Liotyphlops ternetzii (Boulenger, 1896)

Marra Santos, Fidelis Junio, 2023, A new species of the genus Liotyphlops Peters, 1881 (Serpentes, Anomalepididae) from Colombia and the synonymization of Liotyphlops beui (Amaral, 1924) with Liotyphlops ternetzii (Boulenger, 1896), ZooKeys 1146, pp. 87-114 : 87

Liotyphlops ternetzii (Boulenger, 1896)

Figs 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16

Helminthophis ternetzii Boulenger, 1896: 584. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.11.77. Type locality: Paraguay.

Helminthophis incertus Amaral, 1924: 29. Holotype: MCZ R17846. Type locality: Surinam [Suriname]. Placed in synonymy by Dixon and Kofron (1984 [dated 1983]: 255-256), who also rejected the type locality as Suriname.

Helminthophis beui Amaral, 1924: 25-30. Holotype: IB 1806. Type locality: Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil. syn. nov.

Helminthophis collenettei Parker, 1928: 97. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.10.73 (formerly BMNH 1928.1.12.1). Type locality: Burity, 2250 ft., 30 miles northeast of Coyaba [ Cuiabá], Mato Grosso [Brazil]. Placed in synonymy by Amaral (1954: 192).

Liotyphlops [ Liotyphlops ] Liotyphlops incertus -Vanzolini 1948: 380.

Liotyphlops [ Liotyphlops ] Liotyphlops ternetzi - Smith and Grant 1958: 207.

Liotyphlops ternetzii -Peters and Orejas-Miranda 1970: 183, in part; included L. beui in the synonymy.

Liotyphlops ternetzii - McDiarmid et al. 1999: 51-52.

Liotyphlops ternetzii - Wallach et al. 2014: 397-398.

Type material.

Holotype. BMNH 1946.1.11.77, 325.1 mm TL; type locality: Paraguay.

Diagnosis.

Liotyphlops ternetzii is distinguished from L. anops , L. argaleus , L. sousai , and L. trefauti in having three (vs four) scales contacting the posterior edge of the prefrontal scale. It is distinguished from L. albirostris , L. bondensis , L. caissara , L. haadi , and L. wilderi in having two scales (vs one scale) contacting the posterior edge of the nasal between the second supralabial and the prefrontal. It is distinguished from L. taylori by having three (vs two) infralabial scales, and from L. palauophis sp. nov. in having a single frontal scale (vs frontal scale divided). Is distinguished from L. schubarti in the pale cream, dark brown, or black coloration (vs light brown).

Redescription.

Meristic data in Tables 1 , 2 . Total length of holotype 325.1 mm, head length 4.8 mm (1.5% TL), snout-vent length 317 mm (97.5% TL), tail length 8.1 mm (2.5% TL), head width 3.6 mm (75% HL), and head height 2.7 mm (56.3% HL). Body covered with cycloid scales. Snout rounded, rostral scale large, longer than wide, contacting nasals anterolaterally, prefrontals laterally, and single frontal posteriorly. Pair of triangular prefrontals, bordered anterolaterally by rostral, ventrally by large divided nasal, and dorsoposteriorly by frontal. Posterior edge of prefrontals passing posterior edge of rostral. Nasal scale divided and bordered anteriorly by rostral, dorsally by prefrontal, ventrally by first and second supralabials, and posteriorly by two scales located between prefrontal and second supralabial. Eye spot poorly visible. Three scales contacting posterior edge of prefrontal (two cycloid scales + frontal). Two scales contacting posterior edge of nasal between second supralabial and prefrontal. Five scales in first vertical row of dorsal scales. Mental triangular, not divided, wider than long, contacting first infralabial. Supralabial scales four, infralabial scales three. Scales around body 24/22/21. Dorsal scales 475, ventral scales 452, and subcaudal scales 20.

Coloration in alcohol.

Dorsal and ventral body pale cream. Scales near opening of cloaca and subcaudal scales lighter than rest of body.

Description of skull.

High-resolution x-ray computed tomography of skull bones in Figs 13 - 15 . Main body of premaxilla on ventral surface of snout. Maxilla-premaxilla contact widely separated. Lateral maxillary foramina absent. Maxilla alveolar row oriented transversely. Nasal fused. Nasal-frontal boundary convex posteriorly in shallow W-shaped suture. Prefrontal separated from nasal. Prefrontal moveably articulated to frontal. Postorbital element present. Posterior orbital margin incomplete. Frontals gradually tapering anteriorly. Frontal paired. Frontal-parietal contact (dorsal aspect) anteriorly concave, i.e., frontals extending posteriorly into broad median embayment in parietals. Parietal paired. Posterior border of parietal in contact with otico-occipital. Supraoccipital absent. Supratemporal present. Posteromedial flange of septomaxilla short, not contacting frontal. Septomaxilla with lateral flange contributing to posterior border of external naris. Fenestra for duct of Jacobson’s organ posteroventrally positioned. Palatine not in contact with vomer, maxilla, or pterygoid. Ectopterygoid present. Splenial not present as discrete element. Coronoid and angular separated by prearticular portion of compound bone. Retroarticular process long, longer than articular facet. Teeth present in maxilla and dentary, but lacking in premaxilla, palatine, and pterygoid.

