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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: October 31st, 2023.


Taxonomy of the family Typhlopidae
Bibliography of the genus Afrotyphlops
Biodiversity of the family Typhlopidae








Genus
Afrotyphlops

African Giant Blind Snakes

Afrikanische Riesenblindschlangen

Afrikanske Kæmpeormeslanger

1843 Aspidorhynchus Fitzinger [not Aspidorhynchus Agassiz 1833 (Pisces)] (type species: Typhlops eschrichtii Schlegel 1839; syn. Broadley & Wallach 2009)
2009 Afrotyphlops Broadley & Wallach (type species: Acontias punctatus Leach 1819)
2009 Megatyphlops Broadley & Wallach (type species: Onychocephalus mucruso Peters 1854; syn. Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014)
Contents: 31 species, of which 13 (41.9%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Remarks: The species of this genus were previously included in Rhinotyphlops or Typhlops (e.g., Hahn 1980).
Distribution: SubSaharan Africa.
Reported from: Angola (incl. Cabinda), Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko, Rio Muni), Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique (incl. Bazaruto Archipelago [incl. Benguerua]), Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe (Principe), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Northern Cape), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania (incl. Zanzibar), Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Afrotyphlops angeli

Mount Nimba Blind Snake

Nimba-Blindschlange

Nimba-ormeslange

1952 Typhlops angeli Guibé
Afrotyphlops angeli Broadley & Wallach 2009
Letheobia angeli Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014

Remarks: Previously as a synonym of manni (e.g., Hahn 1980; Ineich 2003). Revalidated as a separate species by Broadley & Wallach (2009). Re-assigned to the genus Afrotyphlops by Pyron & Wallach (2014).
Distribution: Guinea.


Afrotyphlops angolensis

Golden Blind Snake, Angolan Blind Snake

Goldener Blindschlange

Gylden Ormeslange

1866 Onychocephalus angolensis Bocage
Typhlops angolensis Laurent 1956
Afrotyphlops angolensis Broadley & Wallach 2009
1887 Typhlops congicus Boettger (Hahn 1980)
1910 Typhlops adolfi Sternfeld (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops angolensis adolfi Laurent 1956
1916 Typhlops dubius Chabanaud (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops angolensis dubius Laurent 1956
1933 Typhlops lestradei Witte (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops blanfordi lestradei Loveridge 1942
Typhlops congicus lestradei Laurent 1954
1952 Typhlops ochraceus Laurent (Broadley & Wallach 2009)
1956 Typhlops angolensis irsaci Laurent (Hahn 1980)
1956 Typhlops angolensis polylepis Laurent (Hahn 1980)
1960 Typhlops angolensis symoensi Laurent (Hahn 1980)

Remarks: Previously included kaimosae.
Distribution: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko, Rio Muni), Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.


Afrotyphlops anomalus

Angolan Giant Blind Snake

Angola-Riesenblindschlange

Angolansk Kæmpeormeslange

1873 Onychocephalus anomalus Bocage
Typhlops anomalus Boulenger 1893
Rhinotyphlops anomalus Roux-Estève 1974
Megatyphlops anomalus Broadley & Wallach 2009
Afrotyphlops anomalus Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
1886 Typhlops anchietae Bocage (Hahn 1980)
Onychocephalus anchietae Matschie 1890
Rhinotyphlops anchietae Brogard 2005

Distribution: Angola (incl. Cabinda).


Afrotyphlops bibronii

Southern African Blind Snake, (Bibron's Blind Snake)

Südafrikanische Blindschlange

Sydafrikansk Ormeslange

1846 Onychocephalus bibronii Smith
Typhlops bibronii Boulenger 1887
Rhinotyphlops bibronii Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops bibronii Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Northern Cape), Zimbabwe.


Afrotyphlops blanfordi

Senafé Blind Snake, (Blanford's Blind Snake)

Senafé-Blindschlange

Senafé-ormeslange

1889 Typhlops blanfordi Boulenger
Typhlops angolensis blanfordi Laurent 1956
Afrotyphlops blanfordi Broadley & Wallach 2009

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of lineolatus (e.g., Hahn 1980).
Distribution: Eritrea, Ethiopia.


