Rediscovery Of The Enigmatic Blind Snake Genus Xenotyphlops In Northern Madagascar, With Description Of A New Species (Serpentes: Typhlopidae)

Abstract

After more than a century the rare blind snake genus Xenotyphlops Wallach & Ineich (1996) has been rediscovered in Madagascar, with the collection of a specimen from the arid northern part of the country. This represents only the third known Xenotyphlops specimen and establishes the first precise locality for the genus. As it differs from Xenotyphlops grandidieri (Mocquard) in several external and numerous internal features, it is here described as a new species.

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Accepted by P. David: 29 Nov. 2006; published: 1 Feb. 2007 59
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Rediscovery of the enigmatic blind snake genus Xenotyphlops in northern
Madagascar, with description of a new species (Serpentes: Typhlopidae)
VAN WALLACH1, VINCENZO MERCURIO2 & FRANCO ANDREONE3,4
1Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. E-mail vwallach@oeb.harvard.edu
2Forschungsinstitut und Naturhistorisches Museum Senckenberg, Sektion Herpetologie, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325, Frankfurt
a.M., Germany. E-mail vincenzomercurio@gmx.de
3Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via G. Giolitti, 36, I-10123, Torino, Italy. E-mail f.andreone@libero.it
4Corresponding author
Abstract
After more than a century the rare blind snake genus Xenotyphlops Wallach & Ineich (1996) has been rediscovered in
Madagascar, with the collection of a specimen from the arid northern part of the country. This represents only the third
known Xenotyphlops specimen and establishes the first precise locality for the genus. As it differs from Xenotyphlops
grandidieri (Mocquard) in several external and numerous internal features, it is here described as a new species.
Key words: Xenotyphlops, Typhlopidae, X. grandidieri, new species, Madagascar, viscera
Introduction
In the beginning of the twentieth century, the French herpetologist François Mocquard (1905) described a
most unusual typhlopid, named Typhlops grandidieri, based upon two specimens with the vague type locality
of “Madagascar.” This bizarre scolecophidian has been known solely from the type specimens for more than
100 years (Guibé, 1958; Blanc, 1971; Brygoo, 1983, 1987; McDiarmid et al., 1999). Wallach & Ineich (1996)
erected the genus Xenotyphlops to reflect the distinctness of this blind snake, which shared some peculiar
characteristics typical of the Leptotyphlopidae (e.g., single enlarged anal shield, absence of a tracheal lung,
cranially positioned heart with long heart-liver gap, heavily vascularized, unicameral right lung lacking avas-
cular terminal portion, and type G bronchial foramina). However, the majority of characters corroborated its
inclusion within the Typhlopidae (e.g., dentigerous maxilla and edentulous dentary, 20 midbody scale rows,
costal/vertebral ratio greater than 1.0, a single pelvic element, left liver lobe forming anterior extension, and
unipartite liver). On the other hand, some further characters suggested a relationship to the Rhinotyphlops (=
Letheobia fide Broadley & Wallach, 2000; Wallach, 2005) simoni and/or R. caecus species groups, such as the
lack of visible eye, reduction of most head shields, T-0 supralabial imbrication pattern, corneal cutting edge on
rostral, inferiorly located nostrils, elongated body with uniform diameter throughout, and absence of scale row
reduction, pigmentation and apical spine. Additionally, a unique scolecophidian feature was described: soft,
flexible cephalic papillae on the rostral shield (Wallach & Ineich, 1996: Fig. 1).
Guibé (1958) and Wallach & Ineich (1996) illustrated the species but it remained the only Malagasy
typhlopid for which no specific locality was available (Werner, 1921; Hahn, 1980; Glaw & Vences, 1994;
McDiarmid et al., 1999). The obscure phylogenetic position and the geographic vagueness of its provenance
made this typhlopid highly enigmatic. Due to this, the discovery of an individual clearly belonging to the

