Levitonius

Waray dwarf burrowing snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Lamprophiidae
Subfamily:	Cyclocorinae
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 is lands in the Philippines, where it lives among 112 other land and snake species.

descripsion

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] Its primary diet is earthworms.[3]

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][4]

The genus is named after herpetologist Alan E. Leviton.[1][2]

References

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.
"Remarkable new species of snake found hidden in a biodiversity collection". phys.org. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
"Scientists Find Remarkable New Snake Species in Philippines | Biology | Sci-News.com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
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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[:0-1] 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.

[:1-2] "Remarkable new species of snake found hidden in a biodiversity collection". phys.org. Retrieved 2020-12-23.

[3] "Scientists Find Remarkable New Snake Species in Philippines | Biology | Sci-News.com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. Retrieved 2020-12-27.

[4] 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.