Afrotyphlops brevis

Somali Giant Blind Snake, Angle-snouted Blind Snake

Somalische Riesenblindschlange

Somalisk Kæmpeormeslange

1929 Typhlops brevis Scortecci
Typhlops schlegelii brevis Parker 1949
Rhinotyphlops schlegelii brevis Roux-Estève 1974
Rhinotyphlops brevis Spawls, Howell, Drewes & Ashe 2002
Megatyphlops brevis Broadley & Wallach 2009
Afrotyphlops brevis Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014

Distribution: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda.


Afrotyphlops calabresii

Hargeisa Blind Snake, (Calabresi's Wedge-snouted Blind Snake, Calabresi's Blind Snake)

Hargeisa-Blindschlange

Hargeisa-ormeslange

1965 Typhlops cuneirostris calabresii Gans & Laurent
Typhlops calabresii Broadley & Wallach 2009
Afrotyphlops calabresii Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
Madatyphlops calabresii Pyron & Wallach 2014

Remarks: Reassigned to Afrotyphlops by Nagy, Marion, Glaw, Miralles, Nopper, Vences & Hedges (2015).
Distribution: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia.


Afrotyphlops chirioi

Berbérati Blind Snake

Berbérati-Blindschlange

Berbérati-ormeslange

2019 Afrotyphlops chirioi Trape

Distribution: Central African Republic.





Afrotyphlops congestus

Marbled Blind Snake, Blotched Blind Snake, Mottled Blind Snake

Marmor-Blindschlange

Marmor-ormeslange

1844 Onychocephalus congestus Dumeril & Bibron
Typhlops congestus Schmidt 1923
Typhlops punctatus congesta Werner 1913
Rhinotyphlops congestus Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops congestus Broadley & Wallach 2009
1845 Onychophis barrowii Gray (Hahn 1980)
1881 Typhlops crassatus Peters (Hahn 1980)

Remarks: Included for Angola, based on Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014) and Branch (2018), although the species was not mentioned by Marques, Ceríaco, Blackburn & Bauer (2018). Records from Tanzania may have been based on misidentifications (Spawls, Howell, Hinkel & Menegon 2018).
Distribution: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko, Rio Muni), Gabon, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda.


Afrotyphlops cuneirostris

Somali Wedge-snouted Blind Snake

Somalische Keilschnauzen-Blindschlange

Somalisk Kilesnudet Ormeslange

1879 Typhlops cuneirostris Peters
Afrotyphlops cuneirostris Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
Madatyphlops cuneirostris Pyron & Wallach 2014

Remarks: Previously included calabresii. Records from Ethiopia and Kenya refer to calabresii. Reassigned to Afrotyphlops by Nagy, Marion, Glaw, Miralles, Nopper, Vences & Hedges (2015).
Distribution: Somalia.


Afrotyphlops decorosus

Cameroon Gracile Blind Snake, (Slender Blind Snake)

Kamerunische Grazile Blindschlange

Camerounsk Slank Ormeslange

1875 Typhlops decorosus Buchholz & Peters
Letheobia decorosa Chirio & Ineich 2006
Afrotyphlops decorosus Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
1881 Typhlops buchholzi Peters (Hahn 1980)

Distribution: Cameroon, Central African Republic.


Afrotyphlops elegans

Principe Blind Snake

Principe-Blindschlange

Principe-ormeslange

1868 Typhlops elegans Peters
Afrotyphlops elegans Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Sao Tome & Principe (Principe).


Afrotyphlops fornasinii

East African Blind Snake, (Fornasini's Blind Snake, Fornasini's Dwarf Blind Snake)

Ostafrikanische Blindschlange

Østafrikansk Ormeslange

1847 Typhlops Fornasinii Bianconi
Rhinotyphlops fornasinii Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops fornasinii Broadley & Wallach 2009
1854 Onychocephalus mossambicus Peters (Hahn 1980)
Ophtalmidion mossambicus Jan 1857
Typhlops mossambicus Jan 1863
1854 Onychocephalus trilobus Peters (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops trilobus Peters 1882
1860 Onychocephalus tettensis Peters (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops tettensis Peters 1882
1860 Typhlops bianconii Jan (Hahn 1980)

Distribution: Malawi, Mozambique (incl. Bazaruto Archipelago [incl. Benguerua]), South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), Zimbabwe.


