Afrotyphlops lineolatus

Afrotyphlops lineolatus (Jan, 1864)

Material (one specimen): One adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 316, formerly UP-MHNFCP-017937), collected from Rio Luinha [-9.26667º, 14.53333º, 237 m a.s.l.] Kwanza Norte Province, date unknown; One adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 163; Fig. S51), collected from unknown locality, date unknown.

Comments: Afrotyphlops lineolatus occurs in the savannas of sub-Saharan and West Africa (see Broadley & Wallach 2009; Marques et al. 2018); in Angola it is known mainly from western regions and Lunda Norte Province (Marques et al. 2018). Ferreira (1906) published on an adult specimen of “big dimensions” of “ Typhlops punctatus ” (junior synonym of A. lineolatus; MHNC-UP/REP316) from Rio Luinha, as well as two young adults of Typhlops boulengeri (also a junior synonym of A. lineolatus) from “Cambondo” and “Rio Luinha”. Additionally, Ferreira (1904) described a new species, “ Typhlops bocagei ” (tentatively synonymized with A. lineolatus by Broadley & Wallach (2009)), from two adults from “Cabicula, Bom Jesus (margens do Quanza)”. Ceríaco et al. (2014b) reported having located a potential specimen that corresponded to one of the syntypes of Typhlops bocagei but it turned out to be specimen MHNCUP/REP 316. An additional specimen of A. lineolatus was recently located in the museum. This specimen most likely does represent one of the syntypes of Typhlops bocagei, as it matches Ferreira’s originial description in having 28 mid-body scales. The specimen, which is dry due to the evaporation of the original preservative, did not have any locality or collecting information attached to the the jar, as is common for most of the specimens of this collection.