taxonID	type	description	language	source
E6429F0D080BFF8DFF72FF6B78C1FC67.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype: CHUFC-L 6055 (Fig. 3), collected from the municipality of Aracati, State of Ceará, Brazil. The specimen was collected by C. Machado between February and June of 2015 at the Santa Catarina plant (04 ° 35 ’ 31.57 ” S, 37 ° 40 ’ 43.68 ” W, 24 m a. s. l.), Complexo Eólico Aracati. Paratypes: CHUFC-L 6014, 6016: Collected in March 2015 at the Goiabeira plant (04 ° 35 ’ 00.67 ” S, 37 ° 43 ’ 02.96 ” W, 30 m a. s. l.), Complexo Eólico Aracati, municipality of Aracati, state of Ceará. CHUFC-L 6021: Collected in April 2015 at the Ubatuba plant (04 ° 39 ’ 09.42 ” S, 37 ° 37 ’ 03.95 ” W, 35 m a. s. l.), Complexo Eólico Aracati, Aracati, Ceará. CHUFC-L 6027, 6029, 6030: Collected in April 2015 at the Santa Catarina plant, Complexo Eólico Aracati, Aracati, Ceará. CHUFC-L 6032: Collected in April 2015 at the Goiabeira plant, Complexo Eólico Aracati, Aracati, Ceará. CHUFC-L 6043, 6044, 6045, 6046, 6048: Collected in May 2015 at the Ventos do Horizonte plant (04 ° 35 ’ 46.78 ” S, 37 ° 41 ’ 17.31 ” W, 26 m a. s. l.), Complexo Eólico Aracati, Aracati, Ceará. CHUFC-L 6056, 6057, 6062, 6066: Collected in 2015 (from February to June) at the Santa Catarina plant, Complexo Eólico Aracati. All specimens collected by C. Machado. CHUFC-L 7340, 7341, 7342: Collected between October 2017 and March 2018 by K. Silvino in Aracati, Ceará. CHUFC-L 8124: Collected in June 2022 in Icapuí, Ceará. CHUFC-L 8125, 8126, 8129: Collected in July 2022 in Icapuí, Ceará. CHUFC-L 8591, 8592: Collected in August 2023 in Icapuí (04 ° 46 ’ 02 ” S, 37 ° 21 ’ 45 ” W, 25 m a. s. l.), Ceará. CHUFC-L 8600: Collected in September 2023 in Icapuí, Ceará. All specimens collected by C. R. de Oliveira.	en	Perez, Renata, Ramos, Antônio Rafael Lima, Oliveira, Cicero Ricardo De, Ávila, Robson W. (2026): New species of Amphisbaena (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of Northeast Brazil. Zootaxa 5763 (3): 421-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7
E6429F0D080BFF8DFF72FF6B78C1FC67.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The species name eleutheria derives from the Greek noun for “ freedom, ” in reference to the raft name (jangada Liberdade) of Francisco José do Nascimento, known as Dragão do Mar. Dragão do Mar was an abolitionist born in Aracati municipality, Ceará, Brazil, the type locality of the new species. As the leader of the jangadeiros (raft workers), he and his colleagues actively participated in the abolitionist movement in 1881, refusing to transport enslaved people to slave ships destined for sale in other Brazilian states. Francisco José do Nascimento is a symbol of popular resistance against slavery in the state of Ceará, Brazil.	en	Perez, Renata, Ramos, Antônio Rafael Lima, Oliveira, Cicero Ricardo De, Ávila, Robson W. (2026): New species of Amphisbaena (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of Northeast Brazil. Zootaxa 5763 (3): 421-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7
E6429F0D080BFF8DFF72FF6B78C1FC67.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Amphisbaena eleutheria sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of Amphisbaena by the following combination of characters: (1) round-headed form; (2) uniform scales along the body; (3) presence of six precloacal pores arranged sequentially in the last body annuli; (4) body annuli count ranging from 257 to 272; (5) caudal annuli count ranging from 31 to 34; (6) autotomy site located between the 6 th and 9 th caudal annuli; (7) presence of 16 to 20 dorsal and 17 to 22 ventral segments per annulus at midbody; (8) pairwise shields present on the dorsum of the head; (9) nasal shields in contact; (10) parietal shield indistinct, with the region being irregular and featuring two or more small and deformed shields; (11) three supralabials and three infralabials; (12) presence of two rows of postgenials; (13) presence of post-malar row; (14) presence of a lateral sulcus; (15) absence