Typhlophis

Typhlophis is a monotypic genus created for the blind snake species, T. squamosus, found along the Atlantic coast of South America from the Guianas to Pará in Brazil, as well as in Trinidad. No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]

Typhlophis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Anomalepididae
Genus: Typhlophis
Fitzinger, 1843
Species:
T. squamosus
Binomial name
Typhlophis squamosus
(Schlegel, 1839)
Synonyms
  • Typhlops squamosus
    Schlegel, 1839
  • Cephalolepis leucocephalus
    A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
  • Typhlops squammosus [sic]
    A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
    (ex errore)
  • Anilios (?) squamosus
    — Gray, 1845
  • Cephalolepis squamosus
    — Jan & Sordelli, 1860
  • Typhlophis squamosus
    — Boulenger, 1893[1]
  • Typhlophis ayarzaguenai
    Señaris, 1998
  • Typhlophis squamosus
    McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré, 1999[2]
Common names: (none).

Geographic range

Typhlophis squamosus is found in the Atlantic coastal lowlands of South America in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana as far south as the state of Pará in Brazil. It is also found on the island of Trinidad. The type locality given is "Cayenne" (French Guiana).[1]

Description

The head of T. squamosus is covered with small scales, which are indistinguishable from the body scales.[4]

Etymology

The synonym, Typhlophis ayarzaguenai, was named in honor of Venezuelan herpetologist José Ayarzagüena.[5]

References
  1. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. "Typhlophis squamosus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. "Typhlophis ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  4. Freiberg M (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Typhlophis squamosus, p. 86 + line drawing of head scales on p. 83).
  5. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Typhlophis ayarzaguenai, p. 13).

Further reading
  • Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Glauconiidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I-XXVIII. (Genus Typhlophis, p. 57; species T. squamosus, p. 57).
  • Kok, Philippe; Rivas Fuenmayor, Gilson (2008). "Typhlophis ayarzaguenai Señaris, 1998 is a junior synonym of Typhlophis squamosus (Schlegel, 1839)". Reptilia-Amphibia 29 (4): 555-558.
  • Schlegel H (1839). Abbildungen neuer oder unvollständig bekannter AMPHIBIEN, nach der Natur oder dem Leben entworfen, herausgegeben und mit einem erläuternden Texte begleitet. Düsseldorf: Arnz & Comp. xiv + 141 pp. (Typhlops squamosus, new species, p. 36). (in German).
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