Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae, Wallach, Van, 2020

Wallach, Van, 2020, Redescription of the Thailand blindsnake “ Ramphotyphlops ozakiae Wallach in Niyomwan 1999, ” nomen nudum, as Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae n. sp. (Serpentes: Typhlopidae), Pod @ rcis 11 (2), pp. 40-50 : 3-8

Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae n. sp.

Molly Ozaki’s Blindsnake

Figs. 1–3

Synonymy

Typhlops ozakiae nomen nudum

NIYOMWAN, 1999: 13–14, 79, 96, 107, 118, 130, 140; NABHITABHATA & CHAN-ARD, 2005: 133, 173, 222; DAS, 2010: 350, 376; CHAN-ARD, 2012: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN. UK.2012-1.RLTS.T191975A2023185.en; IUCN, 2014: 10; PATAWANG et al., 2016: 1.

Ramphotyphlops ozakiae nomen nudum

NIYOMWAN, 1999: v, 24–25, 27, 32, 35, 37, 40–42, 44–47, 57, figs. 4.1, 4.3D (holotype), 4.5D (holotype), 4.8H (holotype), 4.9H (holotype), 6 (right), 7 (right); NIYOMWAN et al., 2001: 47, 51–52, figs. 9b, 10b; CHAN-ARD et al., 2015: 147; WALLACH, 2003: 229; 2006: 15; 2009: 42; WALLACH & PAUWELS, 2004: 15; WALLACH et al., 2007: 696; 2014: 617, 1186; AFROOSHEH, 2009: 17; CINAR, 2009: 269; DAS, 2012: 153; 2018: 169; COX et al., 2013: 15– 17; PARR et al., 2014; WALLACH et al., 2014: 629, 757.

Indotyphlops ozakiae nomen nudum

HEDGES et al., 2014: 6, 11, 16, 23, 37; PYRON & WALLACH, 2014: 16, 34, 56, 80; FELDMAN et al., 2015: 48; HIKIDA, 2015: 44; MATTISON, 2015: 152; PAUWELS & GRISMER, 2015: 457; FOTOLULU, 2018: 521; ITIS, 2019; UETZ & HOSEK, 2019: http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus= Indotyphlops &species =ozakiae .

Holotype FMNH 180007 (previously field number WRH 3679), a 158 mm male collected by W.R. Heyer on 17 September 1969 .

Type locality

Sakaerat Experimental Station , Amphoe Pak Thong Chai, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, southeastern Thailand, 14°43’N, 102°01’E, elevation 200 meters.

Paratypes FMNH 180003 (WRH 676) collected 25 March 1969 at type locality; FMNH 180004 (WRH 2560) collected 6 June 1969 at type locality; FMNH 180005 (RFI 3389) collected 27 August 1969 at type locality; FMNH 180006 (WRH 3390) collected 27 August 1969 at type locality; ZMUC R52174 collected by O. Hagerup on 5 October 1916 at Lomban Djulo (Loemban Djoeloe), north of Lake Toba, Sumatra, western Indonesia, 2°40’38”N, 99°50’40”E, elevation 1100 meters .

Etymology

This species is named in honour of Molly Ozaki (1927–2010), long-time Secretary and Administrative Assistant in the Division of Amphibians and Reptiles (and briefly in the Division of Fishes), Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL. Her tenure extended from 1978 to 1992 ( Fig. 4 ). Mere words cannot describe her or capture the essence of her personality. Although she and her husband, Yoji, were held prisoner in a Japanese camp during WW II, they exhibited no resentment over their former tribulations. In my experience, Molly was the most gracious, accommodating, and effective secretary ever to administrate a herpetology department. Molly greatly facilitated herpetological research in the Field Museum during her 15 years of service. She is certainly missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known or worked with her.

