Afrotyphlops punctatus (Leach)

Broadley, Donald G. & Wallach, Van, 2009, 2255, Zootaxa 2255, pp. 1-100 : 44-45

Afrotyphlops punctatus (Leach)

( Fig. 8B)

Punctate blind-snake

Acontias punctatus Leach, 1819 , Mission…Ashantee: 493. Type locality: “ Fantee, Africa ” [= less than 40 mi. N of Cape

Coast , Western Region, Ghana] (between 5°10-35’N and 1°15-25’W, elevation <200 m), holotype BMNH

1946.1.11.47, collected by T.E. Bowdich, April 1817 – October 1818; Roux-Estève, 1974: 79; Hahn, 1980: 67;

McDiarmid et al., 1999: 114. Typhlops eschrichtii Schlegel, 1839 in 1837–1844, Abbild. Amph.: 37, pl. 32, figs. 13–16. Type locality: “Goldküste” [=

Ghana] ( Coast of Guinea fide Hahn, 1980: 67 ), holotype RMNH 1833 ( RMNH 3700 fide Hughes & Barry, 1969:

1008 & Hahn, 1980: 67), collected by Eschricht; Bianconi, 1849b: 203; Peters, 1860: 83; Günther, 1888: 50; Roux-

Estève, 1974: 79; Hahn, 1980: 67; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 114. Aspidorhynchus eschrichtii — Fitzinger, 1843: 24; Peters, 1881: 70; Hahn, 1980: 68; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115. Ophthalmidion eschrichtii — Duméril & Bibron, 1844: 265; Duméril & Duméril, 1851: 203; Peters, 1860: 83; Hahn,

1980: 68; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 114. Onychophis punctata — Gray, 1845: 133; Peters, 1860: 83; Hahn, 1980: 68; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 114. Typhlops (Ophthalmidion) eschrichti — Jan & Sordelli, 1860: pl. 5, fig. 4, pl. 6, fig. 4; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115. Onychophis punctatus — Peters, 1865: 262. Onychocephalus eschrichtii — Bocage, 1873: 250. Typhlops (Ophthalmidion) eschrichtii intermedia — Peters, 1877: 614; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115. Typhlops (Ophthalmidion) eschrichtii — Müller, 1882: 140; Hahn, 1980: 68; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115. Typhlops (Aspidorhynchus) eschrichtii — Boettger, 1888: 42; Hahn, 1980: 68; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115. Typhlops punctatus — Boulenger, 1893: 42 (part), 1897: 278, 1902b: 446, 1905: 112, 1906: 208 (part), 1908b: 5, 1909a:

303, 1911b: 163, 1919: 18; Bocage, 1895: 65; Mocquard, 1897: 123; Tornier, 1897: 66; Sternfeld, 1908b: 242; Werner, 1908: 1863, 1929: 176; Nieden, 1910: 442; Hobley, 1912: 45; Boettger, 1913: 364; Phisalix, 1914: 61, fig. 61,

pl. 3, fig. 60; Werner, 1921: 315 (part); Flower, 1925: 959 (part), 1929: 156; Perrier, 1928: 3101; Haas, 1930: 9 (part), figs. 1–30, 72–89; Corkill, 1935: 11; Mosauer, 1935: 107, fig. 14; Radovanovic, 1937: 197, fig. 1; Uthmöller, 1941a: 42; Guibé, 1949: 225, figs. 1–2; Smit, 1949: 117; Brongersma, 1959: 120; Gabe & Martoja, 1961: 3; Saint- Girons, H., 1961: 40, fig. 7, 1963: fig. 16, 1967: 237, fig. 14, 1968: 65, fig. 1D, 1970a: 690, fig. 462E, 1970b: 147, figs. 15D & 66–67, 1982: 172, figs. 1A & 7G, 1988: 223, fig. 3F; Lüdicke, 1962: 45, figs. 38–40, 60–63, 73 & 78; Thys van den Audenaerde, 1965: 369; Gabe & Saint-Girons, 1967: 573, 1969: 5, 1976: 35, figs. 33–34; Underwood, 1967: 178; Bourgeois, 1968: 277; Langebartel, 1968: 58; Miller, 1968: 427; Bellairs, 1969b & 1971: 710, fig. 718, 1973: 327, fig. 325; Hughes & Barry, 1969: 1008; Anthony, 1970: 287, fig. 216-1; Baird, 1970: 268, fig. 22B; Miller & Lagios, 1970: 323; Saint-Girons, M.-C., 1970: 77, fig. 2; Saint-Girons & Saint-Girons, 1974: 212; Roux-Estève, 1974: 79, 1975a: 492; Hahn, 1977: 37, 1980: 67; Parker & Grandison, 1977: 63, fig. 22; De Smet, 1978: 89, figs. 1A & 3; Groombridge, 1979a: 495, 1979b: 678, fig. 2; Rieppel, 1979: 162, fig. 3; Hughes, 1983: 354; Obst et al., 1984: 439, 1988: 774; Chifundera, 1990: 141; Coborn, 1991: 111; Meirte, 1992: 22; Wallach, 1993b: 33, 1994: 215, 1998a: 183, 1998b: 425; Frank & Ramus, 1995: 254; Drewes & Vindum, 1998: fig. 16; Mattison, 1999: 148; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 114; Zaher & Rieppel, 1999: 12, fig. 6; Lee & Scanlon, 2002: 400; Spawls et al., 2002: 286, 2006: 89, fig.; Kley, 2003: 379; Murphy, 2003: 553; Mickoleit, 2004: figs. 360–361; Brogard, 2005: 115; Cundall & Irish, 2008: 600, figs. 2.16–17; McDowell, 2008: 536, fig. 2.3C.

