Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências (2015) 87(2): 891-901
(Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences)
Printed version ISSN 0001-3765 / Online version ISSN 1678-2690
http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201520140088
www.scielo.br/aabc
A new Amphisbaena (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae)
from southern Espinhaço Range, southeastern Brazil
HENRIQUE C. COSTA1, FLÁVIA C. RESENDE2, MAURO TEIXEIRA Jr.3,
FRANCISCO DAL VECHIO3 and CINARA A. CLEMENTE1
1
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas,
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Herpetologia,
Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
2
Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Unidade de Coleções Cientíicas e Popularização da Ciência,
Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 80, Gameleira, 30510-010 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
3
Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo,
Laboratório de Herpetologia, Rua do Matão, 14, Butantã, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brasil
Manuscript received on February 20, 2014; accepted for publication on November 25, 2014
ABSTRACT
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.
Key words: Minas Gerais, taxonomy, Amphisbaenia, Fossorial reptile.
INTRODUCTION
Amphisbaenia is a group of annulate squamates
adapted to fossorial life, with about 190 valid extant
species (Pianka and Vitt 2003, Uetz and Hošek 2014),
widely distributed in South America, Caribbean,
Mexico, Florida, eastern and sub-Saharan Africa,
Morocco, Algeria and Turkey, besides the Arabian
and Iberian peninsulas (Pianka and Vitt 2003, Vidal
et al. 2008). The monophyly of Amphisbaenia is
Correspondence to: Henrique Caldeira Costa
E-mail: ccostah@gmail.com
well supported (Kearney 2003, Macey et al. 2004),
but its placement within Squamata is still uncertain
(e.g. Kearney 2003, Pianka and Vitt 2003, Kearney
and Stuart 2004, Macey et al. 2004, Conrad 2008,
Gauthier et al. 2012, Pyron et al. 2013). Recently, the
generic status of the South America amphisbaenids
suffered a signiicant taxonomic rearrangement, with
ive genus (Anops, Aulura, Bronia, Cercolophia and
Leposternon) synonymized into Amphisbaena (Mott
and Vieites 2009), a condition still not fully adopted
(e.g. Ribeiro et al. 2012).
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
892
HENRIQUE C. COSTA et al.
A total of 72 species of amphisbaenids are
known to occur in Brazil, however, the group’s
biodiversity is still poorly known, with many taxa
discovered in the last 15 years (Costa and Bérnils
2014). Since the year 2000, 19 new amphisbaenid
species were described in Brazil, representing 26%
of its current richness. Besides the fossorial habits
making amphisbaenids hard to ind and collect,
many Brazilian species named in the last decades
were discovered during environmental impact
assessments and wildlife rescues (see Ribeiro et
al. 2008 for a short review, Ribeiro et al. 2012,
Roberto et al. 2014, Teixeira et al. 2014). During
an environmental impact assessment between
August 2009 and May 2010 in Conceição do Mato
Dentro, southern Espinhaço Range, state of Minas
Gerais, southeastern Brazil, specimens of a small
Amphisbaena were collected, which we concluded
to belong to a new species described below.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specimens were found and collected by hand,
during deforestation activities for the installation
of a slurry pipeline in Conceição do Mato Dentro,
state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Scale
nomenclature follows Gans and Alexander (1962)
and Teixeira et al. (2014); morphometric measures
were taken to the nearest 0.1 mm with a caliper,
except for the snout-vent and tail lengths, which
were measured with a lexible ruler to the nearest
1.0 mm. Body slenderness proportion (BSP)
(snout-vent length / head width) follows Pinna et
al. (2014). Specimens were collected under permit
#400/2009 NUFAS/MG provided by Instituto
Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais
Renováveis (IBAMA) and deposited in the
collections of Fundação Ezequiel Dias (FUNED)
and Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
(UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Comparative data were taken from literature and
specimens in the herpetological collections of
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (CHFURG),
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São
Paulo (MZUSP) and Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
collection (MTR) (Table SI – Supplementary
Material; Appendix).
The ZooBank Life Science Identiier (LSID) of this
publication is: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FD9F4C2AE6CF-4B33-B805-46DD1317702D.
RESULTS
Amphisbaena metallurga SP. NOV.
ZooBank Life Science Identiier (LSID) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E74873DF-8074-4E39B23F-1FAC0AD21C46.
Holotype. FUNED 2943 (Fig. 1A–G), collected
in August 2009 or May 2010 (no speciic date
available), by Dimitri Lima Gouvêa and Sarita
Pimenta de Oliveira.
Type-locality. Brazil: Minas Gerais: Conceição
do Mato Dentro, semi-deciduous seasonal forest,
ca. 18°54′ S, 43°25′ W, 700 m elevation, southern
Espinhaço Range (Fig. 2).
Paratypes. FUNED 2940–2942, 2944, 2945,
2947–2949, 2951–2960, UFMG 2080 (ex. FUNED
2946), 2081 (ex FUNED 2950), collected in August
2009 or May 2010 (no speciic date available)
by Dimitri Lima Gouvêa and Sarita Pimenta de
Oliveira. All paratypes from the type-locality.