Diagnosis

Since molecular data are lacking for most members of both Ramphotyphlops and Indotyphlops, morphological data must be relied upon for clues to relationships. Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae is most similar to R. albiceps (currently placed in Indotyphlops by HEDGES et al., 2014), with which it is sympatric, and can be distinguished from R. albiceps by head colour (brown vs. yellow head and nape), number of postoculars (1 vs. 2–4), and the number of helical coils in the hemipenis (0.5 vs. 3.5), in addition to the visceral characters listed in Table 2 . Although not diagnostic, due to overlap in ranges, it also has a smaller average number of middorsals (x = 307 vs. 343) and a thicker body proportion (L/W ratio: x = 40 vs. 68). Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae differs from R. lineatus in fewer scale rows (20 vs. 22–24), relatively longer tail (T/LOA ≥ 1.8% vs. ≤ 1.8%), INS contact (SL 2 vs. SL 1), and number of postoculars (1 vs. 2– 4) and from all other Ramphotyphlops with 20 scale rows, R. mollyozakiae can be distinguished by its SNS being visible on the dorsum of the snout. Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae can be distinguished from Virgotyphlops braminus by the INS contact (SL 2 vs. pre-ocular) and bisexual mode of reproduction (vs. unisexual) ( WALLACH, 2020).

From all Asian species of Indotyphlops with 20 scale rows, R. mollyozakiae can be separated from I. jerdoni by a single postocular (vs. 2); from I. lankaensis by total middorsals (> 290 vs. <265), larger body size (LOA> 150 mm vs. <130 mm), thinner body proportions (L/W> 38 vs. <35), and the INS contact (SL 2 vs. pre-ocular); from I. malcolmi by larger body size (> 150 mm vs. <135 mm), thinner body (L/W> 38 vs. <32), and nasal shield (divided vs. undivided); from I. pammeces by total middorsals (<327 vs.> 328), thicker body (L/W <53 vs.> 54), and nasal shield (divided vs. undivided); from I. porrectus by SIP (T-III vs. T-V), posterior scale rows (20 vs. 18), and total middorsals (<330 vs.> 400); from I. schmutzi by SIP (T-III vs. T-V), total middorsals (<330 vs.> 385), and larger body size (> 150 mm vs. <145 mm); from I. tenebrarum by larger size (≥ 154 mm vs. ≤ 144 mm), broader rostral (RW/HW> 0.35 vs. <0.30), and nasal shield (divided vs. undivided); from I. veddae by larger body size (> 150 mm vs. <95 mm), subcaudals (≤ 12 vs. ≥ 13), thicker body (L/W <55 vs.> 60), and nasal shield (divided vs. undivided); and from I. violaceus by larger body size (≥ 154 mm vs. ≤ 135 mm), and the INS contact (SL 2 vs. pre-ocular) ( Table 3 ).

Description (holotype)

FMNH 180007 ( Fig. 1 ), an adult male with SVL 153 (146.9) mm, TL 4.5 (4.3) mm, LOA 157.5 (151.2) mm, TL/LOA 2.9% (2.9), ABD 3.0 mm, MBD 3.0 (3.5) mm, PBD 3.5 mm, LOA/MBD ratio 52.5 (42.7), MTW 2.5 (2.9) mm, TL/MTW 1.8 (1.5), HW 2.6 (1.8) mm, RW 1.0 (1.0) mm, RW/HW 0.38 (0.54), DSR 20- 20-20 (20-20-20), TMD 318 (317), SC 12, DC 13, scales smooth, cycloid and imbricate without pits. Snout rounded in dorsal aspect, rostral oval in shape, tapering slightly anteriorly and posteriorly, extending nearly to the interocular line, supranasals subequal in width to rostral, bordered posteriorly by a frontal that is twice as broad as deep; frontal bordered posteriorly by a similar sized postfrontal and laterally by a pair of transversely oriented, blocky supra-oculars, 1.5 times as broad as deep and as wide as three costal scales; a single pair of transversely oriented parietals present, separated on midline by postparietal, also twice as broad as deep, which is largest vertebral scale; enlarged occipitals absent. Snout rounded in lateral view, nasal semi-divided with a complete suture between SL 2 and nostril and an incomplete suture extending dorsally onto dorsum of snout, curving towards the rostral but not making contact, nostril elongate and bean-shaped, obliquely oriented and directed laterally; infranasal small and narrow, supranasal broad and extending onto dorsum of snout just beyond the rostral, posterior border concave; pre-ocular broader than supranasal and ocular, and taller than ocular; both pre-ocular and ocular obliquely inclined to horizontal; eye reduced to a small faint spot beneath the pre-ocular-ocular suture in dorsal view but under the ocular in lateral view; postocular single, elongate and apparently fused from two costal scales; supralabials 4, SIP T-III, SL 4 largest, broader than tall and 2.5 times the size of SL 3, SL 3 subequal in size to SL 2, taller than broad, SL 2 as broad as tall and 4 times the size of SL 1; mental weakly projecting from curvature of lower jaw, fitting into a notch in the median rostral when mouth is closed; infralabials 4, the first 3 of which are visible externally.

