Systematics and Biogeography of Scolecophidian Snakes

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Scolecophidians ("blind snakes") are burrowing snakes that feed primarily on small, social insects such as ants, termites, and their larvae. They include the smallest snakes and are distributed on all continents except Antarctica, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to their fossorial lifestyle, they are among the most poorly-known major groups of vertebrates. Studies have suggested that scolecophidian species diversity is greatly underestimated because the morphological differences separating species are fewer than usual and harder to detect with conventional methods. This project investigates the relationships of populations and species of scolecophidians using DNA sequences and phylogenetic methods, in order to better understand hidden species diversity within the group and how species became distributed throughout their range.This project confers significant benefits for biodiversity and conservation efforts by revealing a large component of hidden diversity within tropical vertebrates. The small distributions of most species, combined with their declining forest habitats, place them among the key indicators of environmental health. A better understanding of species boundaries and relationships also makes these organisms more accessible for study to other biologists, such as ecologists, physiologists, and conservation biologists. The project involves both field and laboratory training of graduate and undergraduate students.