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Hemipenial morphology of Epictia vellardi (Laurent, 1984) (Leptotyphlopidae, Serpentes) with the proposition and discussion of two general hemipenial patterns within the genus Epictia

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Abstract

Scolecophidia (Squamata, Serpentes), commonly known as blindsnakes, wormsnakes or threadsnakes comprises a group of small snakes, with relatively few systematic and morphological studies when compared to Alethinophidia. Since the external morphology is very conserved amongst scolecophidians, internal morphological studies—such as the hemipenial morphology—are useful to unravel several systematic issues within the group. We aimed to describe the hemipenial morphology of Epictia vellardi (Epictinae, Leptotyphlopidae) based on 16 organs belonging to eight specimens. The organ is unilobed, with the body conspicuously narrower than the base and with the apex slightly expanded, without any macroscopic ornamentation. The comparison of the hemipenial morphology of E. vellardi with other hemipenes of Epictia spp. allowed us to identify two general morphological patterns for the genus, which are proposed and discussed in detail in the present study. The results found herein may be extremely relevant for future hemipenial descriptions. In addition, independent characters found in Types I and II (such as ornamentation, shape of base, body and apex) should be regarded for future systematic and evolutionary morphology studies within Leptotyphlopidae, in addition to assisting in the taxonomy and identification of species of the genus.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to F. Curcio (UFMT) for allowing us to examine specimens and to Professor J.R.P. Pujol, from the Department of Zoology of the Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (UnB), for allowing us to use the Leica M205C stereomicroscope microscope available to photograph and analyze specimens. A.C. Ferreira thanks Programa de Iniciação Científica of the Universidade de Brasília (ProIC/UnB) and Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF) for the scholarship granted for this project.

Funding

Ana Carolina Ferreira was supported by Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (00193.00002054/2018-91).

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  1. Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 70910-900, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Ferreira, Julia Klaczko & Angele Martins

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  1. Ana Carolina Ferreira
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Contributions

ACF has contributed in the study conceptualization, data collection, formal analysis, methodology, project administration and manuscript writing. AM contributed in conceptualization, data collection, formal analysis, methodology, project administration, supervision and manuscript revision. JK contributed with conceptualization, methodology, project administration, supervision and manuscript revision.

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Correspondence to Ana Carolina Ferreira.

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All specimens analyzed herein are housed at the Coleção de Répteis at the UFMT.

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Ferreira, A.C., Klaczko, J. & Martins, A. Hemipenial morphology of Epictia vellardi (Laurent, 1984) (Leptotyphlopidae, Serpentes) with the proposition and discussion of two general hemipenial patterns within the genus Epictia. Zoomorphology 140, 143–150 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-020-00506-0

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