Typhlops punctatus intermedia — Boettger, 1898: 4.

Typhlops milleti Chabanaud, 1920 , Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris, 26(6): 463. Type locality: “ Togo,” holotype MNHN 1920.21, collected by Millet-Horsin; Roux-Estève, 1974: 79; Hahn, 1980: 68; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115.

Typhlops congestus —(not Duméril & Bibron) Schmidt, K., 1923: 48 (part).

Typhlops punctatus punctatus — Loveridge, 1936a: 19, 1957b: 241 (part); Uthmöller, 1941a: 42; Laurent, 1958: 119, 1964: 411, 1965: 14; Isemonger, 1968: 83, 1983: 86; Roux-Estève, 1974: 79, 81, figs. 8, 13.15 & 46, 1975a: 492, fig. 30; Witte, 1966: 36; Pitman, 1974: 62, pl. X, fig. 1; Spawls, 1978: 2; Hahn, 1980: 68; Welch, 1982: 130, 1994: 73; Broadley, 1998b: xii; McDiarmid et al., 1999: 115.

Typhlops punctata — McDowell & Bogert, 1954: 136.

Typhlops schlegeli —? Coborn, 1994: 33, fig.;? Schmidt, D., 2001: 49, fig.

Rhinotyphlops punctatus — Broadley & Wallach, 2000: 167; Branch, 2005: 11, fig.

Typhlops congestus — Brogard, 2005: 116.

Description. Snout rounded, prominent. Rostral broad dorsally, truncated posteriorly; frontal subtrapezoidal; supraocular oblique, its lateral apex between nasal and preocular, or preocular and ocular; eye distinct, near the upper anterior border of the ocular; nasal suture arising from the first labial; SIP T-II-P (N2, N2/P, O, O); MSR 28–32, reduction A/B 0–2, B/C 2–6; MD 374–465 (mean 411.7, n = 30); vertebrae 202–225 (mean 216.4, n = 18); MD/V ratio 1.74–1.96 (mean 1.90, n = 18); L/D ratio 26–33 (mean 29.5, n = 6). Dark brown or grey above, each scale with a small yellow spot towards the posterior margin, the pale spots become larger ventrally, often with large pale patches along the midline. There is a blotched phase with scattered irregular black dorsal blotches on a yellow ground which extend ventrally, or the entire snake may be dark brown with scattered small yellow spots dorsally and larger yellow patches ventrally. Largest specimen (MCZ 44279— Ekibondo, Democratic Republic of the Congo) has a total length of 660 mm.

Distribution. Savannas of West Africa, east through northern Democratic Republic of the Congo and southern Sudan to Uganda, 670–1200 m ( Fig. 12).

Localities. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO. (Orientale Province) Bagbele IRSNB 3100- 01; Bambesa IRSNB 3238; Ekibondo ANSP 20347, 20290, MCZ 44279; Gangala na Bodio IRSNB 3095–8; Garamba IRSNB 3099; Monbuttu BMNH 87.12.1.9, 10, 87.12.1.13; Niangara AMNH 11669–70; Nijana ANSP 20297; Poko AMNH 11671–72; MRAC 1172. (Bas-Zaire Province) Madimba FMNH 212323. SUDAN. Bangangai Game Reserve NMK 2868; Li Rangu FMNH 58314; Yambio District BMNH 1951.1.7.85. UGANDA. Bewera BMNH 1984.878; Bisu BMNH 1935.10.11.1; Kaliro AMNH 63768; Kampala BMNH 96.5.28.11, 1936.7.3.2; Katunguru BMNH 1984.873; Lango BMNH 1933.9.8.1; Lira BMNH 1940.2.9.18–20; Sese Islands BMNH 1909.3.29.5–6; West Nile District ( Pitman, 1974).