Leptotyphlops nigricans
Creators: name: Published, First
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Leptotyphlopidae
Leptotyphlops
Leptotyphlops nigricans

description: Leptotyphlops nigricans species group
Leptotyphlops aethiopicus (mean based on two female paratypes, BMNH 1976.685, CAS 122975)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 15.6%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.07, heart 4.6% (MP = 19.0%), snout-heart interval 21.3%, heart-liver gap 11.2%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 38.8% (MP = 51.9%) with 42.5 (37– 48) segments, left liver 32.8% (MP = 51.2%) with 32.5 (30–35) segments, anterior liver extension 0.06, posterior tail of liver 0.09, left liver = 0.85 right liver, postcava straight thrughout, liver-gall bladder gap 1.0%, gall bladder 1.6% (MP = 73.1%) located adjacent to pancreas (1.2%) and caudad of elongate juxtasplenic body (2.4%), right ovary 3.0% (MP = 83.6%) one vitellogenic ovum and 4 follicles, left ovary 3.1% (MP = 85.5%) with one ovum and 4 follicles, right adrenal MP = 87.1%, left adrenal MP = 88.4%, right kidney 3.1% (MP = 88.9%), left kidney 3.2% (MP = 90.6%), kidney overlap 0.32, kidney-vent interval 12.7%, kidney-vent gap 7.9%, rectal caecum 2.2%, equal in diameter to that of adjacent small intestine, rectal caecum-vent interval 9.0%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 20.2% (MP = 11.2%), estimated number of tracheal rings 170 (160–180) or 82.9 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 19.3%, cardiac lung 1.9%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 33.5% (MP = 38.0%), posterior lung tip 54.8%, right bronchus 11.1%, bronchus posterior tip 32.4%, bronchus = 0.39 right lung, trachea-bronchus 31.3% (MP = 16.8%), total lung 35.5% (MP = 37.0%).
Reproduction. CAS 122975 (SVL 104 mm, MBD 2.5 mm) with 1/1 ova (4 x 1 mm /2 x 1 mm) and 4/4 follicles on 25 January 1970.
Leptotyphlops emini (mean based on six males, CAS 21692, LIVM 1962.106.57, MCZ 48036, 53450, NMZB 14322, ZMUC 52193, and five females, LIVM 1980.150.10–11, MCZ 30063, 48037, NMZM-UM 14334)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus muscle 14.6%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.10, heart 4.4% (MP = 18.5%), snout-heart interval 20.8%, heart-liver gap 10.3%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 36.6% (MP = 49.3%) with 34.5 (27–48) segments, left liver 31.8% (MP = 49.3%) with 31.8 (26–38) segments, anterior extension of liver 0.07, posterior liver tail 0.07, left liver = 0.87 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 1.4%, gall bladder 1.6% (MP = 69.8%) adjacent to pancreas (1.6%) and caudad of small spleen (1.2%) and juxtasplenic body (2.1%), pancreas with short splenic limb, MCZ 42898 with two spleens, testes multipartite, right testis 5.7% (MP = 78.2%) with 8.3 (7–10) segments, left testis 5.1% (MP = 82.2%) with 6.8 (6–7) segments, right ovary 4.8% (MP = 78.8%) with 1.8 (1–3) ova and 5.7 (4–7) follicles, left ovary 4.6% (MP = 81.6%) with 1.6 (1–2) ova and 4.7 (4–5) follicles, right adrenal MP = 83.1%, left adrenal MP = 84.7%, right kidney 3.5% (MP = 86.3%), left kidney 3.7% (MP = 88.3%), kidney overlap 0.38, kidney-vent interval 15.5%, kidney-vent gap 9.8%, rectal caecum 2.1%, tapered and 2 times the diameter of adjacent small intestine, rectal caecum-vent interval 10.6%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 19.4% (MP = 11.1%), estimated number of tracheal rings 142.0 (117–189) or 71.8 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 18.6%, cardiac lung 2.2%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 28.2% (MP = 34.9%), cranial 1/3 broad with one layer of oval or circular faveoli, caudal 2/3 narrow and reticulate with network of trabecular parenchyma, posterior lung tip 49.0%, three specimens with lung tip folded back upon itself for 2.3% SVL, right bronchus 9.7%, bronchus posterior tip 30.4%, bronchus = 0.37 right lung, trachea-bronchus 29.0% (MP = 15.9%), total lung 30.4% (MP = 33.8%).
