Abstract
Based on both morphological and genetic evidence, we describe a new species of typhlopid snake from the dry zone of Sri Lanka, the first scolecophidian snake species to be described from Sri Lanka for nearly 75 years. Being the ninth member to the genus from the island, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characteristics: small body (total length 94–131 mm, snout–vent length 91–128 mm, tail length 2.1–2.8 mm); 20 longitudinal body scale rows; narrow rostral, longer than wide in dorsal aspect (rostral width/rostral length 0.55–0.57), not extending to level of eye; frontal shield extending to upper level of eye; 322–352 middorsal scales (not including intercalary scales); 306–342 midventrals; divided nasal scale; first gland line across head straight, not extending to ocular level; second gland line convex, midpoint reaching midlevel of eye. We have provided molecular phylogenetic evidence to support its distinctiveness from the phenotypically similar I. braminus.
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