of dorsal and ventral sulci; (16) tail smooth and acuminate; (17) uniform coloration pattern; (18) maximum snout-vent length of 265 mm. Comparison: Within the 20 species of Amphisbaena species with six pre-cloacal pores (fixed or incorporated in an interval), Amphisbaena eleutheria sp. nov. is distinguished from A. acangoaba, A. alba, A. angustifrons, A. barbouri, by the presence of autotomy site (vs. absence of autotomy site, Tab. 1). It’s distinguished from A. bolivica and A. camura by having 16 – 20 dorsal and 17 – 22 ventral segments per annuli at midbody (vs. 27 – 36 dorsal, 26 – 36 ventral; and 28 – 42 dorsal, 29 – 46 ventral, respectively, Tab. 1). It’s distinguished from Amphisbaena caeca, A. cubana, A. heterozonata and A. manni by having 31 – 34 caudal annuli (vs. 13 – 18; 10 – 16; 15 – 18; and 17 – 22 caudal annuli, respectively, Tab. 1). It’s differentiated from A. mertensi and A. pretrei by presenting 257 – 272 body annuli and 31 – 34 caudal annuli (vs. 210 – 250 body annuli and 25 – 31 caudal annuli; and 231 – 255 body annuli and 22 – 26 caudal annuli, Tab. 1). It’s differentiated from A. fuliginosa by presenting a uniform coloration pattern (vs. checkered pattern coloration). From the four Amphisbaena species with six fixed pre-cloacal pores, Amphisbaena eleutheria sp. nov. is distinguished from A. kraoh by presenting 31 – 34 caudal annuli, 16 – 20 dorsal and 17 – 22 ventral segments per annuli at midbody and the presence of pre-cloacal pores in sequence in the last body annuli and (vs. 15 – 16 caudal annuli, 28 dorsal and 24 ventral segments at midbody and pores separated with scales in the last body annuli, three pores on each side, Tab. 1). It’s differentiated from A. stejnegeri by having 257 – 272 body annuli, 31 – 34 caudal annuli and three supralabials and three infralabials shields (vs. 243 – 248 body annuli, 13 caudal annuli and four supralabials and two infralabials shields). It’s distinguished from A. ignatiana by presenting three supralabials and three infralabials shields, parietal shield not distinct, region irregular with two or more small and disform shields and by presenting a robust body and a similar body annuli per snout-vent-length, 257 – 271 body annuli per 197 – 260 mm of SVL (vs. and four supralabials and three infralabials shields, and presence of two well-formed parietal shields, and slender body with more body annuli per snout-vent-length, 255 – 263 body annuli per 125 – 188 mm of SVL, Tab. 1). It’s differentiated from A. littoralis by presenting three supralabials and three infralabials shields, 16 – 20 dorsal and 17 – 22 ventral segments at midbody, and parietal shield not distinct, region irregular with two or more small and disform shields (vs. four supralabials and three infralabials shields, 19 – 22 dorsal and 20 – 24 ventral, and presence of two well-formed parietal shields, Fig. 5, Tab. 1).	en	Perez, Renata, Ramos, Antônio Rafael Lima, Oliveira, Cicero Ricardo De, Ávila, Robson W. (2026): New species of Amphisbaena (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of Northeast Brazil. Zootaxa 5763 (3): 421-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7
E6429F0D080BFF8DFF72FF6B78C1FC67.taxon	description	Holotype description: Adult female (Fig. 3), 259.2 mm total length [snout-vent-length (SVL) 223 mm and caudal length 36.2 mm (16.3 % SVL)]. Slender body, diameter 5.6 mm (2.5 % SVL). Head length (HL) 5.3 mm (2.4 % SVL), head width (HW) 4 mm (1.8 % SVL). Snout 2.6 mm (48.4 % HL). Triangular rostral shield, barely visible dorsally. One pair of rectangular nasal shields, with nasal suture 1.4 mm (27.4 % HL). Nostrils arranged in the lateral portion of the nasal shields. Cordiform suture between nasals and pre-frontals shields, together both sutures form the anterior portion of a drawn heart. One pair of quadrangular prefrontal shields, with 1.8 mm length (34 % HL) and 1.7 mm width (33 % HL). The posterior suture between pre-frontal and frontal shields diagonal. Pre-frontal shields smaller than nasal and frontal shields. Frontal