Diagnosis. Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov.
is diagnosed by the following combination of
characters: (1) head round-shaped; (2) two or
three precloacal pores sequentially arranged; (3)
190–199 body annuli; (4) 2–3 lateral annuli; (5)
23–25 caudal annuli; (6) autotomy plan on 7th –
9th caudal annulus; (7) 12–14 dorsal segments on
midbody annulus; (8) 14–16 ventral segments on
midbody annulus; (9) three supralabials; (10) three
infralabials; (11) postmalar row usually present;
(12) body slenderness proportion from 32.6 to 38.3;
(13) dorsum of preserved specimens light brown,
with cream intersegmental sutures; (14) venter of
preserved specimens cream colored.
893
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
Figure 1 - Holotype of Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov. (FUNED 2943). A) head in dorsal view; B) head
in lateral view; C) head in ventral view; D) detail of body dorsum; E) detail of body venter F) detail of
cloacal region; G) ventral view of cloaca and tail (an incision at tail base was made to sex the specimen).
Scale bars = 1 mm. Photographs by Bárbara F. Zaidan (A–F) and Flávia C. Resende (G).
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
894
HENRIQUE C. COSTA et al.
Figure 2 - Map representing the type locality of Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov. (FUNED 2943) in Conceição do Mato
Dentro, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Comparison with other species. The presence of
two or three precloacal pores makes Amphisbaena
metallurga sp. nov. readily distinguishable from
all South American congeners with the exception
of A. absaberi, A. anaemariae, A. anomala, A.
angustifrons, A. bilabialata, A. bolivica, A. brevis,
A. caiari, A. camura, A.carli, A. cerradensis, A.
crisae, A. cuiabana, A. darwinii, A. dubia, A.
heterozonata, A. hiata, A. kisteumacheri, A. leeseri,
A. lumbricalis, A. maxima, A. miringoera, A.
mitchelli, A. neglecta, A. persephone, A. polystega,
A. roberti and A. silvestrii. Among these species
(characters inside parentheses), the rounded head
easily distinguishes Amphisbaena metallurga
sp. nov. from A. anomala, A. cerradensis, A.
kisteumacheri, A. maxima, A. polystega (head
shovel-shaped) and A. bilabialata (head keelAn Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
shaped). Therefore, these six species are excluded
from following comparisons.
The rounded tail distinguishes Amphisbaena
metallurga sp. nov. from A. trachura (caudal tip
tuberculate), A. absaberi, A. cuiabana and A.
roberti (tail with a terminal vertical keel). The
rostral without median contact with prefrontals
distinguishes Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov.
from A. carli (rostral in broad contact with
prefrontals). The presence of precloacal pores
arranged in sequence distinguishes Amphisbaena
metallurga sp. nov. from A. absaberi, A. carli and
A. hiata (precloacal pores separated from each
other by segments).
The presence of 190–199 body annuli
distinguishes Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov.
from A. absaberi (239–242), A. anaemaeriae
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
(156–170), A. bolivica (200–231), A. brevis (139),
A. caiari (233–250), A. carli (221–248), A. crisae
(180–185), A. cuiabana (283–320), A. dubia (211–
231), A. hiata (202–213), A. leeseri (216–249), A.
lumbricalis (225–247), A. miringoera (250–264),
A. mitchelli (203–220), A. neglecta (151–161), A.
persephone (230–241) and A. roberti (232–265).
The presence of 23–25 caudal annuli distinguishes
Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov. from A. absaberi
(14–15), A. anaemaeriae (18–20), A. angustifrons
(12–18), A. brevis (9), A. camura (14–19), A. carli
(10–14), A. crisae (20–22), A. cuiabana (17–21),
A. dubia (13–18), A. heterozonata (13–18), A.
hiata (17–19), A. leeseri (14–19), A. mitchelli (26–
29), A. neglecta (14–16) , A. persephone (19–22)
and A. roberti (17–20). Autotomy in annuli 7–9
distinguishes Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov.
from A. absaberi (5–6), A. anaemaeriae (3–5), A.
angustifrons (autotomy absent), A. bolivica (3–5),
A. camura (3–5), A. carli (autotomy absent), A.
crisae (4–6), A. dubia (autotomy absent), and A.
neglecta (4–6).
The presence of 12–14 dorsal segments
distinguishes Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov.
from A. brevis (18) and A. caiari (10). The number
of both dorsal and ventral segments (12–14 / 14–
16) distinguishes the new species from A. absaberi
(16–19 / 17–20), A. angustifrons (20–31 / 21–30),
A. bolivica (27–38 / 26–36), A. camura (28–42 /
29–46), A. carli (20–23 / 18–23), A. crisae (10 /
10) and A. hiata (16–18 / 18–22). A summary of
morphological characters for two-pored and threepored Amphisbaena is provided in Table SI.
