Acutotyphlops Wallach, 1995

Pyron, Robert Alexander & Wallach, Van, 2014, Systematics of the blindsnakes (Serpentes: Scolecophidia: Typhlopoidea) based on molecular and morphological evidence, Zootaxa 3829 (1), pp. 1-81 : 57-58

Acutotyphlops Wallach, 1995

Type species. Acutotyphlops kunuaensis Wallach, 1995

Species content. Acutotyphlops banaorum , Ac. infralabialis , Ac. kunuaensis , Ac. solomonis , and Ac. subocularis .

Diagnosis. Acutotyphlops can be distinguished from all other typhlopoids by its inverted V-shape lower jaw or frontorostral and paired prefrontals shields. Small- to large-sized (total length 101–487 mm), stout- to moderatebodied (length/width ratio 18–58) snakes with 26–36 scale rows (with reduction), 334–542 total middorsals, short to long tail (1.0–7.7% total length) with 12–30 subcaudals (length/width ratio 1.0–3.3), and apical spine small to thorn-like. Dorsal and lateral head profiles usually pointed (rarely tapered), very narrow rostral (0.10–0.26 head width), inferior nasal suture in contact with first or second supralabial, preocular or subocular in contact with second and third supralabials, eye small, without visible pupil, or reduced to faint eyespot, T-III SIP, and postoculars 3–5. Lateral tongue papillae absent; left lung absent, tracheal, cardiac and right lungs multicameral (with 21–80 + 2–12 + 5–17 chambers, respectively); testes segmented; hemipenis protrusible (retracted organ with 3–9 coils), retrocloacal sacs present; and rectal caecum absent. Coloration usually bicolored with dark brown dorsum and pale yellow or gold venter (with sharp demarcation between them), one species golden orange with numerous, irregular black spots on dorsum.

Phylogenetic definition. Includes the MRCA of Acutotyphlops kunuaensis and Ac. subocularis and all descendants thereof, and all species more closely related to Ac. kunuaensis than to the type species of the 15 other typhlopid genera listed here.

Etymology. From the Latin for pointed (acutos), referring to the rostral.

Distribution. Primarily eastern Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Louisiade Archipelago, but one species ( Acutotyphlops banaorum ) occurs in the Philippines, ~ 4000 km away.

Remarks. This group apparently contains additional undescribed species ( Hedges et al. 2014).