A new four-pored Amphisbaena Linnaeus, 1758 (Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae) from the north of Espinhaço Mountain Range, Brazil

Abstract

A new species of Amphisbaena is described from the north of Espinhaço Mountain Range, municipality of Caetité, state of Bahia, Brazil. Amphisbaena amethysta sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) snout convex in profile, slightly compressed not keeled; (2) pectoral scales arranged in regular annuli; (3) four precloacal pores; (4) distinct cephalic shields; (5) 185–199 dorsal half-annuli; (6) 13–16 caudal annuli; (7) conspicuous autotomic site between 4th–6th caudal annuli; (8) 16–21 dorsal and ventral segments at midbody; (9) 3/3 supralabials; (10) 3/3 infralabials; and (11) smooth and rounded tail tip. The new species is the 71st species of genus with four precloacal pores, and the 22nd species from the Caatinga morphoclimatic domain. The identification of Amphisbaena amethysta sp. nov. indicates that the reptile fossorial fauna in the Espinhaço Mountain Range region is far from being completely known and that it may harbour a much greater diversity of endemic taxa.