Reproduction. Wallach (1998b) estimated the clutch size as 2–4. LIVM 1980.150.11 (SVL 138 mm, MBD 3.2 mm) with 2/3 vitellogenic ova (2 x 1 mm /2.5 x 1.5–2 x 1 mm) and 5/7 follicles on 1 February 1961; MCZ 30063 (SVL 93 mm, MBD 2 mm) lacking ova but with 1/1 follicles on 15 May 1930; MCZ 48037 (SVL 130 mm, MBD 3.2 mm) with 1/1 vitellogenic ova (2 x 1 mm) and 4/4 follicles on 20 December 1938; NMZB-UM 14334 (SVL 153 mm, MBD 2.8 mm) with 2/1 vitellogenic ova (2.5 x 1 mm) and 5/6 follicles (date unknown).
Leptotyphlops howelli (mean based on male holotype, NMZB 10455, and paratype, NMK 0/2877)
Sternohyoideus posterior tip 13.6%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.20, heart 5.2% (MP = 19.6%), snout-heart interval 22.2%, heart-liver gap 10.7%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 27.2% (MP = 46.5%) with 31.0 (30– 32) segments, left liver 25.3% (MP = 46.3%) with 27.0 (26–28) segments, vena cava zigzag, anterior liver extension 0.03, posterior liver tail 0.04, left liver = 0.93 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 1.7, gall bladder 1.2% (MP = 62.3%) adjacent to pancreas (1.4%), juxtasplenic body (1.7%) and spleen, testes multipartite, right testis 7.5% (MP = 75.3%) with 9.5 segments (8–11), left testis 6.3% (MP = 80.1%) with 9.5 segments (6–13), right adrenal MP = 79.6%, left adrenal MP = 82.9%, kidneys smooth but creased with one renal artery, right kidney 3.9% (MP = 85.0%), left kidney 4.1% (MP = 88.2%), kidney overlap 0.11, kidney-vent interval 16.9%, kidney-vent gap 9.8%, rectal caecum 1.9%, 2–3 times the diameter of adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 11.0%.
Tracheal lung and left lung complex absent, trachea 20.9% (MP = 11.8%), estimated number of tracheal rings 163.0 (156–224) or 79.0 rings/10% SVL, anterior tip of lung 19.9%, cardiac lung 2.4%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 25.0% (MP = 34.7%), anterior half of lung faveolar, posterior half of lung reticulate (NMZB 10455 with a narrowed tail 8.0% in length), posterior tip of right lung 47.2%, bronchus 9.0%, bronchus posterior tip 31.2%, bronchus = 0.36 right lung, trachea-bronchus 29.9% (MP = 16.3%), total lung 27.3% (MP = 33.5%).
Leptotyphlops jacobseni (mean based on one male, TM 81186, and three females, TM 81176–77, 81179)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 11.9%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.21, heart 4.6% (MP = 17.4%), snout-heart interval 19.6%, heart-liver gap 11.0%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 31.5% (MP = 46.4%) with 36.8 (28– 46) segments, left liver 25.3% (MP = 43.3%) with 34.0 (28–45) segments, anterior liver extension symmetrical, posterior liver tail 0.20, left liver = 0.80 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 1.0%, gall bladder 1.2% (MP = 63.8%) wedged between pancreas (1.6%) and larger juxtasplenic body (2.2%), testes multipartite, right testis 7.8% (MP = 76.7%) with 11 segments, left testis 5.4% (MP = 81.6%) with 11 segments, right ovary 3.9% (MP = 76.9%) with 3.3 (2–6) ova and 7.0 (5–8) follicles, left ovary 2.7% (MP = 80.4%) with 2.0 (2–2) ova and 7.0 (5–10) follicles, right adrenal MP = 80.4%, left adrenal MP = 82.9%, kidneys smooth, right kidney 2.9% (MP = 84.3%), left kidney 3.0% (MP = 88.2%), kidney-vent interval 17.3%, kidney-vent gap 10.3%, kidney-kidney gap 0.17, rectal caecum 1.9%, short and unexpanded, diameter 1–2 times that of adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 9.6%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 18.6% (MP = 10.3%), estimated number of tracheal rings 169.8 (150–187) or 89.6 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 17.8%, cardiac lung 1.9%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 24.9% (MP =32.1%), cranial half with thick lung wall composed of two layers of faveoli, caudal half reticulate with network of trabeculae, posterior tip 44.5%, bronchus 8.6%, posterior tip of bronchus 28.2%, bronchus = 0.36 right lung, trachea-bronchus 27.2% (MP = 14.7%), total lung 26.8% (MP = 31.1%).