Despite the differences above mentioned,
the new species is more similar to Amphisbaena
darwinii, A. heterozonata, A. prunicolor, A.
trachura and A. silvestrii in the traditional meristic
data, but can be further distinguished by the
following characters: From A. prunicolor by the
number of precloacal pores (two or three in A.
metallurga sp. nov. and four in A. prunicolor),
and color pattern (light brown dorsally and cream
895
ventrally in A. metallurga sp. nov., and dark brown
dorsally and ventrally (sometimes checkered) in A.
prunicolor) (see Perez et al. 2012 for pictures of
A. prunicolor). From A. silvestrii the new species
can be distinguished by the shape of the third
infralabial (as long as the third supralabial in A.
metallurga sp. nov. and about 1.5–2 times longer
than the third supralabial in A. silvestrii), and color
pattern (dark brown dorsally and ventrally in A.
silvestrii). Additionally, A. metallurga sp. nov.
usually presents a postmalar row (see Table I for
exceptions), absent in A. silvestrii.
Specimens of A. darwinii, A. heterozonata
and A. trachura usually present four precloacal
pores, but some A. darwinii and A. heterozonata
have two or three and some A. trachura have three
pores, as in A. metallurga sp. nov. In this case,
A. metallurga sp. nov. can be distinguished from
A. darwinii, A. heterozonata and A. trachura by
the color pattern. Dorsally, preserved specimens
of those three species are dark brown, while A.
metallurga sp. nov. is light brown. Additionally, A.
trachura presents a tuberculate caudal tip, absent in
specimens of the new species, and A. heterozonata
has a fewer number of caudal annuli (see above).
Description of the holotype. A small male
amphisbaenian (snout-vent length 178 mm; caudal
length 30 mm; BSP 36.5); head short (7.0 mm, 3.9%
of snout-vent length), rounded and hardly distinct
from the neck; rostrum rounded, projecting beyond
the lower jaw. Rostral triangular, barely visible in
dorsal view, in broad contact with nasals laterally
and in narrow contact with irst supralabial, lateroposteriorly. One pair of quadrangular nasals, with
a middorsal suture of 1.14 mm (15.7% of head
length), in broad contact with the rostral anteriorly,
irst supralabial laterally and prefrontals posteriorly,
and in point contact with second supralabials.
Nostrils placed in the antero-lateral portion of
nasal shields. A pair of trapezoid prefrontals, with
a middorsal suture of 2.17 mm (28.6% of head
length), in broad contact with nasals anteriorly, in
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
896
HENRIQUE C. COSTA et al.
point contact with irst supralabial latero-anteriorly,
broad contact with second supralabial laterally,
ocular latero-posteriorly, and frontals posteriorly.
Right prefrontal with a point contact with right
postocular. A pair of triangular frontals, converging
posteriorly, with a middorsal suture of 2.04 mm
(28.6% of head length), in point contact with
dorsal angle of oculars laterally, in contact with
prefrontals anteriorly, postoculars latero-posteriorly,
and parietals posteriorly. Two pentagonal parietal
shields, wider than long, with a middorsal suture of
0.7 mm (10% of head length), in broad contact with
postocular latero-anteriorly, frontal anteriorly, second
body annulus posteriorly, and other scales of irst
body annulus latero-posteriorly. Ocular pentagonal,
in broad contact with second and third supralabials
ventrally, prefrontal and postocular dorsally, in
narrow contact with temporal posteriorly, and in
point contact with frontals. Eye barely visible in
anterior corner of ocular. Temporals quadrangular,
contacting ocular anteriorly, postocular dorsally, third
supralabial ventro-anteriorly, postsupralabial ventroposteriorly, and irst body annulus dorso-posteriorly.
Three supralabials, irst triangular, longer than
wide, and lower than other supralabials, contacting
narrowly the rostral latero-anteriorly, contacting
broadly the nasal dorsally, second supralabial
posteriorly, and in point contact with prefrontal.
Second supralabial pentagonal, highest and longest
than others, in broad contact with the prefrontal
dorsally, ocular dorso-posteriorly, third supralabial
posteriorly, and in point contact with nasal. Third
supralabial pentagonal, higher than wide, and
narrower than other supralabials, in broad contact
with postsupralabial posteriorly, temporal dorsoposteriorly, second supralabial anteriorly and
ocular dorso-anteriorly.
Mental shield
trapezoidal,
contacting
postmental posteriorly and irst infralabials
laterally. Postmental heptagonal, elongated, longer
than wide, contacting postgenials posteriorly,
second infralabials laterally, irst infralabials
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
latero-anteriorly, and mental anteriorly. One
irregular row of postgenials, with eight scales of
different sizes, in contact with postmental, second
infralabials, malars, and postmalar row. Postmalar
row with seven shields. Three infralabias, irst
trapezoid, the second pentagonal and largest, third
rectangular, the smallest and wider than high. First
infralabial contacting mental anteriorly, postmental
laterally, and second infralabial posteriorly;
second infralabial contacts postmental laterally,
postgenials latero-posteriorly, malar and third
infralabial posteriorly; third infralabial contacting
postinfralabial posteriorly, malar latero-anteriorly,
and irst shield of postmalar row latero-posteriorly.
