Letheobia somalica

Letheobia somalica, also known as the highland beaked snake or Ethiopian blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia.[1]

Letheobia somalica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Typhlopidae
Genus: Letheobia
Species:
L. somalica
Binomial name
Letheobia somalica
(Boulenger, 1895)
Synonyms[1]

Geographic range

It appears to be endemic to Ethiopia.[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]

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References
  1. Letheobia somalica at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 18 January 2019.
  2. 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).
  3. "Rhinotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  4. 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.)
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