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60 · Zootaxa 1402 © 2007 Magnolia Press
genus Xenotyphlops, and resembling X. grandidieri, now permits a more accurate redefinition of the genus
and elucidates the first known locality for the genus in Madagascar. Based upon the differences between the
significant morphological characters presented below, in conjunction with comparative data, we consider this
specimen to represent a new species that we describe herein.
Materials and methods
Visceral characters are described in Wallach (1985, 1991, 1993b–c, 1998a–b) and Wallach & Ineich (1996),
and the references cited therein. The “prefrontal” shield of Leptotyphlopidae and Typhlopidae has been shown
to be homologous to the typical frontal (Wallach, 2003). Organ lengths and points, gaps and intervals, and
organ midpoint-midpoint segments presented as percent snout-vent length (% SVL), midpoint (MP) usually
following organ length parenthetically. Ratio of one organ to another presented as decimal fraction. Organ
length denoted by name of organ itself (i.e., heart = heart length) and % SVL indicated by % sign (liver MP
51.2% = liver midpoint at 51.2% SVL). In Table 2, MP refers to organ or interval midpoints. Museum acro-
nyms follow Leviton et al. (1985).
Taxonomy
Xenotyphlops mocquardi n. sp.
(Figs. 1–4)
Holotype. MRSN R3208 (field no. FAZC 13182), an adult female collected by V. Mercurio, on 14 January
2005.
Type locality. Ambodivahibe (approximately 12 km SE Antsiranana), Antsiranana Fivondronana, Antsir-
anana Faritany, 22°23’25”S, 49°26’20”E, elevation ca. 40 m.
Diagnosis. Xenotyphlops mocquardi can be immediately diagnosed from all other Typhlopidae by its lat-
eral snout profile (with greatly enlarged circular rostral that is nearly vertically oriented) or anal shield (which
is single and broad as in many Alethinophidia). Internally it is unique among the Typhlopidae in the absence
of a tracheal lung and expanded tracheal membrane, presence of type G tracheal foramina, and a long heart-
liver gap. From Letheobia (=Rhinotyphlops), which contains its apparently closest relatives, X. mocquardi can
be separated by a long tail (3.7% vs. < 0.7–2.2% total length with a length/width ratio of 2.7 vs. 0.7–1.7) that
does not taper distally, high number of subcaudals (22 vs. 6–17), and short snout-heart interval (26.4% vs.
29.5%–40.7% SVL). Additionally, Xenotyphlops mocquardi can be distinguished from its congener X. gran-
didieri by midbody scale rows (22 vs. 20), posterior scale row reduction present (vs. absent), third supralabial
(larger than fourth vs. fourth larger than third), orientation of anteroventral rostral point (ventrally vs. anteri-
orly), vestigial left lung (present vs. absent), and anterior liver extension (right lobe vs. left lobe).
Etymology. This species in named in honor of François Mocquard (1834–1917), the herpetologist who
described Xenotyphlops grandidieri. During his life Mocquard contributed in a substantial way to the knowl-
edge of Malagasy herpetofauna (Glaw & Vences, 1994), culminating in his grand systematic synopsis (Moc-
quard, 1909).
Description. An adult female with nearly uniform diameter throughout, snout-vent length 248.5 mm, tail
length 9.5 mm, tail/total length 3.7%, midbody diameter 4.1 mm (nuchal diameter 3.5 mm, cloacal diameter
3.6 mm), total length/midbody diameter ratio 62.9, midtail diameter 3.5 mm, tail length/tail width ratio 2.7;
scale rows 22-22-20, middorsals 478, subcaudals 22, dorsocaudals 21, anal shield transversely enlarged and
single, three scales wide with anterior margin bordered by five scales; tail with uniform diameter throughout,

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apex rounded, lacking terminal spine; head narrower than neck, snout truncated in dorsal view; rostral nar-
rowly visible in dorsal view due to its angle; rostral very large, and sub-circular, covered with numerous
minute, dome-like convexities and with an acute, ventrally directed point projecting from narrow corneal cut-
ting edge; rostral width/head width ratio 0.90; frontal fused with supraoculars to form narrow broad shield
bordering caudal edge of rostral and contacting supranasals laterally; discrete parietals and occipitals lacking;
lateral profile of snout with plane of rostral nearly vertical, rostral with an acute apex directed ventrally; sec-
ond largest shield (after rostral) is supranasal, which widens ventrally and contacts supralabials I–III, minute
crescent-shaped infranasal separated completely from supranasal by inferior nostril (that contacts rostral) and
inferior nasal suture, which contacts supralabial II; preocular absent, presumably fused with supranasal; ocu-
lar small, eye invisible, subocular larger than ocular, in contact with supralabial III; 3 postoculars; SIP T-0,
supralabial I minute with pointed anterior end, supralabial II twice the size of supralabial I, supralabial III
largest, 1.5 times as long as tall, twice the size of supralabial IV and six times as large as supralabial II,
supralabial IV taller than broad with a medial indentation (indicative of fusion of two scales); mental shield
enlarged and projecting into notch in upper jaw.
FIGURE 1. Lateral view of head of the holotype (MRSN R3208) of Xenotyphlops mocquardi, showing unique profile
with vertically-oriented rostral.
FIGURE 2. Dorsal view of head of the holotype (MRSN R3208) of Xenotyphlops mocquardi, with extremely large ros-
tral, nearly as broad as the head.