Dorsally the irst body annulus includes
postsupralabials, parietals, and two scales between
them on each side. Ventrally it includes the
postinfralabials and segments between them. There
are 192 body annuli, with 12 quadrangular dorsal
segments and 14 quadrangular ventral segments
(central ventral segments wider than the others); dorsal
and ventral sulci absent and lateral sulci visible from
17th body annulus to cloacal shields. Two precloacal
pores are visible, sequentially arranged in posterior
portion of the last ventral annulus. The holotype also
presents six precloacal scales and 14 postcloacal
scales, three lateral annuli, 25 caudal annuli, with
autotomy plan in the ninth caudal annulus, and tip of
tail not compressed into a vertical keel.
In preservative, dorsal color is light brown; center
of segments is darker, with cream intersegmental
sutures. Venter uniformly cream colored. Head
uniformly cream. In life, head uniformly light pink,
dorsal segments brown with pink intersegmental
sutures, and ventral segments uniformly light pink
(CAC pers. obs.).
Intraspeciic variation. Meristic and morphometric variations of the type-series are present
in Table I. Some additional variation in cephalic
shields and scales were observed. There is no
contact between temporal and ocular of the left
side in UFMG 2080, FUNED 2954, FUNED
897
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
TABLE I
Meristic and morphometric variations (in millimeters) of the type-series of Amphisbaena metallurga sp. nov.
SVL = snout-vent length; TL = tail length; HW = head width; BSP = body slenderness proportion (SVL/HW);
POR = number of precloacal pores; PeC = number of precloacal scales on cloacal shield; PoC = number of
postcloacal scales on cloacal shield; BA = number of midbody annuli; LA = number of lateral annuli; CA =
number of caudal annuli; AA = autotomy annulus; DS = number of dorsal segments; VS = number of ventral
segments; PMR = number of scales in postmalar row; GEN = number of genial scales (scales of 1st row + of 2nd
row). Specimens with a + symbol after SVL have only the anterior part of body.
Specimen
FUNED 2943
(holotype)
FUNED 2940
FUNED 2941
FUNED 2942
FUNED 2944
FUNED 2945
UFMG 2080
FUNED 2947
FUNED 2948
FUNED 2949
UFMG 2081
FUNED 2951
FUNED 2952
FUNED 2953
FUNED 2954
FUNED 2955
FUNED 2956
FUNED 2957
FUNED 2958
FUNED 2959
FUNED 2960
Sex SVL
TL
HW
BSP POR PeC
M
30
4.9
36.5
F
F
F
F
?
F
F
?
?
F
F
?
?
M
?
?
F
?
F
?
178
167
28
155 10+
171
7+
174
26
140+
175
30
152 10+
105+
150+
160
8+
157
9+
115+
85+
179 10+
135
22
101
15
154
8+
75+
162 8+
101+
-
4.7
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.9
4.7
4.4
4.2
4.4
4.7
4.1
4.6
4.7
5.0
3.9
3.1
4.7
4.2
4.4
4.4
35.5
34.4
37.1
37.0
37.2
34.5
34.0
38.3
35.8
34.6
32.6
32.7
36.8
-
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
7
6
-
PoC
BA
LA
CA
AA
DS
VS
14
192
3
25
9
12
14
13
10
14
12
14
15
9
10
15
16
13
12
14
-
193
196
194
199
165+
193
192
113+
114+
195
190
133+
94+
193
199
194
193
67+
192
139+
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
2
3
3
3
-
24
8+
8+
23
24
8+
9+
8+
8+
24
23
8+
8+
-
8
8
8
8
8
8
9
8
8
8
7
8
8
-
12
12
12
12
13
12
14
13
14
14
12
12
12
14
12
12
14
14
12
13
14
14
14
16
14
14
15
16
14
15
14
14
14
16
14
14
14
14
14
14
PRM GEN
7
#
0
7
7
7
8
7
7
7
0#
7
6
6
7
7
7
6
7
7
6
8
8
3+4
2+5
2+5
2+3
2+8
2
7
2+5
2+5
2+5
3
2+5
3+4
2+4
4
4
2+5
2+5
2
2+5
#
Postmalar row is absent in FUNED 2940 and FUNED 2949, because their malars are longer than in other specimens of the type
series, apparently fused with what would be the irst postmalar of each side.
2955, FUNED 2959, and of both sides in FUNED
2948, FUNED 2949, FUNED 2952, FUNED
2953 and FUNED 2960; in these specimens the
temporal contacts the postocular dorsally, third
supralabial ventro-anteriorly, postsupralabial
ventro-posteriorly, and the irst body annulus
dorso-posteriorly. Additionally, FUNED 2955
has the right temporal fused with the irst body
annulus. FUNED 2947 and FUNED 2951 have
an additional small pair of shields between
prefrontals and frontals, apparently formed by
the division of the anterior portion of frontals. In
FUNED 2947 the additional pair is half the length
of frontals. In FUNED 2951 the additional pair
has about ¼ of frontal length.
