McNab, Sanders & Vanderduys plumosum and Schelhammera multiflora. 4 he area is mapped New records of blind snakes resembling the robust blind snake Anilios ligatus (Peters 1879). on Cape York Peninsula. as Regional Ecosystem 3.5.2: "Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Corymhia nesophila tall woodland on deeply weathered Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 59: 8. 2014. plateaus and remnants" (Queensland Herbarium 2013) Blind snakes are extremely secretive with numerous and the site conforms well to this description. Based on Australian species known from few specimens or localities available identification keys in Cogger (2000) and Wilson (Vanderduys 2013). Two recent records of blind snakes (2005) both specimens are clearly morphologically A. ligatus morphologically resembling Anilios ligatus (until recently as currently understood. Examination of the specimens Ramphotyphlops ligatus; Hedges et al. 2014) occur much by Dr Andrew Amey (Queensland Museum) confirmed further north than previously recognised, 330 km and this. However, recent genetic work on specimens from nearly 2000 km (south) and over 700 km (west; straight 525 km north, respectively, of the nearest records (Atlas line, across the Gulf of Carpentaria) from our Cape York of Living Australia 2013; fig. 1). The first (QMJ92808) 184 Peninsula specimens (fig. 1) has shown that A. ligatus is mm SVL, 8 mm tail length, (including spinose tip) was both paraphyletic and poTyphyletic indicating the presence collected on the 8th of June 2010 at 13°39.09,S; 142°47.78'E of crvptic species (Marin et al. 2013). The genetic affiliation in a funnel trap, during a survey of Oyala Thumotang of the Cape York Peninsula specimens requires further (Mungkan Kandju) National Park. The trap site was investigation. The nominal A. ligatus taxa presented in located within tall open Eucalyptus tetrodonta woodland, Marin et al. (2013), the disjunct distributions of many with a Melaleuca viridiflora subcanopy on grey sandy reptilian taxa, and similar distribution of non-reptilian soil. Corymhia confertiflora, C. stockeri and Erythrophleum taxa across the Carpentaria Barrier (e.g. Kikkawa 1969; chlorostachys were also common in the tree layer. There Blacket et al. 2001), suggests that many species currently was a thick ground cover dominated by Heteropogon recognised as occurring across the monsoonal tropics triticeus and Sarga plumosum. The area is mapped as being may be rich in cryptic taxa, providing a fertile ground for 50% Regional Ecosystem (RE) 3.5.7 x 2a: "Eucalyptus further taxonomic studies. tetrodonta woodland on sand plains", mixed with other Literature cited REs (Queensland Herbarium 2013) and our data conform Australian Living Atlas. 2013. Atlas of Living Australia. Search to this description. The second specimen (QMJ93151) under “Ramphotyphlops ligatus", "Typhlops ligatus" and all was collected in a pitfall bucket on the 27th of May species listed. Data downloaded July 2013. http://wwvv.ala. org.au/ 2013 at 12°03.22'S; 142°03.27'E during fauna surveys Blacket, M.J., Adams, M., Cooper, S.B.J., Kraiewski, C. & Westerman, approximately 70 km north of VVeipa, on the western side M. 2001. Systematic!* and Evolution of the Dasyurid Marsupial of Cape York Peninsula. The trap site was located within Genus Sminlhopsis: 1. The Macroura Species Group. Journal tall open forest dominated by Eucalyptus tetrodonta on of Mammalian Evolution, 8(2): 149-170. http://dx.doi. org/10.1023/A:1011322031747 hard soils consisting of dry orange loam with bauxite. Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles ami Amphibians of Australia. (Reed New Erythrophleum chlorostachys and Corymhia nesophila were Holland: Sydney). also present in the tree layer, while the ground layer was Hedges, S.B., Marion, A.B., Lipp, K.M., Marin, J., & Vidal, N. 2014. dominated by Eulalia mackinlayi, Heteropogon triticeus, Sarga A taxonomic framework for typhlopid snakes from the Caribbean and other regions (Reptilia, Squama ta). Caribbean Herpetology 49:1-61. Kikkawa, J. & Pearse, K. 1969. Geographical distribution of land birds in Australia - A numerical analysis. Australian Journal of Zoology 17: 821-840. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ ZO9690821 Marin, J., Donnellan, S.C., Hedges, S.B., Doughty, P„ Hutchinson, M.N., Cruaud, C. & Vidal, N. 2013. Tracing the history and biogeography of the Australian blindsnake radiation. Journal of Biogeography 40; 928-937. http:/ / dx.doi. org/10.11 ll/jbi.12045 Queensland Herbarium. 2013. Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD). Version 6,1 (February 2013) (Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts: Brisbane). Vanderduys, E.P. 2013. Additional information on Ramphotyphlops aspiha Couper, Covacevich & Wilson 1998, A poorly known blind snake from the Mitchell Grass Downs of Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 56: 71-76. Wilson, S. 2005. A Field Guide to Reptiles of Queensland. (Reed New Holland: Sydney). Angus McNab and Mark Sanders, EcoSmart Ecology, 48 Streeton Parade, Everton Park, Queensland, Australia, 4053. Eric Vanderduys, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, ATSIP PMB PO, FIG. 1. Known records of Anilios ligatus in proximity to individuals Aitkenvale, Queensland, Australia 4814. collected on Cape York, Queensland (new records X). Four genetically tested specimens are marked (+). Relevant Bioregional boundaries First published online: 7 November 2014 - http://dx.doi.org are shown: CYP = Cape York Peninsula, EIU - Einasleigh Uplands, /10.17082/j.2204-1478.59.2014.2014-1 GUP = Gulf Plains. Data collected from Atlas of Living Australia, LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0DA30508- Atlas of NSW Wildlife and Marin et al. (2013). 42FB-4C3C-B68F-C77123CFACC2 8 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum | Nature • 2016 • 59