia, 1, 178–199.

    Koçak, A.Ö. & Kemal, M. (2008) Nomenclatural notes on the genus group names in the order Hymenoptera (Chalcidoidea). Miscellaneous Paper, Center for Entomological Studies Ankara, 143, 3–8.

    Laurent, R.F. (1949) Note sur quelques reptiles appartenant à la collection de l’Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique. III. Formes americaines. Bulletin de L’Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, 25, 1–20.

    Loveridge, A. (1957) Check list of the reptiles and amphibians of East Africa (Uganda; Kenya; Tanganyika; Zanzibar). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 117, 153–362.

    McDiarmid, R.W., Campbell, J.A. & Touré, T.A. (1999) Snake Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. (Vol. 1).Herpetologists League, Washington, D.C., 511 pp.

    Orejas-Miranda, B.R. & Peters, G. (1970) Eine neue Schlankblindschlange (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae) aus Ecuador. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 46, 439–441.

    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, W.C.H. (1858 [dated 1857]) Vier neue amerikanische Schlangen aus der Familie der Typhlopinen und darüber einige vorfläuge Mittheilungen. Monatsberichte der königlich Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1857, 402.

    Pinto, R.R. & Curcio, F.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., Passos, P., Portilla, J.R.C., Arrendondo, J.C. & Fernandes, R. (2010) Taxonomy of the threadsnakes of the Tribe Epictini (Squamata: Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae) in Colombia. Zootaxa, 2724, 1–28.

    Shreve, B. (1964) A new species of the snake Leptotyphlops from Colombia. Breviora, Museum of Comparative Zoology, 211, 1–4.

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

    Wallach, V. & Hahn, D.E. (1997) Leptotyphlops broadleyi, a new species of worm snake from Cote d’Ivoire (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae). African Journal of Herpetology, 46, 103–109.