New Species of Tricolor Leptotyphlops (Reptilia: Squamata: Leptotyphlopidae) from Central Peru

A new species of slender blind snake, Leptotyphlops alfredschmidti, is described from two localities (2940 and 3090 m) from the western Andean slopes of central Peru (Departamento de Ancash, Provincia de Huarmey). Leptotyphlops alfredschmidti is referred to the Leptotyphlops tesselatus group. The new species shares with Leptotyphlops teaguei and Leptotyphlops tricolor a tricolor body pattern of red, black, and yellowish longitudinal stripes but differs from all members of the group in several features of coloration pattern and pholidosis.

Resumen

Se describe una nueva especie de serpiente ciega, Leptotyphlops alfredschmidti, procedente de dos localidades (2940 y 3090 m) ubicados en los Andes occidentales del Perú central (Departamento de Ancash, Provincia de Huarmey). Se asigna a Leptotyphlops alfredschmidti en el grupo Leptotyphlops tesselatus. La nueva especie comparte un patrón corporal tricolor de rayas longitudinales amarillentas, rojas y negras con Leptotyphlops teaguei y Leptotyphlops tricolor, pero difiere de todos los miembros del grupo en muchos otros carácteres de patrón de coloración y folidosis.

Fig. 1.

Holotype of Leptotyphlops alfredschmidti sp. nov., MHNSM 20068. (A, B, C) Dorsal, lateral, and ventral view of head, respectively. (D) Dorsal view of midbody. (E) Lateral view of tail. (F) Ventral view of cloacal region. Heavy stippling, dark gray (except gray blotches on chin, and ventral surface of tail); light stippling, hazelnut brown; no stippling, cream. Scale = 5 mm

Fig. 3.

Distribution of Leptotyphlops alfredschmidti, Leptotyphlops teaguei, and Leptotyphlops tricolor. Distribution of L. teaguei after Orejas-Miranda 1964, distribution of L. tricolor after Orejas-Miranda and Zug (1974) and Zug (1977). Circle: L. teaguei (type locality: between Chota and Cutervo, elevation 2700 m, Departamento de Cajamarca); triangles: L. tricolor [from north to south: (1) Cajabamba, elevation 2700 m, Departamento de Cajamarca, (2) type locality: Yunca Pampa, elevation 2700 m, Departamento de Ancash, (3) 2 km N. Marcara, elevation 2800 m, Departamento de Ancash, (4) Huaraz, elevation 3250 m, Departamento de Ancash], star: L. alfredschmidti (type locality: Malvas, elevation 2940 m, Departamento de Ancash)