Platyplectrurus madurensis

Platyplectrurus madurensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Uropeltidae
Genus: Platyplectrurus
Species: P. madurensis
Binomial name
Platyplectrurus madurensis
Beddome, 1877
Synonyms

Platyplectrurus madurensis, commonly known as the Travancore Hills thorntail snake, is a species of uropeltid snake. It is endemic to southern India and Sri Lanka.

Geographic range

It is found in the Western Ghats of India and in Sri Lanka.

Type locality of Platyplectrurus madurensis: "About Kodiukarnal on the Pulney Mountains (Madura district), 6000 feet elevation".

Type locality of Wallia inexpectata: "Südindien (Pulney Hills, Madura)".

Type locality of Platyplectrurus ruhanae: "Galle" district in the Southern Province, Sri Lanka.[1]

Description

The dorsum is iridescent purplish brown. The ventrals and the scales in the two adjoining rows on both sides are white in the center, with purplish brown borders.

The longest of Beddome's type specimens measures 35 cm (13 3⁄4 in) in total length.

Dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody (in 17 rows behind the head). Ventrals 158-175; subcaudals 10-15.

Very similar to Platyplectrurus trilineatus, except the head shields are shorter, and the supraocular is not longer than the prefrontal. Diameter of body 38-42 times in total length.[2]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate race.

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. ↑ Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families...Uropeltidæ... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). London. p. 166, Plate XI, figures 2, 2a.
  3. ↑ Dahms Tierleben. www.dahmstierleben.de.

Further reading

  • Beddome, R.H. 1877. Descriptions of three new Snakes of the Family Uropeltidae from Southern India. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877: 167-168.
  • Beddome, R.H. 1886. An Account of the Earth-Snakes of the Peninsula of India and Ceylon. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5) 17: 3-33.
  • Deraniyagala, P.E.P., 1954. Two new snakes from Ceylon. Proc. 10th Congress Ceylon. Assoc. Advancement Sci. 1: 24.
  • Werner, F. 1925. Neue oder wenig bekannte Schlangen aus dem Naturhistorischen Staatsmuseum in Wien. II. Teil. Sitz. Ber. Akad. Wiss., Wien, Abt. I, 134: 45-66.

External links


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