Distribution.

Known from Brazil (Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay (Amambay, Caazapá, Canendiyu, Itapúa, Presidente Hayes), Uruguay ( Río Negro, Salto), and Argentina (Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta) (Fig. 16 ). In the original description, the locality of the holotype is described as Paraguay.

Figures

Figure 11. Types of Liotyphlops ternetzii and Liotyphlops beui. A holotype of L. ternetzii (BMNH 1946.1.11.77, 325.1 mm TL) from Paraguay B paratype of L. beui (MCZ 16702, 279.2 mm TL) from Butantan, Sao Paulo, Brazil C specimen of L. ternetzii (MCP 10878, 248.9 mm TL) with dark brown coloration D specimen of L. beui (MCP 10879, 233.9 mm TL) with dark brown coloration.

Figure 12. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of the head of Liotyphlops. A L. ternetzii, holotype (BMNH 1946.1.11.77), drawing B L. ternetzii, holotype C L. beui (MCZ 16702) paratype. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figure 13. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull of holotype Liotyphlops ternetzii (BMNH 1946.1.11.77), and of the skull of the paratype of Liotyphlops beui (MCZ 16702) based on HRXCT data. A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D anterior view E posterior view. Scale bar: 1 mm. Anatomical abbreviations: a: angular; bo: basioccipital; cb: compound bone; cbp: compound bone prearticular component; cbs: compound bone surangular component; co: coronoid; d: dentary; ec: ectopterygoid; en: external naris; f: frontal; fo: foramen; m: maxilla; mf: mental foramen; n: nasal; oc: occipital condyle; ooc: otico-occipital (fused prootic + opisthotic + exoccipital); p: parietal; pa: palatine; pbs: parabasisphenoid; pe: postorbital element; pf: prefrontal; pg: pterygoid; pm: premaxilla; q: quadrate; rp: retroarticular process; sm: septomaxilla; sf: surangular foramen; st: supratemporal; tf: trigeminal foramen; v: vomer.

Figure 14. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull of holotype Liotyphlops ternetzii (BMNH 1946.1.11.77), and of the skull of the paratype of Liotyphlops beui (MCZ 16702) based on HRXCT data. A transversal view B frontal view C sagittal view. Scale bar: 1 mm. Anatomical abbreviations: a: angular; an: acoustic nerve foramen; bo: basioccipital; cb: compound bone; cbp: compound bone prearticular component; cbs: compound bone surangular component; ci: conchal invagination; co: coronoid; cv: cavum vestibuli; d: dentary; dp: descensus parietalis; ec: ectopterygoid; en: external naris; f: frontal; fl: frontal laterally descending flange; fo: foramen; fpb: facial nerve palatine branch foramen; fs: frontal subolfactory process; fv: fenestra vomeronasalis; m: maxilla; Mc: Meckel's canal; mf: mental foramen; n: nasal; nl: nasal lateral flange; ns: medial nasal septum; oc: occipital condyle; on: optic nerve foramen; ooc: otico-occipital (fused prootic + opisthotic + exoccipital); p: parietal; pa: palatine; pbc: parabasal (Vidian) canal; pbs: parabasisphenoid; pe: postorbital element; pf: prefrontal; pg: pterygoid; pm: premaxilla; pvs: posterior vertical semicircular canal; q: quadrate; rp: retroarticular process; rstm: recessus scalae tympani medial aperture; s: stapes; sf: surangular foramen; sm: septomaxilla; sml: septomaxilla lateral flange; st: supratemporal; so: supraoccipital; tf: trigeminal foramen; trc: trigeminofacialis chamber; v: vomer; vc: vomeronasal cupola; vf: vomerine foramen; vn: vomeronasal nerve passage.

Figure 15. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the lower jaw of Liotyphlops ternetzii, BMNH 1946.1.11.77, holotype, and Liotyphlops beui, MCZ 16702, paratype, based on HRXCT data. A lateral view B medial view C dorsal view D ventral view E anterior view F posterior view. Scale bar: 1 mm. Anatomical abbreviations: a: angular; arf: articular fossa; cb: compound bone; cbp: compound bone prearticular component; cbs: compound bone surangular component; co: coronoid; d: dentary; Mc: Meckel's canal; mf: mental foramen; rp: retroarticular process; sf: surangular foramen.

Figure 16. Localities of specimens originally identified as Liotyphlops ternetzii (blue dots) and Liotyphlops beui (red dots) examined in this study. Paratypes of L. beui (yellow dots), and holotype of L. ternetzii (? = undetermined type locality).