In coloration (after preservation) the middorsal 10 rows are dark reddish-brown, the midlateral rows lighter, and the ventral scale rows lighter still with peppering or brown vermiculations over a yellow base; gland rows on head yellow as well as supralabials and infralabials, cloacal region, most of subcaudals, and tip of tail; tongue yellow. Individual costal scales appear greyish along the basal 1/4 to 1/3 of each scale with the remainder brown.

The tongue has a pair of caudally projecting lateral papillae just posterior to the tongue’s cleft.

Variation (paratypes)

There is variation in the extent of the yellow coloration of the labials and subcaudals, ranging from completely yellow upper and lower lips (FMNH 180004, 180007) to only some yellow markings on SL3 and/or 4 (FMNH 180003). Additionally, the nasal, pre-ocular and ocular are yellow only on the right side of FMNH 180005. Ventral tail coloration ranges from entirely yellow (FMNH 180005), to a yellow cloacal region and tail tip (FMNH 180006), to only isolated and scattered yellow scales (FMNH 180003).

Statistics on the five paratypes (4 females, 1 male) include total middorsals (291–319, x = 305.2), subcaudals (7–10, x = 8.8), total length (154–172 mm, x = 161.6 mm), relative tail length (1.8–2.8%, x = 2.3%), L/W (38.4– 53.3, x = 43.2), and TL/TW (1.1–1.8, x = 1.5). FMNH 18003 had one small developing egg (0.75 x 1.75 mm) in each ovary and 7/5 follicles; FMNH 18004 had one moderate egg (1.3 x 2.5 mm) in right oviduct and 6/4 follicles; FMNH 180006 had only 7/4 follicles; ZMUC 52174 had one large egg (1.5 x 6.5 mm) in right oviduct and 5/4 follicles in ovaries.

Most interesting is the hemipenis, which is everted in FMNH 180005, an adult male with LOA 159 mm. It is not the typical short typhlopid hemipenis that everts itself inside out when in use and retracts in the opposite manner but the Acutotyphlops-Anilios-Ramphotyphlops type, found in conjunction with retrocloacal sacs, that is typically longer than the tail, everts directly, and is retracted in a coiled position in order to fit inside the tail. Hemipenis coiling varies from 0–15 coils ( WALLACH, 1998). The hemipenis of Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae lacks complete coils and appears as a single awn with a basal kink or half coil. The organ is 3.5 mm in length, tapering slightly from a basal bulge 1.0 mm long to a thin awn 2.5 mm in length. Short retrocloacal sacs are present (2.5 mm or 1.6% SVL).

