Leptotyphlops cf. scutifrons (Peters, 1854)

Santos, Bruna S., Marques, Mariana P., Bauer, Aaron M. & Ceríaco, Luis M. P., 2021, Herpetological results of Francisco Newton’s Zoological Expedition to Angola (1903 – 1906): a taxonomic revision and new records of a forgotten collection, Zootaxa 5028 (1), pp. 1-80 : 28

Leptotyphlops cf. scutifrons (Peters, 1854)

Material (one specimen): One adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 333; Fig. S52 ), collected from Africa-Congo, A’Dalla Tando [=N’dalatando] [-9.30000º, 14.91667º, 782 m a.s.l.] Kwanza Norte Province, in 1903 .

Comments: Leptotyphlops scutifrons is known from southern Africa and can be found throughout western and central Angola ( Marques et al. 2018). Ferreira (1904) cited adult specimens with “dark brown or black colour” of “ Glauconia scutifrons ” from “Cazengo” and “Zembe” (Kwanza Norte Province). Marques et al. (2018) tentatively considered them to be L. scutifrons , as Broadley & Broadley (1999) had placed Glauconia scutifrons in its synonymy and considered the species to occur in the Angolan plateau. We hereby follow this interpretation, as morphological analysis of the specimen proved inconclusive due to its poor conservation state. We were unable to properly review the characters that both Broadley & Broadley (1999) and Broadley & Wallach (2007) used to distinguish Leptotyphlops species in their revisions of the genus. Adalsteinsson et al. (2009) in a more recent review of the Leptotyphlopidae , included L. scutifrons in a new tribe ( Leptotyphlopini ) and suggested the use of “complex” to refer to it, as they found large sequence divergence between different samples of the species. The generic map the authors presented for Leptotyphlops only included the Angolan provinces of Cuando Cubango and Moxico ( Adalsteinsson et al. 2009; Marques et al. 2018). In addition, the authors also designated a new genus, Namibiana , to which they allocated the former “ rostratus ” group species of Leptotyphlops that Broadley & Wallach (2007) had previously defined. The new genus is known from southwest Africa, including Angola. An integrative taxonomic revision is much needed to address the current difficulties of the group.

Figures

FIGURE S52. Specimen of Leptotyphlops cf. scutifrons (MHNCUP/REP 333), from N’dalatando. Photo by Bruna Santos.