Distribution. The new species is known only for the
type-locality, in semi-deciduous seasonal forests of
Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
a region inside the Espinhaço Biosphere Reserve
(UNESCO 2011) (Fig. 2).
Etymology. The speciic name of the new species
is a transliteration of the Greek µεταλλουργος
(metalloyrgos), meaning “miner” (Liddle and Scott
1996). It is here used as an adjective that agrees in
gender with the generic name. The name refers to
the fossorial habits of amphisbaenians, which use
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
898
HENRIQUE C. COSTA et al.
the head to dig underground tunnels like a miner.
Paradoxically, this new “mining reptile” was found
in the area where a slurry pipeline is being installed.
“Miner” is also the translation of the Portuguese words
“mineiro” and “mineira”, masculine and feminine
adjectives referring to native inhabitants of the state of
Minas Gerais, where the new species was discovered.
DISCUSSION
The Espinhaço Mountain Range in eastern Brazil
is a large Precambrian orogenic belt extending
over 1000 km in the North-South direction from
the state of Bahia to the state of Minas Gerais,
with elevations reaching 2000 meters (Leite et al.
2008, UNESCO 2011). In its center-south portion,
the Espinhaço is at the transition zone between the
Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest (UNESCO 2011).
This mountain range is considered one of the
most important centers of endemism of Brazilian
biodiversity (Silva et al. 2008).
The southern region of the Espinhaço Mountain
Range is under several human activities impacting
natural environments, such as agriculture,
livestock, and mining (Drummond et al. 2005).
The type-locality of Amphisbaena metallurga sp.
nov. was directly impacted by the installation of
a slurry pipeline. However, including this species
in any category of conservation threat would be
premature, since other fragments of semi-deciduous
seasonal forests are still present close to the typelocality. Therefore, we suggest the inclusion of
A. metallurga sp. nov. in IUCN’s Data Deicient
category at global, national and regional levels.
Based on the current knowledge of geographic
distribution, ive other amphisbaenian species
occur in southern Espinhaço: A. alba, A. dubia, A.
infraorbitale, A. microcephala and A. vermicularis
(Gans and Amdur 1966, Gans 1971a, Perez and
Ribeiro 2008, HCC pers. obs.). A. metallurga
sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from A. alba
(characters inside parentheses) by having fewer
precloacal pores (4–10) and midbody annuli (198–
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
248), tail with autotomy annulus (non autotomic
tail), and fewer dorsal and ventral segments
(30–42 / 35–46) (Vanzolini 2002). From A. dubia
(characters inside parentheses) A. metallurga sp.
nov. is distinguished by having fewer midbody
annuli (211–231), longer tail with autotomy annulus
(13–18 caudal annuli without autotomy), and third
infralabial as long as the third supralabial (third
infralabial two times longer than third supralabial)
(Table SI, Gans 1964a). The new species can be
distinguished from A. vermicularis (characters
inside parentheses) by having fewer precloacal
pores (4) and midbody annuli (211–254), and
fewer dorsal and ventral segments (18–26 / 18–25)
(Gans and Amdur 1966, Vanzolini 2002). Finally,
it can be distinguished from A. infraorbitale and A.
microcephala by the head shape, which is shovelshaped in the last two species.
Morphological similarities among Amphisbaena
metallurga sp. nov., A. darwinii, A. heterozonata,
A. prunicolor, A. silvestrii and A. trachura would
suggest a close phylogenetic relationship despite their
current distributions (Gans 1966, Perez et al. 2012,
Teixeira et al. 2014). However, considering that
some morphological characters of amphisbaenids
are shared by convergence (Mott and Vieites 2009)
it is premature to assume if similarities among
the above cited species represent synapomorphies
instead of convergences.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Giselle A. Cotta for allowing access to
specimens under her care; Paulo C.A. Garcia for
allowing the use of the stereomicroscope with
photographic equipment at the Laboratório de
Herpetologia, Universidade Federal de Minas
Gerais; Bárbara F. Zaidan for photographs of the
holotype; Samuel C. Gomides for aiding with
specimens from UFMG; Daniel Loebmann, Miguel
T. Rodrigues and Husssam Zaher for allowing
access to specimens under their care; three
anonymous reviewers for comments on improving
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
the manuscript; and Tim Williams for etymology
suggestions. HCC thanks the staff at Instituto de
Ciências Biológicas at Universidade Federal de
Viçosa - Campus Florestal, for access to facilities.
RESUMO
Uma nova espécie de Amphisbaena é descrita de uma
loresta semidecidual em Conceição do Mato Dentro, sul
da Cadeia do Espinhaço, Minas Gerais, Brasil. A seguinte
combinação de caracteres permite diagnosticar a nova
espécie das demais congêneres: cabeça arredondada;
dois ou três poros pré-cloacais dispostos em sequência;
190–199 annuli corporais; 2–3 annuli laterais; 23–25
annuli caudais; plano de autotomia nos annuli caudais
7–9; 12–14 segmentos dorsais no annulus do meio do
corpo; 14–16 segmentos ventrais no annulus do meio
do corpo; três supralabiais; três infralabiais; ileira pósmalar presente ou ausente; dorso marrom-claro, com
suturas intersegmentares creme; ventre creme. Até
o momento a nova espécie é conhecida apenas para a
Cadeia do Espinhaço, ressaltando a importância de
ações de conservação para essas montanhas.