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62 · Zootaxa 1402 © 2007 Magnolia Press
FIGURE 3. Ventrolateral view of head of the holotype (MRSN R3208) of Xenotyphlops mocquardi showing enlarged
supralabial III, minute infranasal, and projecting mental with corresponding rostral notch.
FIGURE 4. The female (MRSN R3208) photographed in life at Ambodivahibe, northern Madagascar (by V. Mercurio).
Colouration. In life the specimen exhibited a pink colouration, with some translucent parts that made vis-
ible the darker internal organs. In general, anyhow, pigmentation is lacking throughout the entire body. After
two years of collection the holotype is now whitish.
Viscera. Sternohyoideus muscle posterior tip 8.2%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.65; heart 3.0% (MP =

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24.8%), elongate with right atrium 0.67 heart length, ventricle 0.53 heart length, and left atrium 0.40 heart
length, ventricle length/width 2.0, snout-heart interval 26.4%; heart-liver gap 7.6%, heart-liver interval
45.1%, heart-gall bladder gap 41.6%; liver narrow, straight, and unipartite, each lobe with a single notch (less
than width of lobe), colouration light brown with a pattern of black reticulations forming cris-crossing net-
work of roughly parallel lines, right liver lobe 30.2% (MP 53.3%), unsegmented but with notch at 45.5%, left
liver lobe 19.5% (MP 43.8%), unsegmented but with notch at 47.3%, total liver 49.7% (MP 51.2%), total liver
segments 2, left liver/right liver 0.65, anterior liver extension (0.12 liver length) on right lobe as in Lepto-
typhlopidae, posterior liver tail (0.43 liver length) also on right lobe; liver tip overlapping gall bladder
(liver-gall bladder gap - 0.4%), liver-gall bladder interval 31.4%, liver-kidney gap 21.3%, liver-kidney inter-
val 57.5%; gall bladder 1.6 % (MP 68.8%), anterior to and slightly overlapping pancreas (1.4%), spleen not
detectable; gall bladder-kidney gap 20.1%, gall bladder-kidney interval 27.8%, gall bladder-gonad gap 10.1%;
right ovary 3.6 % (MP 81.5%), left ovary 2.2% (MP 86.4%), total ovary 5.8% (MP 84.0%); right adrenal MP
82.9%, left adrenal MP 87.7%, total adrenal MP 85.3%; gonad-kidney gap 2.2%, kidneys smooth, right kid-
ney 4.4% (MP 92.0%), left kidney 4.4% (MP 93.6%), total kidney 8.8% (MP 92.8%), kidney overlap 0.47
kidney length, kidney-vent gap 4.2%, kidney-vent interval 10.3%; rectal caecum small (1.4%), bulbous and
twice the diameter of adjacent intestine, caecum-vent interval 10.9%, caecum/left kidney 0.32.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung, expanded tracheal membrane, left orifice and left bronchus but
with a small (0.6%) teardrop shaped expansion of vascular tissue on ventrolateral aspect of right lung just pos-
terior to heart apex (MP 27.1%), precisely where a vestigial left lung would be located. This structure has no
free edges, being fused with the parenchyma of the right lung, but has a hollow inner air chamber with a con-
nection to the tracheal airway via the small type G foramen between the tracheal tips. It is reminiscent of a
blind sac since no bronchus or typical large orifice are present, but since it is vascularized it must be consid-
ered a left lung. Trachea (25.6%, MP 13.6%) with pink cartilages and clear interspaces of equal width, lacking
free tips, numbering approximately 273 (or 107.7/10% SVL); tracheal membrane thin and avascular, extend-
ing along right lateral aspect of trachea, tracheal membrane/tracheal ring ratio at midpoint 0.33; terminal tra-
cheal entry into right lung, anterior tip of parenchyma 24.9%, cardiac lung 1.4%, right lung highly vascular,
23.1 % (MP 37.9%), with two layers of small, thin-walled faveoli along cranial third of organ, a single layer
of larger ediculae along caudal 2/3 of lung, lacking avascular portion, tapering to posterior tip at 49.5%; intra-
pulmonary bronchus short 7.0% with tiny type G foramina between the cartilage tips, posterior tip of bron-
chus at 33.4%, bronchus/right lung 0.30; trachea-bronchus 32.6% (MP 17.1%); trachea-bronchus/total lung
0.66.
Organ midpoint-organ midpoint segments include heart MP-right lung MP (13.1%), trachea MP-liver MP
(27.6%), heart MP-liver MP (28.5%), liver MP-total kidney MP (39.5%), trachea-bronchus MP-gall bladder
MP (39.6%), right lung MP-total adrenal MP (47.4%), heart MP-right gonad MP (56.7%), trachea MP-total
adrenal MP (59.6%), trachea-bronchus MP-total kidney MP (63.6%), and heart MP-total kidney MP (68.0%).
Reproduction. Right oviduct hypertrophied (2.5 mm wide), enlarged with thickened walls with two elon-
gate bulges posteriorly that retain the shape of what is interpreted as two large eggs (both exactly 5 mm long
or 2.0% SVL) that had been laid shortly before capture on January, thus suggesting that oviposition occurs in
the summer. The right ovary held 3 vitellogenic ova (1.5 x 0.75 mm [2] and 1.0 x 0.5 mm) and one small fol-
licle; the left ovary had eleven very small follicles.
Habitat. The specimen was found along a nearly dry sun exposed stream surrounded by riverside vegeta-
tion with thin sandy soil substratum and some scattered water pools with a deep of about 20–30 cm. Outside
the riverbed the area is characterized by a dry bushy savannah. This species appears similar ecologically to the
xeric-adapted Leptotyphlopidae (i.e., Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus) and Typhlopidae (i.e., Letheobia epis-
copa) that occupy moist fringes of sandy arid regions (Schleich et al., 1996; Franzen & Wallach, 2002; Baha
el Din, 2006).

