Anomochilus

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Anomochilus
coiled black snake
Anomochilus monticola
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Infraorder: Alethinophidia
Superfamily: Uropeltoidea
Family: Anomochilidae
Cundall, Wallach & Rossman, 1993
Genus: Anomochilus
Berg, 1901
Type species
Anomalochilus weberi
Species
Synonyms
  • Anomalochilus Lidth de Jeude in Weber, 1890

Anomochilidae is a

endemic to Sundaland, where they are found on the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra
and Borneo.

Adapted to living underground, dwarf pipesnakes inhabit leaf litter in lowland and

Least Concern
.

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus Anomochilus

Pahang, Malaysia.[6] The third species in the genus, A. monticola, was described by the Indian herpetologist Indraneil Das and colleagues in 2008, based on specimens collected from Mount Kinabalu on Borneo.[7]

Anomochilus was initially described in the

paraphyletic (not containing all the descendants of a common ancestor) with respect to Anomochilidae,[11] and a 2022 study recommended placing Anomochilus back in the former family.[12]

Anomochilus contains three species of pipesnake. All three species are known to live on the island of Borneo, which is presumed to be the

center of diversification for the genus.[12] The genus is closely related to the family Cylindrophiidae, which it is sometimes placed in, and these two form a clade most closely related to the Uropeltidae. The following cladogram shows phylogenetic relationships of Anomochiliidae with other families, based on the 2022 study:[12]

Cylindrophiidae

Uropeltidae (including Anomochilidae)

Xenopeltidae

Loxocemidae

Pythonidae

Xenophidiidae

Boidae

Description

Dwarf pipesnakes are small and cylindrical snakes, with a small, rounded head and short, conical tail.[3] The head is continuous with the neck and, despite the fossorial nature of the species, the snout has no reinforcements to aid in burrowing.[2] The uppersides are usually uniform blackish to purplish-brown and the undersides are dark brown or black, the latter frequently being marked by yellow or white blotches. The snout has yellow markings and the tail is bounded by an orange or red band.[2][3]

They can be differentiated from other snakes outside of the genus by their small head and eyes, the large scales on the forehead, a single

maxillary teeth.[2]

Morphological characteristics of dwarf pipesnakes

Based on Das and colleagues (2008)[7] and Das (2010).[3]

Conventions: SVL=Snout–vent length, TL=Total length

Image Scientific and common name Length Coloration Scalation
A. leonardi
(Malayan giant blind snake or Leonard's dwarf pipesnake)		 228 mm (9.0 in) (TL) no pale stripes along sides; large pale spots along the vertebral column; glossy black to purplish-brown upperside; black belly and red subcaudal scales 214–252
ventral scales; single, unpaired parietofrontal scale
A. monticola
(Kinabalu giant blind snake or Mount Kinabalu dwarf pipesnake)		 507–509 mm (20.0–20.0 in) (SVL), 521.2 mm (20.52 in) (TL) no pale stripes along sides or spots along the vertebral column; solitary pale yellow scales along sides; glossy blue-black upperside; dark brown belly 258–261
ventral scales; single, unpaired parietofrontal scale
A. weberi
(Sumatran giant blind snake or Weber's dwarf pipesnake)		 228 mm (9.0 in) (TL) pale stripes along sides with large pale spots along the vertebral column; black uppersides and belly 242–248
ventral scales; paired parietofrontal scale

Distribution and habitat

All three species of dwarf pipesnake are

montane rainforests, frequently near creeks.[2] A. leonardi inhabits plains and low hill forest at elevations of 220–500 m (720–1,640 ft), A. monticola inhabits montane forest at elevations of 1,450–1,513 m (4,757–4,964 ft), and A. weberi inhabits montane forest at elevations of 300–1,000 m (980–3,280 ft).[3][13][14][15]

Ecology and behaviour

Dwarf pipesnakes are fossorial (adapted to living underground). Their ecology is poorly studied and little is known about their diets and reproductive habits.

live young.[2]

Status

Two species of dwarf pipesnake, A. weberi and monticola, are classified as being

habitat loss caused by logging and urbanisation.[13][14][15]

Notes

  1. ^ From the Ancient Greek words meaning "abnormal lip".[4]
  2. ^ The name Tortricidae is currently used to refer to a family of moths.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Anomochilus weberi (LIDTH DE JEUDE, 1890)". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  2. ^
    OCLC 1356003917
    .
  3. ^
    OCLC 455823617
    .
  4. ^
    OCLC 8651583
    .
  5. S2CID 86156252
    .
  6. ISSN 0374-5481
    .
  7. ^
    S2CID 85684485
    .
  8. ISBN 978-90-04-25211-0
    .
  9. JSTOR 1562691
    .
  10. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1993.tb02536.x
    .
  11. ISSN 0947-5745
    .
  12. ^
    S2CID 245849898
    .
  13. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T191983A2023863.en
    . Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  14. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192155A2048153.en
    . Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  15. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T1555A727213.en
    . Retrieved 2023-06-27.
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