Typhlops lumbricalis

Domínguez, Michel, Fong, Ansel & Iturriaga, Manuel, 2013, A new blind snake (Typhlopidae) from Northeastern Cuba, Zootaxa 3681 (2), pp. 136-146 : 144

Key to the Typhlops lumbricalis species group of Bahamas Islands, Cuba and Hispaniola

The T. lumbricalis species group includes seven species until date: T. lumbricalis , T. leptolepis , T. oxyrhinus , T. pachyrhinus , T. schwartzi , T. tetrathyreus , and T. titanops .

1. Single postocular........................................................... T. schwartzi (Eastern Hispaniola)

- Two postoculars....................................................................................... 2

2. Ogival and pointed snout in dorsal and lateral views, respectively..................... T. oxyrhinus (Southeastern Cuba) Rounded snout in both views............................................................................ 3

- Broad rostral in dorsal view (0.75–0.93 RWD/RLD).................................. T. pachyrhinus (Western Cuba) Narrow or seminarrow rostral in dorsal view (0.45–0.66 RWD/RLD)............................................. 4

3. Rostral tapering toward anterior tip in dorsal view; venter color pattern undifferenced from dark umber dorsum; head, neck, cloacal opening, and tail white spotted in ventral view.................. Typhlops leptolepis sp. nov. (Northeastern Cuba)

- Oval rostral or tapering weakly toward anterior tip in dorsal view; lighter venter than dorsum without white spots......... 5

4. Commonly single occipital on each side with same size than parietal; calyculate postnasal pattern.............................................................................................. T. tetrathyreus (Western Hispaniola)

- Single or two (usually) occipitals on each side, smaller than parietals; divergent or parallel postnasal pattern............. 6

5. Oval rostral with curved sides in dorsal view; divergent postnasal pattern............... T. lumbricalis ( Bahamas Islands)

- Oval rostral with parallel sides in dorsal view; parallel postnasal pattern................. T. titanops (Western Hispaniola)