Leptotyphlops aethiopicus, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, A revision of the genus Leptotyphlops in northeastern Africa and southwestern Arabia (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae), Zootaxa 1408, pp. 1-78 : 38-40

Leptotyphlops aethiopicus sp. nov. ( Plate 10 , Fig. 4)

Ethiopian worm snake

Glauconia emini — Sternfeld, 1908: 239 (Lake Haramaya; Bulli Hill); Boulenger, 1915c: 643; Scortecci, 1939: 128 (Neghelli; Arero), 1943: 283 (Murle).

? Glauconia cairi — Boulenger, 1906: 441; Werner, 1907: 42 (part, Harrar).

Leptotyphlops emini — Parker, 1949: 20.

Leptotyphlops emini emini — Loveridge, 1957: 247 (part, footnote).

Leptotyphlops nigricans — Largen & Rasmussen, 1993: 325 (part).

Holotype. BMNH 1911.12 .13.17 from near Harrar [= Harar], Harerge Region, Ethiopia (09°18’N, 42°08’E, elevation ca. 2000 m), collected by Kristensen.

Paratypes. BMNH 1911.12.13.18–19 with the same data as the holotype ; BMNH 1976.685 — 15 km SE of Dire Dawa, Harerge Region , Ethiopia (09°30’N, 41°55’E, elevation 2000 m), collected by M. Largen, 16 April 1972 ; BMNH 1977.2250 — 5 km W of Javello [=Yabelo], Sidamo Region , Ethiopia (04°55’N, 38°04’E, elevation 1900 m), collected by M. Largen, 17 May 1976 ; MNHN 1906.45 — Harrar , Ethiopia .

Diagnosis. A member of the Leptotyphlops nigricans species group, closest to to L. emini , but distinguished therefrom by its high middorsal count (239–261), slender build (total length/ diameter ratio 61–77) and white tail tip ventrally.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin aethiopicus = of Ethiopia, as this species is endemic to the Ethiopian highlands.

Description (paratype variations in parentheses). Body cylindrical, with head and neck broadened and flattened, the short tail tapers slightly before a very small terminal spine.

Snout rounded, rostral broad (0.52–0.57 head width, mean = 0.55) and truncated, only slightly wider than supranasals anteriorly and not extending past a line connecting the eyes anteriorly, whereas the supranasals extend to a line connecting the eyes posteriorly, rostral lacking a preoral groove ventrally. Behind rostral, upper lip bordered by infranasal (nostril midway between rostral and supranasal along nasal suture), small (moderate) anterior supralabial with width along lip equal to that of infranasal, large ocular with large eye centrally placed and tall posterior supralabial. Supraoculars pentagonal, anteriorly wedged between upper nasal and ocular, posteriorly wedged between hexagonal subequal frontal and postfrontal, which are larger than the supraocular, but smaller than the hexagonal interparietal, which is also larger than the interoccipital and the vertebral series of scales following it. Parietals oblique, subequal to the fused occipitals, in contact with the posterior supralabial. Temoral single. No mental, four infralabials.

Body covered with 14 rows of smooth, imbricate, subequal scales. Reduction to 10 scale rows on the tail takes place lateral to the subtriangular cloacal shield, which is entire. Total middorsals 250 (243–261), subcaudals 24 (23–29).

Total length 145 mm; tail 13; diameter of body 2.2 mm.

Total length/diameter ratio 72 (62–77); total length/tail ratio 12.2 (10.1–12.9).

Dorsum and venter blackish-brown to dark brown except for the first infralabials, cloacal shield, and a patch of 14 (12–14) scales under the tail tip, which are white.

Size. Largest specimen (BMNH 1977.2250) 145 + 16 = 161 mm.

Habitat. When the holotype was collected there was probably some of the climax Juniperus woodland around Harer, but this whole area is now intensively cultivated. The climax vegetation southeast of Dire Dawa and near Yabelo would be Podocarpus forest.

Distribution. So far only recorded from the Ethiopian highlands east of the rift valley, 1900–2000 m, with an additional specimen (middorsals 239, subcaudals 22) from Marsabit in northern Kenya, 1700 m ( Plate 5 ).

Additional material. KENYA. Marsabit CAS 122975. No locality: NHCL 1549 (Scortecci).

Figures

PLATE 5. Leptotyphlops. Distribution of the Leptotyphlops parkeri, L. reticulatus, L. longicaudus and L. nigricans species groups in northeastern Africa and southwestern Arabia.

PLATE 10. Figure 1. Leptotyphlops monticolus. Dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the head of NMZB 15309 — Katare, Kivu, D.R.C. The line represents 1 mm to scale. Figure 2. Leptotyphlops mbanjensis sp. nov. Dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the head of the holotype, MCZ 48040 — Mbanja, Lindi District, Tanzania. The line represents 1 mm to scale. Figure 3. Leptotyphlops keniensis sp. nov. Dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the head of the holotype, NMK/O. 2903 — Nyeri, Kenya. The line represents 1 mm to scale. Figure 4. Leptotyphlops aethiopicus sp. nov. Dorsal, lateral and ventral views of the head of the holotype, BMNH 1911.12.13.17 — near Harer, Ethiopia. The line represents 1 mm to scale.