Two New Species of Malayotyphlops from the Northern Philippines, with Redescriptions of Malayotyphlops luzonensis (Taylor) and Malayotyphlops ruber (Boettger)

Addison H. Wynn; Arvin C. Diesmos; Rafe M. Brown

doi:10.1670/14-104

Article Contents

Abstract
Material and Methods
Redescriptions
New Species
Discussion
Acknowledgments
Literature Cited

Editorial Type:

Article Category: Research Article

Online Publication Date: 01 Mar 2016

Two New Species of Malayotyphlops from the Northern Philippines, with Redescriptions of Malayotyphlops luzonensis (Taylor) and Malayotyphlops ruber (Boettger)

, and

Page Range: 157 – 168

DOI: 10.1670/14-104

Save

Download PDF

Abstract

As a first step toward making sense of an infamously enigmatic and taxonomically problematic group of Philippine blind snakes, we redescribe Malayotyphlops luzonensis (Taylor, 1919) and Malayotyphlops ruber (Boettger, 1897) and clarify their taxonomic status with respect to each other and to additional phenotypically similar taxa. We also describe two other new species of Malayotyphlops from the Sierra Madre Mountain Range of northern Luzon Island, each on the basis of a single specimen. We suspect that species diversity of the typhlopid fauna of the Philippines is severely underestimated, with progress towards a comprehensive understanding of this group most hampered by a lack of sufficient comparative material available in biodiversity repositories.

Fig . 2

Dorsal (top) and left lateral (bottom) views of the head of the holotype of Malayotyphlops ruber (SMF 16616). Only the free edges of the scale plates are shown with the exception of the gland rows underlying the lateral edges of the rostral plate; color pattern is not depicted because of the faded state of this specimen.

Fig 1

A map of Luzon Island (shaded dark gray, inset), northern Philippines. The type localities of new and redescribed species are indicated: (1) M. andyi, Barangay Nassiping, Municipality of Gattaran, Cagayan Province; (2) M. denrorum, Barangay Dibuluan, Municipality of San Mariano, Isabela Province; (3) M. luzonensis, Mt. Maquiling, Municipality of Los Baños, Laguna Province; and (4) M. ruber, Samar Island (arrow, inset). Star = capital city of Manila.

Fig . 3

Dorsal (top) and left lateral (bottom) views of the head of the holotype of Malayotyphlops luzonensis (CM 2653).

Fig . 4

Dorsal (top) and left lateral (bottom) views of the head of the holotype of Malayotyphlops denrorum, n. sp. (PNM 9813).

Fig . 5

Dorsal (top) and left lateral (bottom) views of the head of the holotype of Malayotyphlops andyi, n. sp. (PNM 9779).

Contributor Notes

⁴ Corresponding Author. E-mail: rafe@ku.edu

Accepted: 12 May 2015

Download PDF

58-04

Image and text by William W. Lamar

The Gibba Toad-headed Turtle (Mesoclemmys gibba) is a wide-ranging South American species in the lowlands of the Orinoco and Amazon Basins. A relatively small-bodied species with carapace length rarely exceeding 35 cm, the nocturnal M. gibba inhabits rainforest streams, hardpan pools of shallow water in gallery forests, and Mauritia palm swamps. Diet consists primarily of small invertebrates and mollusks. Owing in part to their foul-smelling defensive musk, they are not used as food by local populations of people. Photograph taken in Avispas Cocha, Río Tigre, Loreto, Peru.