Rhinotyphlops Fitzinger, 1843

Broadley, Donald G. & Wallach, Van, 2009, 2255, Zootaxa 2255, pp. 1-100 : 57-58

Rhinotyphlops Fitzinger, 1843

Beaked blind-snakes

Rhinotyphlops Fitzinger, 1843: 24 . Type species: Typhlops lalandei Schlegel, 1839 in 1837–1844, by original designation; Roux-Estève, 1974: 157 (part); Hahn, 1980: 29 (part); McDiarmid et al., 1999: 76 (part).

Onychocephalus Duméril & Bibron, 1844: 272 . Type species: Typhlops lalandei Schlegel, 1839 in 1837–1844, by subsequent designation of Peters, 1881: 70.

Onychophis Gray, 1845: 135 . Type species: Onychophis franklinii Gray, 1845 (= Typhlops lalandei Schlegel, 1839 in 1837–1844), by monotypy.

Diagnosis.– A genus characterized by the following combination of characters: snout sharply angular in profile, with a keratinized horizontal edge in adults, supralabial imbrication pattern T-II or T-X, nasal shield incompletely divided and lacking posterior concavity, nostrils directed ventrally, inferior nasal suture contacting first supralabial, 3–6 postoculars, dorsal rostral broad (> 1/2 head width at ocular level), ventral rostral broad (> 1/2 snout width), well-developed eye with discernible pupil, dorsum pigmented, and vestigial left lung absent. Other typical characters include 22–30 midbody scale rows, moderate body (length/width 30– 60), and small size (maximum length 220–355 mm).

Distribution. –Endemic to central, eastern and southern Africa.

Content. –Four species. In addition to the three species discussed below, the following extralimital species is suggested to be a member of Rhinotyphlops based on external morphology:

1. Typhlops leucocephalus Parker, 1930 , Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (10) 6(35): 605. Type locality: “ Las Anod (8 28’N. x 47 21’E), 2400 feet, British Somaliland” [= Somalia], holotype BMNH 1946 . (formerly BMNH 1930.5.9.11), collected by R.H. R. Taylor .

= Rhinotyphlops leucocephalus (Parker)