Palavras-chave: Minas Gerais, taxonomia, Amphisbaenia, réptil fossorial.
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APPENDIX
Additional specimens examined, from CHFURG,
MZUSP, and MTR. Toponyms are cited in
descending order (COUNTRY, State/Province,
City/County, Locality).
Amphisbaena alba: BRAZIL: São Paulo: Teodoro
Sampaio, Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo:
MZUSP 96810.
Amphisbaena anaemariae: BRAZIL: Goiás:
Campinaçu: MZUSP 103743; Luiziânia: MTR
11453, MTR 115454; São Salvador do Tocantins,
UHE São Salvador: MZUSP 99394; UHE Cana
Brava: MZUSP 97217; UHE Serra da Mesa:
MZUSP 97047, MZUSP 97171.
Amphisbaema caiari: BRAZIL: Rondônia: Porto
Velho: MZUSP 101727 (holotype), MZUSP 101695–
901
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
101697, MZUSP 101715–101718, MZUSP 101720,
MZUSP 101722–101726, MZUSP 101728–101733,
MZUSP 102226–102236, MZUSP 102238–102263
(paratypes).
Amphisbaema carli: BRAZIL: Bahia: São
Desidério: MZUSP 100658.
Amphisbaema cunhai: BRAZIL: Rondônia:
Porto Velho: MZUSP 101719, MZUSP 101721,
MZUSP 101734, MZUSP 102237.
Amphisbaena darwinii: BRAZIL: Santa
Catarina: Lauro Müller, Novo Horizonte:
MZUSP 21467; Rio Grande do Sul: Rio Grande,
ESEC Taim: CHFURG 1072, CHFURG 1462,
CHFURG 1528, CHFURG 1551; Fazenda
Votorantin: CHFURG 39; Parque Marinha:
CHFURG 1446; Senandes: CHFURG 2541.
URUGUAY: Montevideo: Puntas de Manga:
MZUSP 82343–82344.
Amphisbaena dubia: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais:
Poços de Caldas: MZUSP 13727, MZUSP 93983; São
Paulo: Aurora: MZUSP 6439; Campos do Jordão:
MZUSP 2527; Cascata: MZUSP 6432; Cotia: MZUSP
100372; Diadema: MZUSP 95082; Embu: MZUSP
6461; Guarulhos: MZUSP 87605; Mairinque: MZUSP
6433; Mogi da Cruzes: MZUSP 44696; Santana de
Parnaíba: MZUSP 77048; Santo Amaro: MZUSP
60424; São Bernardo do Campo: MZUSP 11870;
São José do Rio Preto: MZUSP 6442; São Manoel:
MZUSP 6520; São Paulo: MZUSP 77051, MZUSP
83031, MZUSP 89663; Pirituba: MZUSP 91505.
Amphisbaena fuliginosa: BRAZIL: Rondônia:
Porto Velho: MZUSP 102785.
Amphisbaena heterozonata: ARGENTINA:
Buenos Aires: La Plata: MZUSP 59215, MZUSP
59217; Córdoba: Pampa de Achala: MZUSP
82358; Tucumán: San Miguel de Tucumán:
MZUSP 13744–13745.
Amphisbaena hogei: BRAZIL: São Paulo:
Caucaia do Alto: MTR 15328.
Amphisbaena leeseri: BRAZIL: Mato Grosso:
Aquidauana: MZUSP 82539–82541; Guia Lopes
da Lagoa: MZUSP 73313.
Amphisbaena mitchelli: BRAZIL: Pará: Belém:
MZUSP 7140; Juruá, Rio Xingu: MZUSP 67714.
Amphisbaena polystega: BRAZIL: Tocantins:
UHE Luís Eduardo Magalhães: MTR MTR 8640,
MTR 8824–8826, MTR 8689, MTR 8641, MTR
8793, MTR 8806, MTR 8804.
Amphisbaena ridleyi: BRAZIL: Pernambuco:
Fernando de Noronha: CHFURG 2229.
Amphisbaena silvestrii: BRAZIL: São Paulo:
Santa Rita: MZUSP 100897; Goiás: Aruanã:
MZUSP 2525; Gurupi: MZUSP 57037; Parque
Nacional das Emas: MZUSP 87733; Mato Grosso:
Alto Araguaia, Fazenda Granada: MZUSP 99258;
Barra do Tapirapés: MZUSP 10069, MZUSP 9010;
Canarana, Fazenda PeixeBoi: MZUSP 88864;
Claudia, Fazenda Iracema: MZUSP 81778; Garapu,
Alto Xingu: MZUSP 3286; Jacaré, Alto Xingu:
MZUSP 6412–6413; Porto Velho, Rio Tapirapés:
MZUSP 9743, MZUSP 9757; UHE Guaporé:
MZUSP 97884; Utiarití: MZUSP 36857; Xavantina:
MZUSP 3367; Mato Grosso do Sul: Fazenda
Bela Vista, Rio Paraguai: MZUSP 62398; Parque
Estadual Nascentes do Taquarí: MZUSP 88659.
