Typhlops eperopeus, Thomas, Richard & Hedges, Blair, 2007

Thomas, Richard & Hedges, Blair, 2007, Eleven new species of snakes of the genus Typhlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) from Hispaniola and Cuba, Zootaxa 1400, pp. 1-26 : 12-13

Typhlops eperopeus new species ( Figs. 3 E, 4B)

Holotype: USNM 564785 (field tag number 266250), an adult female, collected 3.9 km airline SSW Barahona (4.5 km S Barahona along coast road and 2.8 km inland), 18° 9.854' N, 71° 5.497' W, 305 m, on 30 July 1999 by R. Thomas.

Paratypes: All from the Dominican Republic. Barahona Prov.: AMNH 51496, above Del Monte’s Finca (mountains southwest of Barahona), 697 m, 1 August 1932, W. G. Hassler; USNM 564788, 13.5 km by road SW Barahona, 580 m, 18 August 1984, S. B. Hedges; USNM 564787, 4.5 km S Barahona, thence 4.0 km W, 460 m, 8 August 1975, R. Thomas; USNM 564786, 2.4 km WNW Paraiso, 200 m, 12 August 1983, S. B. Hedges, R. Thomas; KU 272423, 6 km NE Paraiso; RT 3516, 4 km NW Enriquillo, 212 m, 8 August 1975, R. Thomas. Independencia Prov.: AMNH 41265–266, Duvergé; USNM 564789–791, 6 km W Duvergé at La Zurza (N 18°23.978' W 71° 34.358', minus 7 m, 22 March 2004, S. B. Hedges.

Diagnosis: This is a large, 20­scale­row species of Typhlops , not reducing to 18 scale rows posteriorly or reducing about 2/3 the way along the body. Despite the fact that specimens of this species were previously included within T. hectus ( Thomas, 1974) , T. eperopeus agrees with T. titanops in the presence of reduction from 20 to 18 scale rows fairly far anteriorly (60–65% of the TL) in some individuals (all T. titanops reduce at around midbody; T. hectus reduce at 73–94% TL). It differs from T. titanops in having a greater number of middorsal scales (307–329 versus 231–264). In body size (TL), T. eperopeus averages larger: 140–281 (= 234) mm versus 145–216 (= 185) mm in T. titanops .

From the standpoint of size, middorsal counts and head scale shapes, however, the major comparisons are with T. hectus and the other species described herein. Typhlops eperopeus is sympatric with T. proancylops and differs from that species in having a nearly parallel­sided rostral (oval in T. proancylops ), having a rostral wide point relatively far posterior (anterior in T. proancylops ; Fig. 7 A) and having a preocular with rounded apex (two angles near the apex in T. proancylops ; Fig. 3 B). Typhlops eperopeus differs from T. hectus in having a nearly parallel­sided rostral (distinctly clavate in T. hectus ), and having a preocular with rounded apex (pointed in T. hectus ; Figs. 3 , 7 B). Typhlops eperopeus differs from T. agoralionis in having a broader rostral (RW1/RL1 0.51–0.58 versus 0.41–0.45 in T. agoralionis ), having a straight­edged (V­shaped) preocular extension (lower edge with angled bend in T. agoralionis ; Fig. 3 C). Typhlops eperopeus differs from T. sylleptor in having a broader rostral (RW1/RL1 0.51–0.58 versus 0.44–0.50 in T. sylleptor ), a nearly parallel­sided rostral (oval in T. sylleptor ), and in having a rostral wide point relatively far posterior ( Fig. 7 A).

Description: Rostral nearly parallel­sided or only slightly clavate with widest point beyond the midpoint; labial flare 1.3. Preocular angle 46–58°, with a broad but angled apex; lower portion contacting only the 3rd of the upper labials. Ocular length approximately 1/2 height, sinuosity 0.25–0.19. Rostronasal pattern parallel to slightly divergent. Postoculars 2 (cycloid). First parietal standard, spanning 2 scale rows, occasionally narrower, spanning slightly more than 1 scale row. Second parietal present and equal in size to first. TL 140– 281 mm (= 234, excluding 140 mm juvenile). TL/TA: 22–31. TL/MBD 29–39. Middorsal scales 305–329 (= 314). Scale rows 20–18, reduction occurring at 57–66% TL. Coloration bicolor with dorsal pigmentation (pale tan to dark brown) fading ventrally; facial area generally pigmented, although the rostral may lack pigment, as in the holotype. AMNH 51496 and KU 272423 are very heavily pigmented individuals. No males of this species have been identified; see comments above for T. hectus .

Distribution: Known from below sea level in the Valle de Neiba up to relatively high elevations in the eastern Sierra de Baoruco. The elevational range is 7 meters below sea level to 697 m. In the lower elevations of its range, this species occurs sympatrically with T. pusillus and T. sulcatus ( Schwartz & Henderson, 1991) , and with T. proancylops in the vicinity of Puerto Escondido and Duvergé.

Etymology: Eperopeus , which we use appositionally, is Greek for deceiver, in allusion to the deceptive morphological similarity of this species to Typhlops hectus and the other species described herein, in contrast to its presumed relationship to T. titanops based on molecular and some morphological characters.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Head scalation in the blindsnake Typhlops hectus and four new species from Hispaniola. (A) T. hectus (MCZ 81149), holotype, from Martineau, ca. 9 km (airline) W Jérémie, Dépt. de La Grande Anse, Haiti. (B) T. proancylops (KU 272267), holotype, from Soliette, 5 km airline NW Fond Verettes, 363 m, Dépt. du Sud­Est, Haiti. (C) T. agoralionis (USNM 564777), holotype, from 8.0 km S Marché Léon, Dépt. de la Grande Anse, Haiti. (D) T. sylleptor (USNM 564804), holotype, from 5.0 mi. WSW Baradères, Dépt. De la Grande Anse, Haiti. (E) T. eperopeus (USNM 564785), holotype, from 3.9 km airline SSW Barahona, Barahona Prov., Dominican Republic.

FIGURE 7. Variation in measurements of Hispaniolan Typhlops. (A) Typhlops eperopeus (closed circle) versus T. proancylops (open circle), T. agoralionis (closed square), and T. sylleptor (closed triangle). (B) Typhlops eperopeus (closed circle) versus T. hectus (open circle). See text for definition of abbreviations.