Anomalepis mexicanus JAN, 1860
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Higher Taxa | Anomalepididae, Typhlopoidea, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Mexican Blind Snake |
Synonym | Anomalepis mexicanus JAN in JAN & SORDELLI 1860-1866 Anomalepis mexicana — BOULENGER 1893: 58 Anomalepis dentatus TAYLOR 1939: 90 Anomalepis mexicanus — PETERS & OREJAS-MIRANDA 1970: 20 Anomalepis mexicanus — SMITH & SMITH 1976 Anomalepis mexicanus — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 48 Anomalepis mexicanus — SAVAGE 2002 Anomalepis mexicanus — MCCRANIE 2015 Anomalepis mexicanus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 43 |
Distribution | Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia (Bolívar), possibly Peru (fide Kofron 1988) Type locality: see comment dentatus: Panama; Type locality: Barro Colorado Island. |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Holotype: unlocated, MSNM (Milano, now unknown fide Kofron 1988) Holotype: MCZ 29220 [Anomalepis dentatus] |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): The blind worm snakes of this genus (four species) share the following diagnostic features that will separate them from the other three genera in the family: enlarged head scales, with those on the upper head surface forming polygonal plates; prefrontal plates meet on the midline to prevent any contact between the rostral and prefrontal; a roughly pentagonal frontal, with an ovate posterior margin. In addition there are 22 to 28 scale rows around the middle of the body, and the tail has a terminal spine. Typhlophis differs from Anomalepis by having small cycloid scales on the upper head surface so that prefrontal and frontal plates are not distinctive, but the tail terminates in a spine (Savage 2002: 553). DIAGNOSIS (species): A tiny uniformly glossy brown snake, without enlarged ventral scales and with the minute eyes hidden under the head scales (Savage 2002: 554). SIMILAR SPECIES: (1) Helminthophis frontalis has the head and neck area pinkish. (2) Liotyphlops albirostris has the snout or occasionally the whole head light. (3) Typhlops costaricensis has the venter yellow and 20 scales around mid-body. (4) Leptotyphlops ater has a light tail tip and 14 scale rows around midbody. (5) The caecilian genera (Dermophis, Gymnopis, and Oscaecilia) lack epidermal scales (Savage 2002: 554). |
Comment | Distribution: The type locality (”Mexico”) is in error fide Kofron 1988. Not listed in LINER 1994. This species has been known from only the type (fide TAYLOR 1939). Type species: Anomalepis mexicanus JAN in JAN & SORDELLI 1860-1866 is the type species of the genus Anomalepis JAN 1860. The genus is also the type genus of the family Anomalepididae. Phylogenetics: Miralles et al. 2018 showed that the Anomalepididae is a member of the Alethinophidia, not the Scolecophidia as previously thought. |
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