Cyclotyphlops

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 : 58

Cyclotyphlops in den Bosch & Ineich, 1994

Type species. Cyclotyphlops deharvengi in den Bosch & Ineich, 1994

Species content. Cyclotyphlops deharvengi .

Diagnosis. Cyclotyphlops can be distinguished from all other typhlopoids by its head shields, fragmented in a unique pattern with dorsum of head exhibiting a round frontal surrounded by circular arrangement of scales and lateral head shields divided into 3 rostrals, 4 nasals, 5 preoculars, 3 suboculars, and 3 temporals. Small-sized (total length 146 mm), stout-bodied (length/width ratio 32) snakes with 22 scale rows (with reduction), 299 total middorsals, moderate tail (3.1% total length) with 15 subcaudals (length/width ratio 1.5), and apical spine minute. Dorsal and lateral head profiles rounded, moderate circular rostral (0.48 head width), inferior nasal suture in contact with second supralabial, preocular in contact with second and third supralabials, eye invisible, T-III SIP, and postoculars 3. Left lung absent, tracheal lung multicameral (with 16 chambers), cardiac and right lungs unicameral, and rectal caecum large (3.6% SVL). Coloration of dorsum light brown with golden-brown venter.

Phylogenetic definition. Monotypic as currently defined, but would include all species more closely related to Cyclotyphlops deharvengi than to the type species of the 16 other typhlopid genera listed here.

Etymology. Likely from the Greek for round or circular (cyclos), referring to the condition of the frontal and surrounding scales.

Distribution. Sulawesi, Indonesia ( Fig. 2 ).

Remarks. This genus is not included in the molecular phylogeny, but is clearly distinct morphologically, so we continue to recognize it. We suggest that is is allied with the Anilios clade based on 22 scale rows and unicameral right lung (Tables 2, 7), but hemipenial and molecular data will be needed to confirm or reject this preliminary hypothesis.

.... ..continued on the next page

Figures

FIGURE 2. Approximate distribution maps for species from 11 of 19 typhlopoid genera; Amerotyphlops, Xenotyphlopidae (Xenotyphlops), Gerrhopilidae (Gerrhopilus), Typhlops, Rhinotyphlops, Anilios, Xerotyphlops, Indotyphlops, Madatyphlops, Argyrophis, and Malayotyphlops. Seven other genera are pictured in Figure 4. Note that I. braminus has an essentially cosmopolitan distribution, and is not factored into the range for Indotyphlops (see Wallach 2009 for a recent summary of known localities).