Malayotyphlops Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal, 2014

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 : 55-56

Malayotyphlops Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal, 2014

Type species. Typhlops luzonensis Taylor, 1919

Species content. Malayotyphlops canlaonensis, Mal. castanotus, Mal. collaris, Mal. hypogius, Mal. koekkoeki, Mal. kraalii, Mal. luzonensis, Mal. ruber , and Mal. ruficaudus .

Diagnosis. Malayotyphlops can be distinguished from all other typhlopoids by a T-III SIP and eversible hemipenis lacking retrocloacal sacs, and by the following combination of characters: small- to moderate-sized (total length 109–445 mm), moderate to stout-bodied (length/width ratio 26–58) snakes with 20–30 scale rows (with reduction), 280–460 total middorsals, short to moderate tail (1.4–3.6% total length) with 7–18 subcaudals (length/width ratio 0.8–1.6), and apical spine small. Dorsal and lateral head profiles rounded, narrow to moderate rostral (0.31–0.61 head width), inferior nasal suture in contact with first or second supralabial, preocular in contact with second and third supralabials, eye small with distinct pupil, and postoculars 2–4. Lateral tongue papillae absent; left lung absent, tracheal, cardiac and right lungs multicameral (with 8–29 + 2–9 + 4–10 chambers); testes unsegmented; and rectal caecum usually absent (but 0.5–8.2% SVL in Mal. koekkoeki and Mal. ruber ). Coloration of dorsum brown, reddish-brown, or blackish-brown, venter yellow, gold or orangish-brown; a light nuchal collar may be present as well as light supralabials.

Phylogenetic definition. Includes the MRCA of Malayotyphlops ruber and Mal. luzonensis and all descendants thereof, and all species more closely related to Mal. ruber than to the type species of the 15 other typhlopid genera listed here.

Etymology. Name refers to the distribution of species in the Malay archipelago.

Distribution. Species are primarily found in the Philippines, though some occur on Borneo and the Maluku Islands (Table 1).