Afrotyphlops gierrai

Usambara Spotted Blind Snake, (Usambara Blind Snake, Gierra's Blind Snake)

Gefleckte Usambara-Blindschlange

Plettet Usambara-ormeslange

1897 Typhlops gierrai Mocquard
Typhlops punctatus gierrai Barbour & Loveridge 1928
Rhinotyphlops gierrai Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops gierrai Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Tanzania.


Afrotyphlops kaimosae

Kakamega Blind Snake

Kakamega-Blindschlange

Kakamega-ormeslange

1935 Typhlops kaimosae Loveridge
Typhlops angolensis kaimosae Hahn 1980
Afrotyphlops kaimosae Broadley & Wallach 2009

Remarks: Revalidated as a separate species by Broadley & Wallach (2009).
Distribution: Kenya.


Afrotyphlops liberiensis

Liberian Blind Snake

Liberianische Blindschlange

Liberiansk Ormeslange

1848 Onychocephalus liberiensis Hallowell
Typhlops liberiensis Jan 1864
Typhlops punctatus liberiensis Laurent 1964
Afrotyphlops liberiensis Broadley & Wallach 2009
1848 Onychocephalus nigrolineatus Hallowell (Hahn 1980)
1864 Typhlops Hallowelli Jan (Hahn 1980)
1864 Typhlops Kraussi Jan (Hahn 1980)
Onychocephalus kraussi Reichenow 1874
1864 Typhlops liberiensis var. intermedia Jan (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops eschrichtii var. intermedia Peters 1877
1958 Typhlops leprosus Taylor & Weyer (Hahn 1980)

Remarks: Previously included in punctatus. Revalidated as a separate species by Broadley & Wallach (2009).
Distribution: Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone.


Afrotyphlops lineolatus

Lineolate Blind Snake

Afrikanische Gestreifte Blindschlange

Afrikansk Stribet Ormeslange

1863 Typhlops lineolatus Jan
Onychocephalus lineolatus Bocage 1873
Typhlops eschrichtii lineolata Peters 1877
Typhlops punctatus lineolata Bocage 1895
Rhinotyphlops lineolatus Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops lineolatus Broadley & Wallach 2009
1893 Typhlops boulengeri Bocage (Broadley & Wallach 2009)
1904 Typhlops bocagei Bethencourt-Ferreira (status uncertain, Hahn 1980)
1910 Typhlops tornieri Sternfeld (Hahn 1980)

Remarks: Previously included tanganicus and usambaricus (e.g., Hahn 1980). Although reported from Rwanda (e.g., McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré 1999), the species is absent from the country (Spawls, Howell, Hinkel & Menegon 2018). Listed for Gambia by Hahn (1980) and Chirio & LeBreton (2007), but not by Emms, Jambang, Bahl, Mankali, Paziaud & Barnett (2007).
Distribution: Angola (incl. Cabinda), Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia.


Afrotyphlops manni

Harbel Blind Snake

Harbel-Blindschlange

Harbel-ormeslange

1941 Typhlops manni Loveridge
Letheobia manni Broadley & Wallach 2007
Afrotyphlops manni Broadley & Wallach 2009

Remarks: Previously included angeli. Records from Guinea (e.g., Ineich 2003) refer to angeli. Re-assigned to the genus Letheobia by Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal (2014), but transferred back to Afrotyphlops by Pyron & Wallach (2014).
Distribution: Guinea, Liberia.


