A New Worm Lizard Species (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae: Amphisbaena) with Non-autotomic Tail, from Northeastern Brazil

Leonardo B. Ribeiro; Samuel C. Gomides; Henrique C. Costa

doi:10.1670/19-043

Article Contents

Abstract
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgments
Literature Cited
Appendix 1

Editorial Type:

Article Category: Research Article

Online Publication Date: 09 Jan 2020

A New Worm Lizard Species (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae: Amphisbaena) with Non-autotomic Tail, from Northeastern Brazil

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Page Range: 9 – 18

DOI: 10.1670/19-043

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Abstract

We describe a new species of Amphisbaena from the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. The new taxon is identified mainly by having 216–239 body annuli, 13–17 caudal annuli without autotomic site, 4–8 (usually six) precloacal pores without a median hiatus, 18–24 dorsal and 18–24 ventral segments at a midbody annulus, 4 supralabials, 3 infralabials, and postmalar row present. The continued discovery of new amphisbaenians from Caatinga highlights the insufficient current knowledge regarding the diversity of this group in this semiarid region.

Resumo

Nós descrevemos uma nova espécie de Amphisbaena da Caatinga no nordeste do Brasil. O novo táxon é identificado principalmente por possuir 216–239 anéis corporais; 13–17 anéis caudais sem ponto de autotomia; 4–8 (geralmente seis) poros pré-cloacais sem hiato medial; 18–24 segmentos dorsais e 18–24 segmentos ventrais em um anel do meio do corpo; 4 supralabiais; 3 infralabiais; fileira pós-malar presente. A contínua descoberta de novas anfisbênias na Caatinga destaca o conhecimento ainda insuficiente que temos sobre a diversidade deste grupo nesta região semiárida.

Fig. 1.

Holotype of Amphisbaena acangaoba sp. nov. (MFCH 4654). Dorsal (A), lateral (B), and ventral (C) views of the head; dorsal (D), lateral (E), and ventral (F) views of the tail.

Fig. 2.

Holotype of Amphisbaena acangaoba sp. nov. (MFCH 4654). Body in dorsal (A) and ventral (B) views.

Fig. 3.

Holotype of Amphisbaena acangaoba sp. nov. (MFCH 4654). Head in anterior view (A) and the tip of the tail in posterior view (B).

Fig. 4.

Geographic distribution map of Amphisbaena acangaoba sp. nov. Locality records of A. acangaoba and the sympatric A. kiriri (A); magnification detailing the elevation gradient of the region where A. acangaoba and A. kiriri were found (B); remnants of the Caatinga ecoregion/biome (MMA/IBAMA, 2011) (C); soil classification (Santos et al., 2018) in the study region (D). APA = Área de Proteção Ambiental (Environmental Protection Area); P.N. = Parque Nacional (National Park).

Contributor Notes

⁴

All authors contributed equally to this article.

⁵ Corresponding Author. E-mail: leonardo.ribeiro@univasf.edu.br

Accepted: 08 Jul 2019

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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.