Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2010-08-17
Page range: 44–54
Abstract views: 24
PDF downloaded: 1

A new two-pored Amphisbaena Linnaeus from the endangered Brazilian Cerrado biome (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae)

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, CEP 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Ecologia, Laboratório de Vertebrados, CP 68020, CEP 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, CEP 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, CEP 70919-970, Brasília, DF, Brasil
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, CEP 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Reptilia Amphisbaenia Bahia Brazil Head scalation nomenclature worm lizard

Abstract

Amphisbaena carli sp. nov. is described from a Cerrado region in the southwestern of the state of Bahia, Brazil. The new species is diagnosable by having: small and separated nasal scales; two pre-cloacal pores separated from each other; 221–242 body annuli; 10–13 caudal annuli; 21–23 dorsal and 21–23 ventral segments to a midbody annulus; and tail without visible autotomic constriction. A proposition of standardization of head scalation nomenclature for amphisbaenids and comments on the current status of the genus Amphisbaena are also provided.

References

  1. Beddard, F.E. (1905) Some additions to the knowledge of the anatomy, principally of the vascular system, of Hatteria, Crocodilus, and certain Lacertilia. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 2, 461–489.

    Castro-Mello, C. (2003) Nova espécie de Bronia Gray 1845, do estado do Tocantis, Brasil (Squamata, Amphisbaenidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 43, 139–143.

    Conrad, J.L. (2008) Phylogeny and systematics of Squamata (Reptilia) based on morphology. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 310, 1–182.

    Estes, R., De Queiroz, K., Gauthier, J. (1988) Phylogenetic relationships within Squamata. In: Estes, R., Pregill, G.K. (Eds.), Phylogenetic relationships of the Lizard families. Essays Commemorating Charles L. Camp. Stanford University Press, Stanford California, 119–282.

    Fenger, C. & Sevensson, A. (2004) The Environmental Factory Jatobá. GAIA Publishing, 1–128.

    Gans, C. (1964) Notes on amphisbaenids 15. The South American species of Amphisbaena with a vertically keeled tail (Reptilia, Amphisbaenidae). Senckenbergiana Biologica, 45(3/5), 387–416.

    Gans, C. (1971) Redescription of three monotypic genera of amphisbaenians from South America: Aulura Barbour, Bronia Gray and Mesobaena Mertens. American Museum Novitates, 2475, 1–32.

    Gans, C. (2005) Checklist and bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the world. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 289, 1–130.

    Gans, C. & Alexander, A.A. (1962) Studies on the amphisbaenids (Amphisbaenia; Reptilia). 2. On the amphisbaenids of the Antilles. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 128(3), 65–158.

    Gray, J.E. (1865) A revision of the genera and species of amphisbaenians with the descriptions of some new species now in the collection of the British Museum. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1865, 442–455.

    Hoogmoed, M.S., Pinto, R.R., Rocha, W.A. & Pereira, E.G. (2009) A new species of Mesobaena Mertens, 1925 (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from Brazilian Guiana, with a key to the Amphisbaenidae of the Guianan region. Herpetologica, 65(4), 436–448.

    Kearney, M. (2003) Systematics of the Amphisbaenia (Lepidosauria: Squamata) based on morphological evidence from recent and fossil forms. Herpetological Monographs, 17, 1–74.

    Kearney, M. & Stuart, B.L. (2004) Repeated evolution of limblessness and digging heads in worm lizards revealed by DNA from old bones. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Biological Sciences, 271, 1677–1683.

    Lee, M.S.Y. (1998) Convergent evolution and character correlation in burrowing reptiles: towards a resolution of squamate relationships. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 65(4), 369–453.

    Macey, J.R., Papenfuss, T.J., Kuehl, J.V., Fourcade, H.M. & Boore, J.L. (2004) Phylogenetic relationship among amphisbaenian reptiles based on complete mitochondrial genomic sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 33, 22–31.

    Machado, R.B., Ramos Neto, M.B., Pereira, P.G.P., Caldas, E.F., Gonçalves, D.A., Santos, N. S., Tabor, K. & Steininger, M. (2004) Estimativas de perda da área do Cerrado Brasileiro, unpublished technical report, pp. 1–23, Conservação Internacional, Brasília, DF, Brazil.

    Myers, C.W. & Cadle, J.E. (2003) On the snake hemipenis, with notes on Psomophis and techniques of eversion: a response to Dowling. Herpetological Review, 34, 295–302.

    Mott, T. & Vieites, D.R. (2009) Molecular phylogenetics reveals extreme morphological homoplasy in Brazilian worm lizards challenging current taxonomy. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 51, 190–200.

    Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., Fonseca, G.A.B. & Kents, J. (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403, 853–858.

    Pesantes, O. (1994). A method for preparing hemipenis of preserved snakes. Journal of Herpetology, 28, 93–95.

    Ribeiro, S., Castro-Mello, C., Nogueira, C. (2009) New species of Anops Bell 1833 (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) from Jalapão region in the Brazilian Cerrado. Journal of Herpetology, 43(1), 21–28.

    Rosenberg, H.I. (1967) Hemipenial morphology of some amphisbaenids (Amphisbaenia: Reptilia). Copeia, 2, 349–361.

    Strauch, A. (1881) Bemerkungen über die Eidechsenfamilie der Amphisbaeniden. Bulletin de l´Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg, 28(8), 45–132.

    Strüssmann, C & De Carvalho, M.A. (2001) Two new species of Cercolophia Vanzolini, 1992 from the state of Mato Grosso, western Brazil (Reptilia, Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae). Bollettino del Museo Regionale de Scienze Naturali di Torino, 18(2), 487–505.

    Thomas, R. & Hedges, S.B. (2006) Two new species of Amphisbaena (Reptilia: Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti. Caribbean Journal of Science, 42(2), 208–219.

    Townsend, T.M., Larson, A., Louis, E. & Macey, J.R. (2004) Molecular phylogenetics of Squamata: The position of snakes, amphisbaenians, and dibamids, and the root of the squamate tree. Systematic Biology, 53, 735–757.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (1951) A systematic arrangement of the family Amphisbaenidae (Sauria). Herpetologica, 7, 113–123.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (1971) New Amphisbaenidae from Brasil (Sauria). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 24(14), 191–195.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (1991a) Two new small species of Amphisbaena from the fossil dune field of the Middle Rio São Francisco, State of Bahia, Brasil (Reptilia, Amphisbaenia). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 37(17), 259–276.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (1991b) A third species of Bronia Gray, 1865 (Reptilia, Amphisbaenia). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 37(25), 379–388.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (1992) Cercolophia, a new genus for the species of Amphisbaena with a terminal vertical keel on the tail (Reptilia, Amphisbaenia). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 37(27), 401–412.

    Vanzolini, P.E. (2002) An aid to the identification of the South American species of Amphisbaena (Squamata, Amphisbaenidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 42(15), 351–362.

    Vidal, N., Azvolinsky, A., Cruaud, C. & Hedges, S.B. (2008) Origin of tropical American burrowing reptiles by transatlantic rafting. Biology Letters, 4, 115–118.