Reproduction. A bimodal pattern is suggested, based on TM 81176 (SVL 185 mm, MBD 4.0 mm) with 2/ 2 vitellogenic ova and 10/8 follicles on 27 May 1982, and TM 81179 (SVL 139 mm, MBD 2.8 mm) with 2/2 vitellogenic ova (3.5 x 1–2.5 x 1 mm /3.5 x 1–2 x 0.75 mm) and 5/5 follicles on 27 September 1981 and TM 81177 (SVL 188 mm, MBD 3.5 mm) with 2/6 vitellogenic ova (4 x 1–1.5 x 1 mm) and 6/8 follicles on 24 November 1979.
Leptotyphlops kafubi (mean based on five males, FMNH 56372–73, MCZ 42899, NMZB 4971, 10598, and three females, FMNH 56371, NMZB 10622, NMZB-UM 5410)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 13.8%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.08, heart 5.1% (MP = 17.6%), snout-heart interval 20.1%, heart-liver gap 10.1%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 37.0% (MP = 48.7%) with 34.7 (27– 43) segments, left liver 31.7% (MP = 48.6%) with 28.3 (25–34) segments, anterior liver extension 0.07, posterior liver tail 0.08, left liver = 0.86 right liver, vena cava straight, liver segments polygonal, liver-gall bladder gap 1.3%, gall bladder 1.5% (MP = 69.3%) wedged between pancreas (1.7%) and larger juxtasplenic body (2.3%) and adjacent spleen (1.1%), testes multipartite, right testis 4.7% (MP = 80.3%) with 12.5 (11–15) segments, left testis 4.4% (MP = 82.7%) with 10.8 (9–14) segments, right ovary 5.0% (MP = 80.1%) with 2 ova and 6.3 (3–13) follicles, left ovary 3.8% (MP = 82.5%) with one ovum and 6.7 (4–11) follicles, right adrenal MP = 82.8%, left adrenal MP = 84.3%, kidneys smooth, right kidney 3.7% (MP = 85.6%), left kidney 3.8% (MP = 88.2%), kidney-vent interval 16.2%, kidney-vent gap 9.9%, kidney overlap 0.21, rectal caecum 3.1%, 2–4 times the diameter of adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 11.0%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 18.7% (MP = 10.8%), estimated number of tracheal rings 150.6 (119–192) or 80.3 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 17.8%, cardiac lung 2.3%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 21.4% (MP =30.8%), cranial half with faveolar and edicular parenchyma, caudal half reticulate with network of trabeculae, posterior tip 41.5%, bronchus 8.6%, posterior tip of bronchus 28.7%, bronchus = 0.40 right lung, trachea-bronchus 27.3% (MP = 15.1%), total lung 23.7% (MP = 29.7%).
Reproduction. NMZB 10622 (SVL 135 mm, MBD 3.5 mm) with 1/ 2 eggs (5.5 x 2 mm /5 x 2–3 x 2 mm) and 4/3 follicles on 6 October 1990; FMNH 56371 (SVL 148 mm, MBD 2.5 mm) lacking vitellogenic ova but with 5/3 follicles on 26 April 1948; NMZB-UM 5410 (SVL 110 mm, MBD 2.5 mm) with 11/13 follicles (date unknown).
