Madatyphlops | |
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Madatyphlops arenarius specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Typhlopidae |
Genus: | Madatyphlops Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal, 2014 |
Madatyphlops is a genus of snakes in the family Typhlopidae.
Madatyphlops may represent a surviving clade of the ancestral Typhlopidae, which are thought to have originated on Madagascar during the Cretaceous, before later dispersing to mainland Africa and then worldwide. This makes it, Xenotyphlops , and the Madagascan big-headed turtle the only Malagasy terrestrial vertebrates whose isolation on Madagascar is due to Gondwanan vicariance. [1]
The 15 species of the genus Madatyphlops are found mostly on Madagascar, but also occur on the Comoro Islands. A fossil species occurred on Mauritius.
The following species are recognized as being valid. [2]
Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Madatyphlops.
Paroedura is a genus of geckos, endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros. These geckos are typically terrestrial, though the young of most species can climb until they are too heavy for their feet to support.
Uroplatus is a genus of geckos, commonly referred to as leaf-tail geckos or flat-tailed geckos, which are endemic to Madagascar and its coastal islands, such as Nosy Be. They are nocturnal, insectivorous lizards found exclusively in primary and secondary forest.
Geckolepis is a genus of geckos, commonly referred to as fish scale geckos, which are endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. They are nocturnal, arboreal, insectivorous lizards, found in primary and secondary forest, as well as degraded habitats. They are best known for their ability to lose their skin and scales when grasped by a predator.
Ebenavia is a small genus of geckos from Madagascar, Comoros, and Tanzania. It currently has 6 species.
Calumma is a genus of chameleons endemic and restricted to Madagascar. The species formerly named Calumma tigris was transferred to the genus Archaius by Townsend et al., when they found that it is more closely related to Rieppeleon than to Calumma. The oldest fossil of the genus is known from the Early Miocene of Kenya, showing that the genus originated in Africa.
Cophylinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. It has over 100 species in eight genera. Members of this subfamily range from minute to fairly large, and they are highly ecologically diverse. DNA barcode research has revealed a significant taxonomic gap in this subfamily, and an estimated 70+ candidate species were identified. Many of these have subsequently been described, as well as numerous new discoveries.
Cophyla is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar.
Stumpffia is a genus of microhylid frogs that are endemic to Madagascar. They are mostly brown frogs that typically live among leaf litter. S. contumelia has a snout–vent length of about 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in), making it one of the world's smallest frogs, and several others in the genus are only slightly larger. The largest species is no more than 28 mm (1.1 in).
Xenotyphlops is a genus of snakes, the only genus of the family Xenotyphlopidae, comprising two species found only in Madagascar. These snakes are also known as the Malagasy blind snake.
Xenotyphlops grandidieri is a species of blind snake endemic to Madagascar. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Boophis is the only genus in the mantellid frog subfamily Boophinae. They are commonly known as bright-eyed or skeleton frogs. They show typical 'tree frog' traits, and are a good example of convergent evolution with morphologically similar species in the families Hylidae and Rhacophoridae, among others. This genus can only be found on Madagascar and Mayotte Island (Comoros).
Rhombophryne is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. It is currently estimated to include more than 23 species, but only 20 of these are currently described. The common name 'diamond frog' has been proposed and used for members of this genus.
The Scolecophidia, commonly known as blind snakes or thread snakes, are an infraorder of snakes. They range in length from 10 to 100 centimetres. All are fossorial. Five families and 39 genera are recognized. The Scolecophidia infraorder is most likely paraphyletic.
Gephyromantis is a frog genus in the mantellid subfamily Mantellinae. This genus is restricted to Madagascar. At present it contains 45 species divided into six subgenera.
Stenophis is a genus of Madagascan arboreal snakes, part of the family Lamprophiidae. Species of Stenophis typically have large heads relative to their body size, and their bodies are elongated and often thin. The genus includes both viviparous and oviparous species. They usually have prolate pupils.
The Comoro worm snake is a species of snake in the Typhlopidae family.
Madatyphlops domerguei is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Reuter's blind snake, also known commonly as Reuter's worm snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae.
Lycodryas is a genus of snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus contains nine species, seven of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar, and two to the Comoros Islands. All of the species are harmless to humans.
Thamnosophis stumpffi, commonly known as the yellow-striped water snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae of the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.