Levitonius
| Waray dwarf burrowing snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Cyclocoridae |
| Genus: | Levitonius Weinell, 2020[1] |
| Species: | L. mirus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Levitonius mirus Weinell, 2020[1]
| |
Levitonius is a genus of lamprophiid snakes endemic to the Philippines. The only species in the genus is the Waray dwarf burrowing snake (Levitonius mirus).[1][2] It is native to the Samar and Leyte islands in the Philippines.
Levitonus is smaller than the other Cyclocorinae, reaching only a length of 172 millimetres (6.8 in).[1] In addition, it has the smallest number of vertebrae of any snake, which is possibly related to its size.[2]
Specimens of this genus had been collected in 2006 and 2007, and later again in 2014, but were misidentified.[2] In 2018 a specimen of the genus was described as 'Unnamed Leyte-Samar lineage'.[1][3]
The genus is named after herpetologist Alan E. Leviton.[1][2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Weinell, Jeffrey L.; Paluh, Daniel J.; Siler, Cameron D.; Brown, Rafe M. (23 December 2020). "A New, Miniaturized Genus and Species of Snake (Cyclocoridae) from the Philippines". Copeia. 108 (4): 907–923. doi:10.1643/CH2020110. ISSN 0045-8511.
- ^ a b c d "Remarkable new species of snake found hidden in a biodiversity collection". phys.org. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
- ^ Weinell, Jeffrey L.; Brown, Rafe M. (February 2018). "Discovery of an old, archipelago-wide, endemic radiation of Philippine snakes". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 119: 144–150. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2017.11.004. ISSN 1095-9513. PMID 29162550.
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