Amphisbaena slevini: BRAZIL: Amazonas:
Manaus: MZUSP 10913; Reserva INPAWWF:
MZUSP 60905–60906, MZUSP 66148.
Amphisbaena trachura: BRAZIL: Rio Grande
do Sul: Rio Grande: CHFURG 2377; Corredor do
Senandes: CHFURG 811; ESEC Taim: CHFURG
1406, CHFURG 1417, CHFURG 1526; Fazenda
Votorantin: CHFURG 38; Praia do Cassino:
CHFURG 1453, CHFURG 1454.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
Table SI - Morphological diagnostic characters of two-pored
and three-pored South American Amphisbaena species.
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
Taxa
HS POR POS
BA
LA
CA
AA
DS
VS
SL
IL
PMR
r
2, 3
seq
190–199 2–3
23–25
7 –9 12–14 14–16
3
3
a, p
A. absaberi1
r
2
sep
239–242
14–15
5–6
16–19 17–20
3
3
a
A. anaemariae
r
2
seq
156–170 3–4
18–20
3–5
14–16 14–16
4
4
a
A. anomala 2
ss
2
sep
182–192 4–6
13–14
5
16–20 17–20
4
4
a
A. angustifrons
r
3–6
seq
190–253 2–4
12–18
No
20–31 21–30 3–4
3
p
A. bilabialata3
ks
0–2
sep
354–372 2–4
15–17
7
12–19 16–21
2
2
p
A. bolivica
r
2–6
seq
200–231 2–4
18–26
3–5
27–38 26–36
4
3
p
A. brevis
r
2
seq
9
?
3
3
a
139
4
4
18
14
1
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
A. metallurga sp.
nov.
DGC
VGC
Source
Light brown/
grey, with cream
Cream.
This study
intersegmental
sutures.
Light brown; tail dark
Cream.
P
brown.
Brown with lighter
From almost white
N, R, Y,
intersegmental
to brown checkered. this study
sutures.
Brown.
Light brown.
J
Brownish, with
Light brown, with
reddish purple
reddish purple
G, R
overtones.
overtones.
Cartridge buff with
rather indistinct light Cream; tail mottled
K, W
brown spots; tail
brown.
mottled brown.
Uniform light
brown; head white,
Clear whitish.
L, R
brown, or with light
nuchal band.
Brown with light
Cream, with some
segments brown;
T, Y
intersegmental
sutures.
tail brown ventrally.
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
TABLE SI
Morphological diagnostic characters of two-pored and three-pored South American Amphisbaena species. HS
= head shape (keel-shaped [ks]; rounded [r]; shovel-shaped [ss]); POR = number of precloacal pores; POS =
position of precloacal pores (in sequence [seq] or separated [sep]); BA = number of midbody annuli (species
formerly in genus Leposternon have pectoral + postpectoral annuli); LA = number of lateral annuli; CA =
number of caudal annuli; AA = autotomy annulus; DS = number of dorsal segments; VS = number of ventral
segments; SL = number of supralabials; IL = number of infralabials; PMR = postmalar row (absent [a] or present
[p]); DGC = dorsal ground color in preservative; VGC = ventral ground color in preservative. Source legend: A =
Gans 1962; B = Gans 1963; C = Gans 1964a; D = Gans 1964b; E = Gans 1964c; F = Gans 1964d; G = Gans 1965;
H = Gans 1966; I = Gans 1971a; J = Gans 1971b; K = Stimson 1972; L = Montero 1996; M = Vanzolini 1996; N
= Vanzolini 1997; O = Porto et al. 2000; P = Strüssman and Carvalho 2001; Q = Montero and Céspedez 2002; R
= Vanzolini 2002; S = Ribeiro et al. 2008; T = Strüssmann and Mott 2009; U = Pinna et al. 2010; V = Mott et al.
2011; W = Perez et al. 2012; X = Ribeiro et al. 2012; Y = Teixeira et al. 2014; Z = Pinna et al. 2014.
2
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
TABLE SI (Continuation)
Taxa
HS POR POS
BA
LA
CA
AA
DS
VS
SL
IL
PMR
2
20–24
6–9
10
12–14
3
3
a
DGC
Pinkish with center
of segments darker;
tail terminating in
brownish color.
Uniform light brown;
head with light
nuchal band in some
specimens.
VGC
Source
Slightly less
pigmented than
dorsum
Y, this
study
Clear whitish.
G, L, R
r
2
seq
233–250
A. camura
r
2–6
seq
188–206 2–4
14–19
3–5
28–42 29–46
4
3
p
A. carli 4
r
2
sep
221–248
10–14
No
20–23 18–23
4
3
p
Creamish white.