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TABLE 1. Morphological comparison of Xenotyphlops grandidieri and X. mocquardi.
Justification for the new species. The two species differ in seven external characters enumerated in
Table 1 (see characters denoted by *) and for the numerous differences in size and position of the viscera as
shown in Table 2. Neither species can be confused with any other typhlopid based upon the unique lateral
head profile and anal shield. We are aware that the sample size is minimal but both specimens of Xeno-
typhlops (paralectotype of X. grandidieri MNHN 1905.271, and holotype of X. mocquardi, MRSN R3208) for
which visceral data are available are females of identical length so the data are comparable and the observed
differences cannot be attributed to either ontogeny or sexual dimorphism.
Revised definition of Xenotyphlops. Examination of the freshly preserved Xenotyphlops mocquardi
necessitates revision of the generic diagnosis of Xenotyphlops due to one major error in its description. A sup-
posedly unique character of Xenotyphlops was the presence of numerous soft, flexible papillae on the rostral
shield, which necessitated hypothesizing a wet microhabitat for the snake (Wallach & Ineich, 1996). It is now
obvious that the rostral shields of both X. grandidieri specimens had sloughed off, a not uncommon occur-
rence in century-old, poorly preserved serpents, and what was taken to be external papillae are actually the
soft tissue structures lying beneath the typical granular, dome-like convexities found in xeric-adapted typhlo-
pids and leptotyphlopids. Presumably these structures have a sensory function, as they appear to be extensions
of the nervous system.
According to this new definition, the genus Xenotyphlops is distinguishable externally from all members
of the Typhlopidae by its greatly enlarged and nearly circular rostral shield that is nearly vertical in lateral
aspect (giving it a ‘bulldozer” appearance) and a single enlarged anal shield. Internally Xenotyphlops is
unique among typhlopids in lacking a tracheal lung and possessing an unexpanded tracheal membrane, type G
tracheal foramina, and a long heart-liver gap. Other characters that are rare within the family include absence
of a preocular, presence of a subocular that is larger than the ocular, absence of a visible eye, T-X supralabial
imbrication pattern, elongate body of uniform diameter, absence of an apical spine, pigmentless pattern, and
unipartite liver.
Character Xenotyphlops grandidieri Xenotyphlops mocquardi
Specimen MNHN 1905.272 MRSN R3208
Snout-vent length 248.0–249.0 mm 248.5 mm
Total length 257.0–257.0 mm 258.0 mm
Anterior scale rows 20 22
Midbody scale rows* 20 22
Posterior scale rows 20 20
Posterior scale row reduction* no yes
Inferior nasal suture contacts* second supralabial rostral
Largest supralabial* IV III
Postoculars 3–4 3
Rostral width/head width 0.65 0.90
Anterior rostral point directed* anteriorly ventrally
Left lung* absent present
Anterior liver extension* left lobe right lobe
Left liver/right liver ratio 0.98 0.65
Posterior liver tail (% liver length) 0.19 0.49
Kidney-vent interval/right liver length 0.43 0.34
Rectal caecum/heart 0.78 0.47
Rectal caecum/left kidney 0.58 0.32

