A new Amphisbaena (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from southern Espinhaço Range, southeastern Brazil

• Main Authors: Henrique C. Costa, Flávia C. Resende, Mauro Teixeira Jr., Francisco Dal Vechio, Cinara A. Clemente
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2015-06-01
• Series: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências
• Subjects: Minas Gerais; taxonomia; Amphis baenia; réptil fossorial
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652015000200891&lng=en&tlng=en

A new species of Amphisbaena is described from a semi-deciduous forest in Conceição do Mato Dentro, southern Espinhaço Range, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The following combined characters can diagnose the new species from all congeners: head round-shaped; two or three precloacal pores sequentially arranged; 190-199 body annuli; 2-3 lateral annuli; 23-25 caudal annuli; autotomy sites on caudal annuli 7-9; 12-14 dorsal segments on midbody annulus; 14-16 ventral segments on midbody annulus; three supralabials; three infralabials; postmalar row present or absent; dorsum light brown, with cream intersegmental sutures; venter cream. To date, the new species is known only from the Espinhaço Range, highlighting the importance of conservation actions for these mountains.