A new species of Brasilotyphlus (Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) and a contribution to the knowledge of the relationship between Microcaecilia and Brasilotyphlus

Abstract

A third species of Brasilotyphlus, a siphonopid caecilian, is described based on six specimens from two twin mountains in Roraima state, northern Brazil. Brasilotyphlus dubium sp. nov. differs from all other congeners in having a combination of 123–129 primary annuli and 9–16 secondary annular grooves. The first molecular data were generated and analyzed for Brasilotyphlus, and the genus was recovered as monophyletic and nested within a paraphyletic Microcaecilia. The extent of genetic and taxonomic sampling, and moderate phylogenetic support are not considered sufficient enough to place Brasilotyphlus in the synonymy of Microcaecilia.

A new species of Caecilia (Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae) from the Magdalena valley region of Colombia

“…Consistent with previous findings (i.e., Correia et al 2018), our phylogenetic analysis recovers Microcaecilia as non-monophyletic. Previously, based on evidence from dentition (relationship between VPs and rows of PM) and orbit (open versus closed orbit), Wilkinson et al (2013) suggested that some Microcaecilia , including the type species of the genus ( Dermophis albiceps Boulenger, 1882; not included herein), are more closely related to M. nicefori ( Gymnophis nicefori Barbour, 1925, the type species of Parvicaecilia , currently in the synonymy of Microcaecilia ; analyzed here for the first time) than to other species of Microcaecilia .…”

“…2). Recently, Correia et al (2018) also presented evidence that Microcaecilia is paraphyletic with respect to Brasilotyphlus . The placement of Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis within Siphonops contrasts with results of Pyron and Wiens’ (2011) and Maciel et al's (2019) analyses that found Luetkenotyphlus and Siphonops to be sister taxa.…”

“…The placement of Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis within Siphonops contrasts with results of Pyron and Wiens’ (2011) and Maciel et al's (2019) analyses that found Luetkenotyphlus and Siphonops to be sister taxa. Although analyses by San Mauro et al (2006), San Mauro et al (2014) and Correia et al (2018) also recovered Luetkenotyphlus and Siphonops as sister groups, these studies only included one species of Siphonops ( S. annulatus ). Therefore, additional molecular data are needed to clarify the delimitation of these clades.…”