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in Entiauspe-Neto, Franco, Koch, Tiutenko, Wingert & Borges-Martins, 2023. |
Abstract
Liotyphlops Peters, 1881 is an anomalepidid blindsnake genus that encompasses 12 species, widely distributed in Central and South America. In this study, we evaluate the taxonomic status of Liotyphlops sousai Santos & Reis, 2018, a species described based on a single specimen from the Atlantic Rainforest of southern Brazil, and after analyzing evidences based upon molecular systematics, external morphology and osteology, we propose its synonymy with Liotyphlops beui (Amaral, 1924), a common and widely distributed Anomalepidid species. We also provide comments and recommendations on the taxonomy of Liotyphlops, assessing the risks associated with describing a new species based on small type series.
Keywords: Atlantic forest, Neotropical, Osteology, Phylogeny, Reptilia, Scolecophidia, Synonymy
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| Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and Ecological Niche Models delimited based on Liotyphlops from the Atlantic Rainforest biome in South America. A) SP01, based on topotypical specimens and an additional series of Liotyphlops beui from the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil; B) SP02, based on specimens of Liotyphlops caissara from lowland Atlantic Rainforest of coastal southeastern Brazil; C) SP03, based on the holotype of Liotyphlops sousai from the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil; D) SP04, based on the holotype and an additional specimen of Liotyphlops ternetzii from the Cerrado of Brazil and Paraguay; E) SP05, based on the holotype of Liotyphlops trefauti from the Atlantic Rainforest of northeastern Brazil; F) SP06, based on a specimen of Liotyphlops wilderi from montane Atlantic Rainforest of southeastern Brazil. |
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| Head scalation of Liotyphlops beui (A, MCZ-R 17842, paratype) from Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil, and Liotyphlops sousai (B, UFRGS 6274, holotype), from Passos Maia, Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. |
Omar M. Entiauspe-Neto, Francisco L. Franco, Claudia Koch, Arthur Tiutenko, Juliana M. Wingert and Márcio Borges-Martins. 2023. More than Meets No Eyes: Taxonomic Status of A Liotyphlops Peters, 1881 (Serpentes: Anomalepididae) Blindsnake from the Atlantic Rainforest. Zoologischer Anzeiger. In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2023.01.003