Afrotyphlops mucruso

Zambezi Giant Blind Snake, Zambezi Beaked Blind Snake, Zambezi Blind Snake, Eastern Variable Blind Snake

Zambezi-Riesenblindschlange

Zambezi-kæmpeormeslange

1854 Onychocephalus dinga Peters
Typhlops dinga Peters 1882
Rhinotyphlops schlegelii dinga Roux-Estève 1974
Typhlops schlegelii dinga Poynton & Broadley 1978
1854 Onychocephalus mucruso Peters
Typhlops mucruso Peters 1882
Typhlops schlegelii mucruso Loveridge 1933
Rhinotyphlops schlegelii mucruso Hahn 1980
Rhinotyphlops mucruso Meirte 1992
Megatyphlops mucruso Broadley & Wallach 2009
Afrotyphlops mucruso Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
1860 Onychocephalus varius Peters (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops varius Peters 1882
Typhlops mucruso varius Chubb 1909
1881 Typhlops riparius Peters (Hahn 1980)
1893 Typhlops mandensis Stejneger (Hahn 1980)
1910 Typhlops latirostris Sternfeld (Hahn 1980)
1912 Typhlops viridiflavus Peracca (Hahn 1980)
1922 Typhlops excentricus Procter (Hahn 1980)
Typhlops schlegelii excentricus Loveridge 1933

Remarks: Hahn (1980) regarded dinga as a nomen oblitum, but in error (Trape & Collet 2021), so these authors reinstated dinga as the valid name for the species until then referred to as mucruso. Since the latter name has been widely used in the literature, it is retained herein, pending as broader consensus to accept the name dinga.
Distribution: Angola, Botswana, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa (Limpopo), Tanzania (incl. Zanzibar), Zambia, Zimbabwe.


Afrotyphlops nanus

Kenyan Dwarf Blind Snake

Kenianische Zwerg-Blindschlange

Kenyansk Dværgormeslange

2009 Afrotyphlops nanus Broadley & Wallach

Distribution: Kenya.


Afrotyphlops nigrocandidus

African Bicoloured Blind Snake

Afrikanische Zweifarbige Blindschlange

Afrikansk Tofarvet Ormeslange

2000 Rhinotyphlops nigrocandidus Broadley & Wallach
Afrotyphlops nigrocandidus Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Tanzania.


Afrotyphlops obtusus

Southern Gracile Blind Snake, Blunt-headed Blind Snake, Shire Blind Snake, (Slender Blind Snake)

Kurzkopf-Blindschlange

Korthovedet Ormeslange

1865 Typhlops obtusus Peters
Typhlops tettensis obtusus Loveridge 1951
Letheobia obtusa Broadley & Wallach 2007
Afrotyphlops obtusus Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
1968 Typhlops obtusus palgravei Laurent (Hahn 1980)

Distribution: Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe.


Afrotyphlops platyrhynchus

Tanga Blind Snake

Tanga-Blindschlange

Tanga-ormeslange

1910 Typhlops platyrhynchus Sternfeld
Afrotyphlops platyrhynchus Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
Madatyphlops platyrhynchus Pyron & Wallach 2014

Remarks: Reassigned to Afrotyphlops by Nagy, Marion, Glaw, Miralles, Nopper, Vences & Hedges (2015).
Distribution: Tanzania.


Afrotyphlops punctatus

Spotted Blind Snake, Punctate Blind Snake, Speckled Blind Snake

Gesprenkelte Blindschlange

Spættet Ormeslange

1819 Acontias punctatus Leach
Typhlops punctatus Boulenger 1893
Onychophis punctata Gray 1845
Rhinotyphlops punctatus Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops punctatus Broadley & Wallach 2009
1839 Typhlops Eschrichtii Schlegel (Hahn 1980)
Aspidorhynchus eschrichtii Fitzinger 1843
Ophthalmidion eschrichtii Duméril & Bibron 1844
1920 Typhlops milleti Chabanaud (Hahn 1980)

Remarks: Previously included congestus and liberiensis (e.g., Hahn 1980). A record from Mauritania (Wallach 2002) was based on a mistake, however, the species may be present in the country since it occurs in northern Senegal (Padial 2006).
Distribution: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Kinshasa, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko), Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda.


