Letheobia somalica
| Letheobia somalica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Typhlopidae |
| Genus: | Letheobia |
| Species: | L. somalica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Letheobia somalica (Boulenger, 1895)
| |
| Synonyms | |
Letheobia somalica, also known as the highland beaked snake or Ethiopian blind snake,[1] is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae.[2][3] It is endemic to Africa.[1]
Geographic range
It is found in Somalia at higher elevations.[1]
Description
Body pale olive; head yellowish. The type specimen is 45 cm (17+3⁄4 in) in total length. Scales arranged in 24 rows around the body.
Snout very prominent, obtusely pointed, with a sharp horizontal cutting edge, below which are located the nostrils. Head shields granulated. Rostral very large. Portion of rostral visible from above slightly longer than broad; portion visible from below as long as broad. Nasal completely divided, the nasal cleft proceeding from the second upper labial. Preocular nearly as large as the ocular, in contact with the second and third upper labials. Ocular in contact with the third and fourth upper labials. Eyes not distinguishable. Prefrontal and supraoculars transversely enlarged. Diameter of body 90 times in total length. Tail slightly broader than long, ending in a small spine.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ "Rhinotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). London. xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.-XXV. (Typhlops somalicus, p. 589 ["Addenda and Corrigenda" for Volume I., p. 52.])
Further reading
- Boulenger, G.A. 1895. An Account of the Reptiles and Batrachians collected by Dr. A. Donaldson Smith in Western Somali-land and the Galla Country. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, Volume 1895, pp. 530–540, Plates XXIX. & XXX. (Typhlops somalicus, p. 536, Plate XXX., Figure 1.)