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Typhlops hectus THOMAS, 1974

IUCN Red List - Typhlops hectus - Endangered, EN

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Higher TaxaTyphlopidae (Typhlopinae), Typhlopoidea, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Tiburon Peninsula Blindsnake, Thomas' Worm Snake 
SynonymTyphlops hectus THOMAS 1974:12
Typhlops hectus — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1991: 649
Typhlops hectus — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 104
Typhlops hectus — THOMAS & HEDGES 2007
Typhlops hectus — HEDGES et al. 2014
Typhlops hectus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 763 
DistributionHispaniola (S Haiti, SW Dominican Republic), Ile Grand Cayemite, Ile la Gonâve.

Type locality: “Martineau, ca. 9 km west of Jeremie, Dept. du Sud, Haiti”  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: MCZ 81149. 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: A moderate sized, 20-scale-row species of Typhlops, having moderate middorsal scale counts (284–328) and a low frequency of posterior reduction. Typhlops hectus differs from the other 20-row species with ~300 middorsal scales in its clavate rostral shape in which the rostral broadens posteriorly, becoming broadly rounded at the tip (Fig. 3A). The anterior projection of the preocular has a relatively small angle and sharp apex. The posterior nasal-preocular suture curves gradually ventrad. The suture between the preocular and the 3rd infralabial is relatively short. The edges of the posterior nasals flanking the rostral tend to bowed out. The pigmentation is variable but most populations are relatively lightly pigmented, ranging from medium to pale brown or tan, often with irregularities or mottling and a pale snout. The hemipenes are trumpet-shaped. 
CommentFor illustrations see Thomas, 1974; Thomas, 1976. 
References
  • Hedges, S.B., Marion, A.B., Lipp, K.M., Marin, J. & Vidal, N. 2014. A taxonomic framework for typhlopid snakes from the Caribbean and other regions (Reptilia, Squamata). Caribbean Herpetology 49: 1–61 - get paper here
  • McDiarmid, R.W.; Campbell, J.A. & Touré,T.A. 1999. Snake species of the world. Vol. 1. [type catalogue] Herpetologists’ League, 511 pp.
  • Schwartz, A. & Henderson, R.W. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, 720 pp.
  • THOMAS R. & S.B. HEDGES 2007. Eleven new species of snakes of the genus Typhlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) from Hispaniola and Cuba. Zootaxa 1400: 1-26 - get paper here
  • Thomas, R. 1974. A new species of Typhlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) from Hispaniola. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 87:11-18. - get paper here
  • Thomas, R. 1976. Systematics of Antillean blind snakes of the genus Typhlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae). Ph.D. Thesis, Louisiana State Univ.: xvi + 288pp.
  • Thomas, R. and R. Powell. 1992. Typhlops hectus. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (550) - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
 
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