Systematics of the blindsnakes (Serpentes: Scolecophidia: Typhlopoidea) based on molecular and morphological evidence Author Pyron, Robert Alexander Author Wallach, Van text Zootaxa 2014 3829 1 1 81 journal article 36820 10.11646/zootaxa.3829.1.1 a4b69269-5a4c-4b5b-9f89-6b314d3ba284 1175-5326 286556 75210CDC-AC6A-4624-A6F1-1BC969BC7CAA Cyclotyphlops in den Bosch & Ineich, 1994 Type species. Cyclotyphlops deharvengi in den Bosch & Ineich, 1994 Species content. Cyclotyphlops deharvengi . Diagnosis. Cyclotyphlops can be distinguished from all other typhlopoids by its head shields, fragmented in a unique pattern with dorsum of head exhibiting a round frontal surrounded by circular arrangement of scales and lateral head shields divided into 3 rostrals, 4 nasals, 5 preoculars, 3 suboculars, and 3 temporals. Small-sized (total length 146 mm ), stout-bodied (length/width ratio 32) snakes with 22 scale rows (with reduction), 299 total middorsals, moderate tail (3.1% total length) with 15 subcaudals (length/width ratio 1.5), and apical spine minute. Dorsal and lateral head profiles rounded, moderate circular rostral (0.48 head width), inferior nasal suture in contact with second supralabial, preocular in contact with second and third supralabials, eye invisible, T-III SIP , and postoculars 3. Left lung absent, tracheal lung multicameral (with 16 chambers), cardiac and right lungs unicameral, and rectal caecum large (3.6% SVL). Coloration of dorsum light brown with golden-brown venter. Phylogenetic definition. Monotypic as currently defined, but would include all species more closely related to Cyclotyphlops deharvengi than to the type species of the 16 other typhlopid genera listed here. Etymology. Likely from the Greek for round or circular (cyclos) , referring to the condition of the frontal and surrounding scales. Distribution. Sulawesi, Indonesia ( Fig. 2 ). Remarks. This genus is not included in the molecular phylogeny, but is clearly distinct morphologically, so we continue to recognize it. We suggest that is is allied with the Anilios clade based on 22 scale rows and unicameral right lung (Tables 2, 7), but hemipenial and molecular data will be needed to confirm or reject this preliminary hypothesis. TABLE 7. Visceral character states comparing Cyclotyphlops (CYC) with Ramphotyphlops (RAM) and Anilios (ANI), based on measurement of the specimens in Appendix II (part). Characters are as follows: data in sections (A)-(D) represent sample means as % SVL; organ lengths (PT = posterior tip) are included in section (A) ; organ midpoints (MP) are listed in section (B) ; organ gaps (GAP) and intervals (INT) are compiled in section (C) ; organ midpoint intervals (MP-MP INT) are included in section (D) ; ratios of two characters listed in (E) .

Taxon	RAM	CYC	ANI
Sample size	n = 43	n = 1	n = 92
(A)
Rectal caecum	2.9	3.6	3.6
Trachea	35.5	34.5	31.6
Tracheal lung	22.8	21.2	21.1
Right lung PT	56	51.8	53.6
Right bronchus	11.9	11.9	8.1
Right bronchus PT	48.6	47.5	40.9

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