Amerotyphlops 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 : 45-46

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

Type species. Typhlops brongersmianus Vanzolini, 1976 (= T. brongersmai ; Vanzolini, 1972)

Species content. Amerotyphlops amoipira , Am. brongersmianus , Am. costaricensis , Am. lehneri , Am. microstomus , Am. minuisquamus , Am. paucisquamus , Am. reticulatus , Am. stadelmani , Am. tasymicris , Am. tenuis , Am. trinitatus , Am. tycherus , and Am. yonenagae .

Diagnosis. Amerotyphlops can be distinguished from all other typhlopoids by the following combination of characters: small- to large-sized (total length 38–522 mm), stout- to slender-bodied (length/width ratio 16–77 but average 20–50) snakes with 16–22 scale rows (with or without reduction), 169–566 total middorsals, and short to long tail (0.7–4.3% total length) with 5–15 subcaudals (length/width ratio 0.8–1.6). Dorsal and lateral head profiles rounded, narrow to moderate oval rostral (0.22–0.56 head width), preocular in contact with second and third supralabials, eye small with distinct pupil or faint eyespot, T-III SIP, and postoculars 1–3. Lateral tongue papillae absent; left lung absent, tracheal lung paucicameral (with 13–37 pockets) or multicameral (with 16–39 chambers and foramina), cardiac lung unicameral, paucicameral (with 1–7 pockets) or multicameral (with 2–9 chambers) and right lung unicameral, paucicameral (with 3 pockets) or multicameral (with 2–5 chambers); testes unsegmented; hemipenis eversible, lacking retrocloacal sacs, and rectal caecum small (0.9–4.6% SVL). Coloration yellowishbrown to black dorsally (sometimes uniform or else in the form of darker lines over a light background), usually with immaculate yellow venter, snout and tail often bright yellow, sometimes with a light rostral spot or yellow or white tail ring.

Phylogenetic definition. Includes the MRCA of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus and Am. reticulatus and all descendants thereof, and all species more closely related to Am. reticulatus than to the type species of the 15 other typhlopid genera listed here.

Etymology. From the geographic distribution of the group in the continental Americas.

Distribution. Latin America, from Mexico to northern Argentina.

Remarks. Includes the primarily South American continental radiation of typhlopid blindsnakes. These are morphologically and biogeographically distinct from the West Indian radiation (see below).