Leptotyphlops keniensis (based on female holotype, NMK 0/2903)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 12.5%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.20 heart 5.1% (MP = 18.1%), snout-heart interval 20.7%, heart-liver gap 6.8%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 50.1% (MP = 52.5%) with 54 segments, left liver 44.5% (MP = 52.0%) with 39 segments, anterior liver extension 0.05, posterior liver tail 0.07, left liver = 0.89 right liver, postcava with zig-zag configuration, liver-gall bladder gap 0.6%, gall bladder 1.7% (MP = 79.0%), right ovary 3.4% (MP = 83.9%) with two vitellogenic ova, left ovary 3.4% (MP = 91.8%) with one ovum, clutch size = 3, all ova 7.0 x 4.0 mm, lacking nonvitellogenic follicles, right adrenal MP = 90.6%, left adrenal MP = 91.2%, right kidney 2.8% (MP = 91.5%), left kidney 2.8% (MP = 93.8%), kidney overlap 0.11, kidney-vent interval 9.9%, kidney-vent gap 4.8%, rectal caecum 1.4%, rectal caecumvent interval 7.1%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 19.5% (MP = 10.9%), estimated number of tracheal rings 180 or 88.3 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 17.6%, cardiac lung 3.1%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 17.6% (MP = 29.5%), cranial portion broad and thick-walled with two layers of faveoli, caudal portion narrow and reticulate with network of trabeculae lining saccular membrane, posterior lung tip 38.2%, right bronchus 9.9%, bronchus posterior tip 30.6%, bronchus = 0.56 right lung, trachea-bronchus 29.5% (MP = 15.9%), total lung 20.7% (MP = 27.9%).
Leptotyphlops macrops (mean based on male holotype, NMZB 11352, male paratype, ZMUC 5315, female paratype, ZMUC 5315, and two males, KMH 12737, NMZB 14102)
Sternohyoideus posterior tip 11.8%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.26, heart 3.9% (MP = 17.8%), snout-heart interval 19.8%, heart-liver gap 11.1%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 39.6% (MP = 50.5%) with 45.5 (41– 50) segments, left liver 36.8% (MP = 50.9%) with 43.3 (41–45) segments, vena cava straight anteriorly and posteriorly but wavy along mid-third of liver, anterior liver extension 0.04, posterior liver tail 0.03, left liver = 0.94 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 0.6, gall bladder 1.0% (MP = 71.4%) adjacent to pancreas (1.2%) and caudad of juxtasplenic body (1.3%) and spleen (1.3%), testes compact but multipartite, right testis 4.5% (MP = 79.3%) with 12.0 segments (11–13), left testis 4.0% (MP = 82.5%) with 11.7 segments (9–14), right ovary 4.8% (MP = 77.8%) with 1.5 (1–2) vitellogenic ova and 7.0 (3–12) follicles, right ovary 4.4% (MP = 82.1%) with 7 ova and one follicle, left ovary 4.0% (MP = 84.9%) with 4 ova, right adrenal MP = 82.7%, left adrenal MP = 84.6%, kidneys smooth but creased with one renal artery, right kidney 3.2% (MP = 85.6%), left kidney 3.0% (MP = 87.7%), kidney overlap 0.18, kidney-vent interval 16.0%, kidney-vent gap 10.8%, rectal caecum 1.0%, 2–5 times the diameter of adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 10.2%.
Tracheal lung and left lung complex absent, trachea 18.8% (MP = 10.4%), estimated number of tracheal rings 208.4 (156–224) or 109.2 rings/10% SVL, anterior tip of lung 18.8%, cardiac lung 1.9%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 32.9% (MP = 36.2%), thick-walled cranially with 2–3 layers of diamond-shaped faveoli, posterior lung broadly expanded and reticulate, posterior tip of right lung 52.7%, bronchus 9.1%, bronchus posterior tip 28.8%, bronchus = 0.28 right lung, trachea-bronchus 27.9% (MP = 14.9%), total lung 34.8% (MP = 35.3%).
Reproduction. Wallach (1998b) estimated the clutch size as 11. ZMUC 5315 (SVL 236 mm, MBD 5.0 mm) with 4/7 vitellogenic ova (4.5 x 1.5–1.5 x 1 mm /4.5 x 1.5–1 x 0.75 mm) and 0/1 follicle on 11 August 1992.
