Phylogenetic systematics of the Neotropical caecilian amphibian Luetkenotyphlus (Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) including the description of a new species from the vulnerable Brazilian Atlantic Forest

• Published in: Zoologischer Anzeiger Vol. 281; pp. 76 - 83
• Main Authors: Maciel, Adriano Oliveira, de Castro, Thiago M., Sturaro, Marcelo José, Costa Silva, Izadora Emanuelle, Ferreira, Jordana Guimarães, dos Santos, Rafael, Risse-Quaioto, Bárbara, Barboza, Bruno Alenkine, Oliveira, Jane C.F., Sampaio, Iracilda, Schneider, Horacio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01-07-2019
• Subjects: Caecilians; Molecular phylogeny; Neotropical region; Siphonops; Taxonomy; Siphonops; Caecilians; Molecular phylogeny; Taxonomy; Neotropical region
• ISSN: 0044-5231; 1873-2674
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2019.07.001

Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis has been described 168 years ago, being the only known species of that genus up till date. However, the diversity of caecilian amphibians surprises once again, with the discovery of a new species of Luetkenotyphlus from remnants of the critically threatened Atlantic Forest, in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Herein we describe the new species on the basis of its morphology but also present a molecular phylogeny based on three genes (12S, 16S and COI) including more taxa of Siphonopidae together in a same phylogeny than the previous studies. Our phylogeny did not support the monophyly of Siphonops as currently defined, because Siphonops insulanus was recovered within Luetkenotyphlus, forming a monophyletic group, sister to a clade of three Siphonops spp. We have examined a specimen of S. insulanus from the type locality (Ilha de São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil) revealing a shorter premaxillary-maxillary tooth series in comparison to Siphonops. Based on our results, we also allocated S. insulanus to Luetkenotyphlus in order to avoid paraphyly.