Afrotyphlops rondoensis

Rondo Blind Snake, Rondo Plateau Blind Snake

Rondo-Blindschlange

Rondo-ormeslange

1942 Typhlops tettensis rondoensis Loveridge
Typhlops rondoensis Laurent 1964
Rhinotyphlops rondoensis Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops rondoensis Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Mozambique, Tanzania.


Afrotyphlops rouxestevae

Douala Blind Snake

Douala-Blindschlange

Douala-ormeslange

2019 Afrotyphlops rouxestevae Trape

Distribution: Cameroon.





Afrotyphlops schlegelii

Variable Giant Blind Snake, Variable Beaked Blind Snake, Grey Beaked Blind Snake, Grey Burrowing Snake, (Schlegel's Giant Blind Snake, Schlegel's Beaked Blind Snake)

Graue Riesenblindschlange

Grå Kæmpeormeslange

1847 Typhlops schlegelii Bianconi
Onychocephalus schlegelii Peters 1860
Rhinotyphlops schlegelii Bellairs 1969
Megatyphlops schlegelii Broadley & Wallach 2009
Afrotyphlops schlegelii Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin & Vidal 2014
1873 Onychocephalus petersii Bocage
Typhlops petersii Bocage 1895
Rhinotyphlops schlegelii petersii Roux-Estève 1974
Typhlops schlegelii petersii Broadley 1983
1886 Typhlops humbo Bocage (Hahn 1980)
1893 Typhlops hottentotus Bocage (Hahn 1980)

Other common names:
petersii: Western Variable Blind Snake
Remarks: Previously included brevis and mucruso (e.g., Hahn 1980). Records from Gauteng needs further studies (Bates, Branch, Bauer, Burger, Marais, Alexander & Villiers [eds.] 2014).
Distribution: Angola, Botswana, Congo-Kinshasa, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga), Zambia.


Afrotyphlops schmidti

Nyunzu Blind Snake, (Schmidt's Blind Snake)

Nyunzu-Blindschlange

Nyunzu-ormeslange

1956 Typhlops schmidti Laurent
Rhinotyphlops schmidti Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops schmidti Broadley & Wallach 2009
1968 Typhlops schmidti wilsoni Laurent [not Typhlops wilsoni Wall 1908] (Wallach 2003)
2003 Rhinotyphlops schmidti laurenti Wallach [substitute name for Typhlops schmidti wilsoni Laurent 1968]
Typhlops schmidti laurenti Wallach 2003
Afrotyphlops schmidti laurenti Broadley & Wallach 2009

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of lineolatus (e.g., Roux-Estève 1974; Hahn 1980). Now considered a valid species (e.g., Wallach 1998, 2003; McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré 1999).
Distribution: Angola, Congo-Kinshasa, Zambia.


Afrotyphlops steinhausi

Common Cameroon Blind Snake, (Steinhaus' Blind Snake)

Gewöhnliche Kamerunische Blindschlange

Almindelig Camerounsk Ormeslange

1909 Typhlops steinhausi Werner
Rhinotyphlops steinhausi Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops steinhausi Broadley & Wallach 2009
1911 Typhlops batesii Boulenger (Hahn 1980)

Distribution: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Nigeria.


Afrotyphlops tanganicus

Liwale Blind Snake, Tanganyika Blind Snake

Liwale-Blindschlange

Liwale-ormeslange

1964 Typhlops schmidti tanganicus Laurent
Typhlops lineolatus tanganicus Roux-Estève 1974
Typhlops tanganicus Wallach 1998
Rhinotyphlops tanganicus Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops tanganicus Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Tanzania.


Afrotyphlops usambaricus

Usambara Blind Snake

Gewöhnliche Usambara-Blindschlange

Almindelig Usambara-ormeslange

1964 Typhlops boulengeri usambaricus Laurent
Typhlops lineolatus usambaricus Hahn 1980
Typhlops usambaricus Spawls, Howell, Drewes & Ashe 2002
Rhinotyphlops usambaricus Broadley & Wallach 2000
Afrotyphlops usambaricus Broadley & Wallach 2009

Distribution: Tanzania.