Epictini Hedges, Adalsteinsson, & Branch, New Tribe

Tribe Epictini Hedges, Adalsteinsson, & Branch, New Tribe

Type genus. Epictia Gray, 1845: 139.

Diagnosis. Members of this tribe have moderate or large anterior supralabial scales, with only two out of 55 species possessing small anterior supralabial scales (Rena unguirostris and Siagonodon cupinensis). This contrasts with all other leptotyphlopids (except for six African species) which have small anterior supralabial scales (Table 2). Because the West African members of the Epictinae (except sundewalli) all have the small anterior supralabial, the moderate and large scale conditions appear to be derived (see biogeography section for discussion on hypothesized evolutionary history). Members of two of the three subtribes in this tribe also have species with striped patterns and multiple colors (including yellow, and in some cases, red) (Fig. 6). In contrast, other leptotyphlopids lack stripes and usually have a brown dorsum. The support for this group was 70% BP and 100% PP for the four-gene tree (Fig. 3) and 79% BP and 100% PP for the nine-gene tree (Fig. 4).

Content. Three subtribes, six genera, and 56 species (Table 1).

Distribution. The tribe is distributed in the New World from North America (California, Utah, and Kansas) south through Middle and South America (exclusive of the high Andes) to Uruguay and Argentina on the Atlantic side. It also occurs on San Salvador Island (Bahamas), Cozumel Island (Mexico), Islas de Bahia and Swan Islands (Honduras), San Andres and Providencia Islands (Colombia), Bonaire, Margarita Islands, and Trinidad.

Remarks. This tribe comprises the New World clade of the Subfamily Epictinae.