V. Wallach et I. Ineich, REDESCRIPTION OF A RARE MALAGASY BLIND SNAKE, TYPHLOPS GRANDIDIERI MOCQUARD, WITH PLACEMENT IN A NEW GENUS (SERPENTES, TYPHLOPIDAE), Journal of herpetology, 30(3), 1996, pp. 367-376
Typhlops grandidieri, a Malagasy blind snake known only from two synty
pes collected in 1905, is redescribed on the basis of external and int
ernal morphology. A lectotype is designated and a description of the s
oft anatomy is given for the paralectotype. Certain features indicate
a relationship to the Leptotyphlopidae, particularly Rhinoleptus konia
gui (single anal shield, absence of tracheal lung, cranially located h
eart, highly vascularized right lung with type G bronchial foramina).
On the basis of total evidence these characters are considered converg
ent; presence of maxillary teeth and a costal/vertebral ratio of 1.8 c
onfirm membership in the Typhlopidae while other anatomical features s
uggest a relationship to Rhinotyphlops simoni (reduced head shields, T
-O supralabial imbrication pattern, horizontal cutting edge on rostral
, attenuated body, long tail, absence of apical spine). Because of the
mosaic of conflicting systematic characters, in conjunction with the
unique cephalic papilla-like projections, Xenotyphlops gen. nov. is pr
oposed to accomodate the species T. grandidieri.