Leptotyphlops mbanjensis (mean based on three male paratypes, MCZ 48038–39, ZMB 23578, female holotype, MCZ 48040, and female paratype, ZMB 22072)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 15.6%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.07, heart 5.4% (MP = 19.5%), snout-heart interval 22.2%, heart-liver gap 9.5%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 39.2% (MP = 51.4%) with 32.8 (21– 38) segments, left liver 28.9% (MP = 49.4%) with 24.4 (21–32) segments, anterior liver extension 0.09, posterior liver tail 0.17, left liver = 0.74 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 0.1%, gall bladder 1.6% (MP = 71.8%), wedged between caudal pancreas (1.1%) and cranial juxtasplenic body (2.5%) and spleen (1.1%), testes multipartite, right testis 4.2% (MP = 80.0%) with 7.0 (6–8) segments, left testis 3.5% (MP = 83.4%) with 6.7 (6– 7) segments, right ovary 4.0% (MP = 79.7%) with 1.0 (1–1) ovum and 3.5 (3–4) follicles, left ovary 4.8% (MP = 81.6%) with 1.0 ovum (1–1) and 2.5 (2–3) follicles, right adrenal MP = 82.7%, left adrenal MP = 84.9%, kidneys smooth, right kidney 3.4% (MP = 86.4%), left kidney 3.5% (MP = 89.4%), kidney-vent interval 15.3%, kidney-vent gap 8.8%, kidney overlap 0.11, rectal caecum 1.8%, equal in diameter to adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 9.2%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 20.7% (MP = 11.8%), estimated number of tracheal rings 137.0 (114–169) or 64.9 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 19.8%, cardiac lung 2.4%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 22.3% (MP =33.3%), cranial half with two layers of faveolar parenchyma, caudal half reticulate with network of trabeculae, posterior tip 44.5%, bronchus 7.5%, posterior tip of bronchus 29.7%, bronchus = 0.34 right lung, trachea-bronchus 28.2% (MP = 15.6%), total lung 24.7% (MP = 32.1%).
Reproduction. The holotype (SVL 121 mm, MBD 3 mm) with two vitellogenic ova (4.5 x 1.5 mm, 3.5 x 1 mm) on 26 April 1929.
Leptotyphlops monticolus (mean based on three males, MCZ 42898, NMZB 15309, 15311, and one female, NMZB 15310)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 14.8%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.11, heart 5.0% (MP = 19.1%), snout-heart interval 21.6%, heart-liver gap 11.7%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 32.8% (MP = 49.8%) with 29.3 (26– 34) segments, left liver 31.3% (MP = 48.7%) with 28.0 (25–34) segments, vena cava with zig-zag configuration, anterior liver extension (–0.01) on right (2) or left (1), posterior liver tail 0.05, left liver = 0.96 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 1.1%, gall bladder 1.5% (MP = 68.0%) wedged between pancreas (1.8%) and larger juxtasplenic body (2.2%), testes multipartite, right testis 4.9% (MP = 78.4%) with 8.3 (7–9) segments, left testis 4.8% (MP = 81.7%) with 7.0 (7–7) segments, right ovary 4.0% (MP = 79.3%) with 2 ova and 5 follicles, left ovaries abnormally paired, normal left ovary 2.4% (MP = 81.7%) with one ovum and 4 follicles, atypical secondary left ovary 4.5% (MP = 79.1%) with 6 follicles, single right oviduct present, right adrenal MP = 81.9%, left adrenal MP = 83.5%, kidneys smooth, right kidney 3.5% (MP = 84.9%), left kidney 3.6% (MP = 87.4%), kidney-vent interval 16.8%, kidney-vent gap 10.8%, kidney overlap 0.17, rectal caecum 1.9%, short and unexpanded, equal in diameter to adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 11.8%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 20.3% (MP = 11.5%), estimated number of tracheal rings 132.7 (112–143) or 65.8 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 19.3%, cardiac lung 2.4%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 23.0% (MP =33.1%), cranial half with thick lung wall composed of two layers of faveoli, caudal half reticulate with network of trabeculae, posterior tip 44.6%, bronchus 10.6%, posterior tip of bronchus 32.2%, bronchus = 0.46 right lung, trachea-bronchus 30.9% (MP = 16.8%), total lung 25.3% (MP = 31.9%).