Creamish white.
U, Y, this
study
A. cerradensis5
ss
2–4
sep
13–15 +
4–5
299–341
13–15
No
32–37 30–36
2
2
p
Light cream.
Light cream.
S
4
A. crisae
r
2
seq
180–185
A. cuiabana1
r
2–4
seq
283–320 3–5
A. darwinii 6
r
2–5
seq
A. dubia
r
0, 2
A. heterozonata
r
A. hiata
A. kisteumacheri
5
?
4
5
p
17–21 9–10 14–18 15–18
3
3
a
174–199 2–4
18–25 7–10 13–19 16–23
3
3
p
seq
211–231 3–4
13–18
No
13–16 14–19
3
3
a7
2–6
seq
189–207
13–18
5–8
14–24 15–28
3
3
p
r
2
sep
17–19
8
16–18 18–22
3
3
p
ss
2
sep
202–213 2–3
15–17 +
3–5
246–257
11–13
No
20–28 21–29
2
3
p
3
20–22
4–6
10
10
Brown with lighter
Segments with dark
intersegmental
center and light
sutures, causing inely
margins.
reticulate pattern.
Roseate to light brown;
Roseate to
tail dark brown with
immaculate; tail
white keel.
pigmented near its tip.
Dark brown, more
Cream with
pigmented in the
anterior edge of
anterior portion of
segments brown.
each segment.
Faintly lighter than
Light brown.
dorsum.
Dark brown, more
pigmented in the central
Cream.
portion of each segment.
Light brown.
Cream white
Grayish white.
Grayish white.
N, R, Y
P, T
H, W, Y,
this study
C, R, Y,
this study
R, W, Y,
this study
Q, Y
O
HENRIQUE C. COSTA et al.
A. caiari
TABLE SI (Continuation)
Taxa
HS POR POS
BA
LA
CA
AA
5–8
DS
VS
SL
IL
PMR
r
2
seq
216–249 3–4
14–19
10–15 12–18
3
3
p
A. lumbricalis
r
2, 4–6
seq
225–247
20–26 6–10 12–14 16–20
3
3
a
A. maxima 5
ss
2
sep
15–17 +
4–6
404–448
14–16
No
2
3
p
A. miringoera
r
2
seq
250–264 2–3
20–24
7–8
12–15
4
4
a
A. mitchelli
r
2
seq
203–220 3–4
26–29
6–7
12–14 14–16
3
3
a
A. neglecta
r
2
seq
151–161 3–4
14–16
4–6
12–14 12–14
3
3
a
A. persephone
r
2
seq
230–241 2–3
19–22
6–8
12–14
3
3
a
A. polystega 5
ss
1–2
sep
14–18 +
3–7
244–348
12–15
No
29–37 22–28
3
2
p
A. roberti 1
r
2
seq
232–265 3–5
17–20
7–8
13–16 12–16
3
3
a
A. silvestrii
r
2
seq
173–190 3–5
20–23
4–7
10–12 10–14
3
3
a
A. trachura
r
3-4
seq
186–208 3–4 15–25 8
5–9
14–21 16–24
3
3
p
?
24–33 23–33
12
14
VGC
Source
Brown, lighter than
D, R, Y,
dorsum.
this study
Immaculate, waxy
M, Y
Reddish brown.
yellow to light cream.
Uniform light cream;
Uniform light
cream; tail light
X
tail slightly light
brown dorsally.
cream ventrally.
Brown; posterior edge
of segments with dark
Light brown.
R, V, Y
bar on the posterior
third of the dorsum.
Brown, lighter than B, E, R, Y,
Darkish brown.
dorsum.
this study
Brown with lighter
A, N, R, Y
Dark brown.
edges.
Pale brown,
Pale brown, with a
with cream
Z
darker dot at each
intersegmental
segment.
sutures.
Uniform light
I, S, this
Uniform light cream
cream
study
Brown, lighter than
F, T
Brown.
dorsum.
A, N, R,
Dark brown with
Dark brown with
T, Y, this
lighter edges.
lighter edges.
study
Generally pigmented,
Dark brown, markedly usually fading after
H, R, W
and entirely dotted. two to three segments
below the lateral sulci.
A NEW Amphisbaena FROM BRAZIL
1
Formerly in genus Cercolophia; 2Formerly in genus Aulura; 3Formerly in genus Anops; 4Close related to the former genus Bronia; 5Formerly in genus Leposternon;
The original spelling of the speciic name is darwinii (Duméril and Bibron 1839). However, in most recent literature since Gans (1966), the name darwini has been used
(but see Peters and Donoso-Barros 1970). Therefore, we prefer to use the original name, darwinii here. 7Contrary to Teixeira et al. (2014) we follow Gans (1964a) and consider
A. dubia to lack a postmalar row because the row back of the malars falls posterior to the angular oris. 8caudal tip tuberculate.
6
3
An Acad Bras Cienc (2015) 87 (2)
A. leeseri
DGC
Dark brown with
lighter edges.