Internal anatomy

Characters of the soft anatomy include the sternohyoideus (Shy) posterior tips (10.3– 15.0%, x = 12.0%), sternohyoideus-heart gap (0.44–0.64, x = 0.57), heart (3.5–4.9%, x = 4.2%), heart MP (28.8–30.7%, x = 29.8%), snout-heart interval (30.6–33.1%, x = 31.9%), liver overlaps the heart (0.6–2.3%, x = 1.7%), right liver lobe (26.9%, MP = 46.1%), right liver segments (7–13, x = 9.7), left liver lobe (27.6%, MP = 44.0%), left liver segments (8– 17, x = 11.0), heart-liver interval (21.3–39.7%, x = 31.9%), gall bladder MP (51.6–72.4%, x = 62.9%), liver-gall bladder gap (0.7–5.5%, x = 2.8%) and interval (21.6–40.1%, x = 31.0%), gall bladder-gonad gap (8.4–16.3%, x = 12.3%), right gonad MP (70.5–83.1%, x = 77.7%), left gonad MP (73.1–86.5%, x = 80.2%), total adrenal MP (80.5–86.2%, x = 83.9%), liver-kidney interval (60.8–65.0%, x = 62.2%), right and left kidney identical (3.8– 6.5%, x = 5.0%), right kidney MP (87.7– 90.2%, x =89.4 %), left kidney MP (89.7– 94.2%, x = 92.3%), kidney-vent gap (3.0– 7.1%, x = 5.2%), and interval (11.9–15.5%, x = 13.1%), rectal caecum (3.2–5.2%, x = 3.8%), caecum-vent interval (8.7–11.9%, x = 10.1%), trachea (29.0–32.0%, x = 30.8%), trachea MP (15.8–17.3%, x = 16.5%), total tracheal rings/cartilages (210–294, x = 244), tracheal rings/10% SVL (68.9–93.6%, x = 79.2%), tracheal lung AT (8.5–10.5%, x = 9.4%), tracheal lung (17.1–20.3%, x = 18.3%) and vascular foramina (16–22, x = 18.8), tracheal lung MP (17.8–19.3%, x = 18.5%), terminal tracheal entry, right lung (11.3–20.6%, x = 17.0%), right lung MP (36.3–43.5%, x = 40.3%) and PT (41.9–53.8%, x = 48.8%), intrapulmonary (right) bronchus (6.5–14.0%, x = 10.3%), bronchus/right lung (0.56–0.68, x = 0.60), trachea/bronchus (35.5–45.6%, x = 41.0%), trachea/bronchus MP (19.4–24.3%, x =21.6 %), heart-kidney MPD (59.4–62.9%, x = 61.1%), heart-liver MPD (10.8–20.0%, x = 16.3%), heart-right lung (7.4–12.8%, x = 10.6%), liver-kidney MPD (40.5–49.0%, x = 44.8%), right lung-adrenal MPD (41.7– 45.2%, x = 43.6%), trachea-adrenal MPD (64.4–69.0%, x = 67.4%), trachea-liver MPD (23.6–32.8%, x = 29.6%), and trachea/bronchus-kidney MPD (65.8–70.9%, x =69.2 %).

Distribution

Southeastern Thailand and western Indonesia (Sumatra), known from 200–1100 meters elevation.

Figures

Figure 1. Preserved holotype of Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae (FMNH 180007).

Figure 2. Dorsal view of head of holotype of Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae (FMNH 180007). Drawing: Emma Hsiao.

Figure 3. Lateral view of head of holotype of Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae (FMNH 180007). Drawing: Emma Hsiao.

Figure 4. Molly Matsunaga Ozaki in the FMNH Reptiles & Amphibians departmental office.

Tables

Table 2. Comparison of visceral data of Ramphotyphlops mollyozakiae and R. albiceps (mean values as % SVL).

Character	mollyozakiae (n = 6)	albiceps (n = 4)
Shy	12.0	7.7
HMP	29.8	32.3
SHI	31.9	34.2
HLI	31.9	34.2
HGBG	30.4	35.8
RLMP	46.1	51.6
LLMP	44.0	48.7
TLS	20.7	15.0
LKG	27.4	22.1
GBMP	62.9	70.7
GBKG	23.3	15.2
GBKI	32.6	22.9
RGMP	77.7	83.2
LGMP	80.2	84.2
GKG	4.8	1.1
RAMP	83.1	85.9
LAMP	84.7	86.7
T	30.8	33.1
TLg	18.3	20.4
RLgMP	40.3	42.7
RLgPT	48.8	51.1
RBPT	42.1	46.4
TB	41.0	45.2
TBMP	21.6	23.8
HLMPD	16.3	19.3
TLMPD	29.6	33.9
LKMPD	44.8	38.2
TBGBMPD	41.4	47.0
HRGMPD	47.7	50.9
HKMPD	61.1	57.5
TBKMPD	69.2	66.0