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TABLE 2. Comparison of the visceral characters of female Xenotyphlops grandidieri and X. mocquardi as % SVL.
MP = midpoint.
Little can be said about the affinities of the two species of Xenotyphlops with the other typhlopids of
Madagascar, since up to now no detailed phylogenetic analysis has been carried out. In the only phylogenetic
analysis to date on the Scolecophidia, which was unfortunately analyzed only to the species group level,
Character Xenotyphlops grandidieri Xenotyphlops mocquardi
Specimen MNHN 1905.271 MRSN R3208
Heart MP 22.3 24.8
Snout-heart interval 23.7 26.4
Heart-liver gap 4.8 7.6
Heart-liver interval 31.9 45.1
Right liver lobe 20.7 30.2
Total (left + right) liver length 41.0 49.7
Right liver MP 42.5 53.3
Left liver MP 38.7 43.8
Total (left + right) liver MP 40.7 51.2
Liver-gall bladder gap 8.6 0.4
Liver-kidney gap 38.2 21.3
Gall bladder-kidney gap 28.1 20.1
Gall bladder-kidney interval 34.7 27.8
Gall bladder-gonad gap 16.1 10.1
Right ovary length 1.4 3.6
Left ovary length 1.2 2.2
Right ovary MP 79.6 81.5
Left ovary MP 83.7 86.4
Total (left + right) ovary MP 81.7 84.0
Gonad-kidney gap 6.6 2.2
Left adrenal MP 85.5 87.7
Rectal caecum length 2.2 1.4
Trachea length 22.9 25.6
Right lung anterior tip 22.5 24.9
Right lung length 20.7 23.1
Right lung MP 34.0 37.9
Right lung posterior tip 44.4 49.5
Bronchus posterior tip 29.7 33.4
Trachea + bronchus length 28.9 32.6
Trachea-bronchus MP 15.3 17.1
Trachea MP-liver MP 30.3 27.6
Trachea MP-total adrenal MP 72.1 59.6
Trachea-bronchus MP-gall bladder MP 46.8 39.6
Trachea-bronchus MP-total kidney MP 78.3 63.6
Heart MP-liver MP 20.2 28.5
Liver MP-total kidney MP 51.1 39.5