Reproduction. NMZB-UM 15310 (SVL 126 mm) with 1/2 developing ova (5 x 1.5 mm /2.5 x 1, 2 x 1 mm) and 10/5 follicles (date unknown).
Leptotyphlops nigricans (mean based on 21 males, FMNH 205836–40, 205848, 205850, 233252–53, 233255, 233280, 233283, 233285, 234041, 234043–45, 234050, 234052, PEM 3045–46, and 12 females, FMNH 234048, PEM 58, 1728, 3040, 3308, 3439–40, 6381, 7180, 7182, 11299, 12439)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus 13.2%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.19, heart 4.9% (MP = 18.7%), snout-heart interval 21.2%, heart-liver gap 10.2%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 29.2% (MP = 46.0%) with 30.7 (23– 43) segments, left liver 21.9% (MP = 43.9%) with 24.1 (16–33) segments, anterior liver extension 0.05, posterior liver tail 0.20, left liver = 0.75 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap 1.1%, gall bladder 1.5% (MP = 62.4%) adjacent to large pancreas (1.8%) and caudad of larger juxtasplenic body (2.4%) and adjacent spleen (0.9%), testes multipartite, right testis 9.1% (MP = 70.7%) with 10.7 (7–13) segments, left testis 8.1% (MP = 77.4%) with 10.7 (7–14) segments, right ovary 5.0% (MP = 76.6%) with 2.5 (0–5) ova and 6.8 (3–13) follicles, left ovary 3.7% (MP = 80.5%) with 2.0 (0–4) ova and 6.2 (4–10) follicles, right adrenal MP = 78.0%, left adrenal MP = 81.0%, kidneys smooth, right kidney 3.8% (MP = 82.6%), left kidney 3.9% (MP = 86.5%), kidney-vent interval 19.3%, kidney-vent gap 11.5%, no kidney-kidney overlap or gap, rectal caecum 2.1%, 2–3 times the diameter of adjacent small intestine, caecum-vent interval 11.2%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 19.9% (MP = 11.2%), estimated number of tracheal rings 156.1 (126–222) or 77.4 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 19.0%, cardiac lung 2.2%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 25.8% (MP =34.1%), cranial half with two layers of faveolar parenchyma, caudal half reticulate with network of trabeculae, posterior tip 46.9%, bronchus 8.6%, posterior tip of bronchus 29.7%, bronchus = 0.34 right lung, trachea-bronchus 28.5% (MP = 15.5%), total lung 27.9% (MP = 33.0%).
Reproduction. Wallach (1998b) estimated the clutch size as 4. PEM R6381 (SVL 149 mm, MBD 3 mm) lacking vitellogenic ova but with 6/6 follicles on 15 May 1991. PEM R58 (SVL 142 mm, MBD 3.2 mm) with 3/5 ova (3 x 1.5–2 x 1 mm) and 4/8 follicles on 18 November 1979, PEM R1728 (SVL 127 mm, MBD 2.9 mm) with 1/0 ova (2 x 0.75 mm) and 9/8 follicles on 22 October 1979, PEM R12439 (SVL 130, MBD 2.8 mm) with 1/2 ova (4.5 x 1.25–2 x 1 mm) and 5/6 follicles on 14 October 1995, PEM R3040 (SVL 126 mm, MBD 3.3 mm) with 3/2 ova (2 x 1–1.5 x 1 mm) and 5/3 follicles on 3 November 1981, and both PEM R7180 (SVL 168 mm, MBD 4.2 mm) with 4/3 ova (2.5 x 1.5–2 x 1 mm) and 8/10 follicles and PEM 7182 (SVL 151 mm, MBD 3.7 mm) with 4/5 ova (2.5 x 1 mm) and 6/4 follicles on 12 January 1992. PEM R11299 (SVL 134 mm, MBD 3.2 mm) with 1/1 oviducal eggs (11 x 2.5 mm /7 x 3.5 mm) and 4/4 follicles on 13 November 1982 and PEM R3308 (SVL 133 mm, MBD 3 mm) with 1/2 oviducal eggs (11 x 3.8 mm /12.5 x 3.5 mm) and 3/4 follicles on 4 December 1981. PEM R3439 (SVL 135 mm, MBD 3 mm) with 2/2 ova and 6/8 follicles, R3440 (SVL 148 mm, MBD 2.6 mm) with 2/4 ova and 10/13 follicles, and FMNH 234048 (SVL 133 mm, MBD 3 mm) with 1/3 ova and 5/5 follicles (dates unknown).
