Studies on amphisbaenians (Amphisbaenia, Reptilia). 4, A review of the amphisbaenid genus Leposternon. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 144, article 6

Abstract

"The present study, based on more than 800 specimens in some 40 collections and on a review of all references in the literature, reduces the more than 24 named forms of the South American amphisbaenian genus Leposternon to seven, six of these having been previously named, and the seventh thus far known from only a single specimen. The species Leposternon microcephalum occupies almost the entire generic range, whereas the remaining forms (L. infraorbitale, L. octostegum, L. polystegum, L. scutigerum, L. wuchereri) appear to be more or less sympatric to it. The single, yet unnamed individual of the seventh form stems from Goiás, within the range of L. infraorbitale. The variability of integumentary architecture is much greater in this genus than in those other amphisbaenians thus far examined. The cephalic segmentation of some of the species in particular shows remarkable local variance, and the dermal-vertebral ratio is most irregular, departing drastically from the value of two, which is almost universal in other species of the order; some local variants particularly would seem to provide raw material for several kinds of interesting supplementary studies"--P. 459.