Uropeltis maculata

Uropeltis maculata is a nonvenomous shield tail snake species endemic to southern India. No subspecies are currently recognized.[3] Its common name is spotted earth snake.

Uropeltis maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Uropeltidae
Genus: Uropeltis
Species:
U. maculata
Binomial name
Uropeltis maculata
(Beddome, 1878)
Synonyms[2]
  • Silybura maculata Beddome, 1878
  • Silybura maculata - Boulenger, 1893
  • Uropeltis maculatus - M.A. Smith, 1943
  • Uropeltis (Crealia) maculatus - Mahendra, 1984
  • Uropeltis maculata - Das, 1996

Geographic range

It is found in southern India in the Western Ghats: Anaimalai Hills and southern Kerala.

No type locality was given in the original description. Beddome (1886) gives "Anaimalai, higher ranges 6,000–7,000 ft (1,800–2,100 m) elevation.[2]

Description

Dark brown or black both dorsally and ventrally, with several deep red blotches on the sides anteriorly, rarely along the full length of the body. Similar deep red blotches about the tail.

Adults may attain a total length of 38 cm (15 inches).

Dorsal arranged in 17 rows at midbody (in 19 rows behind the head). Ventrals 152–173; subcaudals 8-13.

Snout obtuse. Rostral about ​1⁄4 the length of the shielded part of the head. Portion of the rostral visible from above as long as its distance from the frontal. Nasals in contact with each other behind the rostral. Frontal longer than broad. Eye small, its diameter less than ​1⁄2 the length of the ocular shield. Diameter of the body 27 to 40 times in the total length. Tail rounded or slightly laterally compressed, dorsal caudal scales smooth or a few of the terminal ones faintly keeled. Terminal scute very small, with two points.[4]

References
  1. Srinivasulu, C.; Srinivasulu, B.; Ganesan, S.R.; Ramesh, M.; Vijayakumar, S.P. & Prabhu, M. (2013). "Uropeltis maculatus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2013: e.T172699A1369355. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172699A1369355.en. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. "Uropeltis maculata". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
  4. 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. 149, Plate VI, figure 2.

Further reading
  • Beddome, R.H. 1878. Descriptions of new Uropeltidæ from Southern India, with Remarks on some previously described Species. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1878 (1): 154–155.
  • 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.
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