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Xenotyphlops was found to be the sister group to the Ramphotyphlops angusticeps group of Australia, which
itself was sister group to the R. australis and R. bituberculatus groups with the basal R. affinis group being the
most primitive (Wallach, 1998b: Fig. 4). This surprising finding suggests a relationship to Australian rather
than Malagasy taxa. It is even more remarkable that Xenotyphlops shows some resemblance to the Lepto-
typhlopidae and we can add one additional character of X. mocquardi in the arrangement of the liver lobes: the
right liver lobe lies craniad of the left, a condition unknown among the Typhlopidae where the left liver lobe
extends cranially of the right (as also in X. grandidieri). It is possible that our specimen of X. mocquardi is
aberrant in possessing a shortened left liver lobe but that can only de determined with the examination of fur-
ther material. The presence of a vestige of the left lung is also noteworthy and indicates retention of a primi-
tive characteristic that is quite rare among scolecophidians (Wallach, 1993b).
Discussion
The collection of Xenotyphlops mocquardi in Madagascar provides evidence that Maurice de Rothschild, the
donor of X. grandidieri, obtained the two type specimens from some source in Madagascar, and not from
mainland Africa, even though he personally made only two African expeditions (Wallach & Ineich, 1996).
Anyhow, we do not have any information from where the types of Xenotyphlops grandidieri, although the
finding of a new species compels us to revise our view of the presumed habitat of this genus, providing there-
fore some indications of the presumed geographic localities. In fact, the absence of external soft rostral papil-
lae in Xenotyphlops, a generic character previously considered diagnostic (Wallach & Ineich, 1996), resolves
the difficult proposition that the genus inhabited a muddy or aquatic habitat. Instead, the presence of granular
domes (Figs. 2–3) covering these papillae indicates that the genus inhabits a xeric environment because those
leptotyphlopids and typhlopids having such structures come from very dry or desert areas. This consideration
has been just confirmed by the habitat observation regarding X. mocquardi, which was found in a dry savan-
nah. Therefore, we predict that X. grandidieri should inhabit the western coast of Madagascar, which contains
an abundance of xeric habitats.
The finding of this new typhlopid species indicates, once more, that most of the Malagasy herpetofauna is
highly secretive, and in general difficult to be detected. It is amazing that the genus Xenotyphlops remained
unconfirmed for more than one century, despite the many field surveys conducted in Madagascar. More sur-
prising was that the newly found individual belonged to a different species. Among the reptiles the existence
of species represented by a single or a few specimens is not unusual. This usually occurs particularly in fosso-
rial species, such as scolecophidian genera like Grypotyphlops, Rhinoleptus, and Cyclotyphlops (Peters, 1881;
Orejas-Miranda et al., 1970; Bosch & Ineich, 1994) and skinks belonging to the genera Pseudoacontias and
Paracontias (Nussbaum & Raxworthy, 1995; Andreone & Greer, 2002; Sakata & Ikida, 2003).
Thus, it is clear that fossorial reptiles are good candidate by "escaping" scientific surveys. One way to
increase the probability to get these animals is to work in a standardized manner by means of pitfall traps.
However, the new Xenotyphlops was found during opportunistic research, by moving on the ground surface.
Since no heavy rainfall occurred before we ignore the reason for this unusual behavior.
We hope that more individuals of Xenotyphlops mocquardi will be found in the future, likely conducting
more intensive research in the Ambodivahibe coastal area as done in the near renewed Montagne des
Français. Taken into consideration the high reptile endemism detected at the latter locality (Glaw et al., 2001,
2005a, 2005b), and the fact that the site hosts some relevant populations of Mantella viridis (Andreone et al.,
2006), it is suggested that Montagne des Français / Ambodivahibe should be included in the forthcoming pro-
tected area network for the safeguard of his rocky forested slopes and of the dry bushy savannah hosting an
unique herpetofauna.

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Acknowledgments
The work in Madagascar was possible due to the agreement with Ministère des Eaux et Forets and Parc Bota-
nique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza, which delivered the requested research and exportation authorizations. F.
Andreone and V. Mercurio beneficiated of financial funding from the Nando Peretti Foundation, Conservation
International, Istituto Oikos, the Gondwana Conservation and Research, and the Madagascar Fauna Group.
We thank the curators and staff of the following institutions who have provided access to comparative mate-
rial and permitted dissection of those specimens: CAS (R. C. Drewes and J. V. Vindum), FMNH (A. Resetar,
and H. K. Voris), MCZ (J. Rosado), and MNHN (I. Ineich). Special thanks go to R. M. Repetto, who astutely
attributed the present specimen to the genus Xenotyphlops when sorting the herpetological collection in Turin;
without his intuitive perception this paper would have never have seen the light of day, and the described blind
snake would have remained unknown for a much longer period of time.
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