A New Species of Liotyphlops (Serpentes: Anomalepididae) from the Atlantic Coastal Forest in Southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT

We describe a new species of Liotyphlops (Serpentes Anomalepididae) from Ilha de São Sebastião, municipality of Ilhabela, Sa˜o Paulo state, southeastern Brazil. The new species represents the first record of the genus throughout most of the Atlantic Coastal Forest in Sa˜o Paulo state. Liotyphlops caissara sp. nov. is related to L. albirostris and L. wilderi, but it can be distinguished from the first species by having a different number of body scales, and from the latter by having a distinct number of supralabials. The new species also differs markedly in color pattern by having continuous pale cream color throughout the venter.