Everted hemipenis (FMNH 205850) 5 subcaudals in length, nude, lacking ornamentation, basal 2/5 expanded, distal 3/5 filiform and nude, tapering at apex, with simple sulcus along posteromedial surface. Hemipenes of FMNH 234041 and 234045 with smooth bulbous basal half, distal half elongate but non-tapering with numerous rows of minute papillae. Hemipenis of FMNH 234044 appear to be composite of previous two types, gracile, 5 mm in length and 0.25 mm in diameter, basal 1/4 slightly expanded, nude, medial 1/2 slender and smooth, distal 1/4 (1 mm in length) slightly expanded, ovoid, with a numerous rows of tiny papillae. FMNH 234043 resembles 234044 but there is alateral flange or flap along the basal bulbous portion and the simple sulcus extends along the lateral surface until it reaches the papillate section where it curves onto the posterior aspect of the organ.
Leptotyphlops pembae (mean based on one male, MCZ 46118, and one female, MCZ 19111)
Posterior tip of sternohyoideus muscle 13.3%, sternohyoideus-heart gap 0.17, heart 5.0% (MP = 18.4%), snout-heart interval 20.9%, heart-liver gap 10.4%, liver lobes multipartite, right liver 35.3% (MP = 48.9%) with 30.5 (30–31) segments, left liver 30.5% (MP = 49.2%) with 33.5 (32–35) segments, anterior extension of right liver lobe 0.08, posterior tail of right liver lobe 0.06, left liver = 0.86 right liver, liver-gall bladder gap – 0.3%, gall bladder 1.4% (MP = 67.0%) craniad of pancreas (1.2%) and caudad of elongate juxtasplenic body (2.4%), testes multipartite, right testis 5.4% (MP = 73.5%) with 10 segments, left testis 5.8% (MP = 77.9%) with 11 segments, right ovary 3.4% (MP = 81.6%) with 6 vitellogenic ova, left ovary 3.4% (MP = 84.0%) with 6 ova, right adrenal MP = 80.5%, left adrenal MP = 82.3%, kidneys smooth but creased, right kidney 4.2% (MP = 83.8%), left kidney 3.7% (MP = 86.1%), kidney overlap 0.26, kidney-vent interval 18.4%, kidney-vent gap 12.1%, rectal caecum 1.6%, equal in diameter to that of adjacent small intestine, rectal caecumvent interval 11.3%.
Respiratory system lacking tracheal lung and left lung complex, trachea 19.7% (MP = 11.1%), estimated number of tracheal rings 165 (160–170) or 86.5 rings/10% SVL, anterior lung tip 18.2%, cardiac lung 2.7%, tracheal entry terminal, right lung 28.2% (MP = 35.0%), cranial 1/3 broad and thick-walled with 1–2 layers of faveoli, caudal portion narrow and reticulate with network of trabeculae, posterior lung tip 49.1%, right bronchus 9.1%, bronchus posterior tip 29.9%, bronchus = 0.33 right lung, trachea-bronchus 28.8% (MP = 15.6%), total lung 30.9% (MP = 33.7%).
Reproduction. Wallach (1998b) estimated the clutch size as 12. MCZ 19111 (SVL 164 mm, MBD 3.0 mm) with 6/6 vitellogenic ova (2 x 0.75–1 x 0.5 mm /2.5 x 0.75–1 x 0.5 mm) and 6/4 follicles on 4 October 1923.
description: Published as part of Published, First, 2007, A revision of the genus Leptotyphlops in northeastern Africa and southwestern Arabia (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae), pp. 1-78 in Zootaxa 1408 on pages 56-62, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6789060