shields longer than wide, as a scalene trapeze, with 2.2 mm length (40.5 % HL) and 1.34 mm width (25.1 % HL). Posterior suture of frontals forming an open ‘ V’. Two disform shields disposed after frontals in parietal region, before the first body annuli. Parietal shields were considered not distinct, the region present two irregulars and disform small shields. A rhomboid ocular shield with 1.5 mm length (27.2 % HL) and 1.1 mm width (19.9 % HL). Widened post-ocular shield with, no temporal or supra-labial shields. Three supralabial shields, first smaller and triangular, second medium sized and rectangular, and the third the largest and quadrangular. Three infralabial shields of distinct forms: first smaller, second wider and deeper, trapezoid form, third elongated and rectangular. Mental shield with an inverted trapezoidal shape of 1.3 mm length (25.1 % HL) and 1.4 mm width (26.5 % HL). Postmental shield hexagonal of 1.4 mm length (26.5 % HL) and 1.1 mm width (19.9 % HL). Two rows with postgenial shields, first with two, second with five smaller shiels. One pair of trapezoid malar shields of 1.4 mm inner length (26.5 % HL), 0.7 mm outer length (12.4 % HL) and 1.4 mm width (26.5 % HL). Row with ten postmalar shields. Body annuli 272. Caudal annuli 32, caudal autotomy present on the seventh annulus, 27 segments on the fourth caudal annulus, tip of the tail smooth. Seventeen dorsal segments and 20 ventral segments on the midbody annulus. Six precloacal pores arranged in sequence on the posterior portion of the segments of the last ventral annulus. Cloacal plate with six precloacal and 14 postcloacal shields. Light brown color, pale in the venter, uniform pigmentation on the shields. Ventral coloration is apparent near the lateral sulcus, and pale on the center. Variation: Total length varies between 233 – 274.2 mm (¯ x = 257 mm ± 17.5), snout-vent length (SVL) varies between 180 – 265 mm (¯ x = 216 mm ± 22), tail length varies between 23.1 – 39.2 mm (¯ x = 32.1 mm ± 6.3; n = 6). Specimens with body diameter varying between 1.6 – 2.9 % of SVL (¯ x = 2.4 ± 0.3). Head length varies between 2.0 – 2.6 % of SVL (¯ x = 2.3 ± 0.1 %), head width varies between 1.5 – 2.0 % of SVL (¯ x = 1.7 ± 0.1 %). Parietal region with two to four disform, small and indistinct shields, not considered as parietal shields (Fig. 4). Body annuli vary between 257 – 272 (¯ x = 266.3 ± 3.5). Caudal annuli vary between 31 – 34 (¯ x = 32.2 ± 1.3; n = 12), caudal autotomy between 6 – 9 annulus (¯ x = 7.1 ± 0.6; n = 26), segments on the fourth caudal annulus varying between 25 – 32 (¯ x = 28.4 ± 1.8). Dorsal segments of the midbody anullus vary between 16 – 20 (¯ x = 17.7 ± 0.9) and ventral segments vary between 17 – 22 (¯ x = 19.7 ± 1.1). Pre-cloacal pores mostly six (93 % of sample) and seven only in two specimens (7 % of sample).	en	Perez, Renata, Ramos, Antônio Rafael Lima, Oliveira, Cicero Ricardo De, Ávila, Robson W. (2026): New species of Amphisbaena (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of Northeast Brazil. Zootaxa 5763 (3): 421-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7
E6429F0D080BFF8DFF72FF6B78C1FC67.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Amphisbaena eleutheria sp. nov. is known to inhabit the municipalities of Aracati and Icapuí in the state of Ceará, Brazil, situated in the eastern part of the state (Fig. 5). This species is found within the coastal plains region, specifically in areas comprising the coastal zone vegetation complex, at altitudes ranging from 25 to 200 meters (Fig. 6). The region is currently subject to significant anthropogenic impacts, primarily due to the degradation of vegetation physiognomy, large-scale deforestation, and fragmentation of habitats (SEMACE 2016).	en	Perez, Renata, Ramos, Antônio Rafael Lima, Oliveira, Cicero Ricardo De, Ávila, Robson W. (2026): New species of Amphisbaena (Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of Northeast Brazil. Zootaxa 5763 (3): 421-434, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5763.3.7
