Class Reptilia Rank Species | Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Serpentes Genus Rhinophis Phylum Chordata Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Rhinophis blythii, or Blyth's earth snake, is a species of snake in the Uropeltidae family. It is endemic to the rain forests and grasslands of Sri Lanka.
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Etymology
The specific name, blythii, is in honor of zoologist Edward Blyth (1810-1873), curator of the museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Description
Dark brown dorsally and ventrally. Sides with vertical yellow spots or a wavy or zigzag stripe on the anterior half of the body. A yellow ring around the base of the tail.
Adults may attain a total length of 37 cm (14 1⁄2 in).
Dorsal scales in 17 rows at midbody (in 19 rows behind the head). Ventrals 148-162; subcaudals 4-7.
Snout acutely pointed. Eye in the ocular shield. No supraoculars. No temporals. Frontal longer than broad. No mental groove. Diameter of body 22 to 32 times in the total length. Ventrals only slightly larger than the contiguous scales. Tail ending in a large convex rugose shield, which is neither truncated nor spinose at the end. Caudal disc 1/2 to 3/5 the length of the shielded part of the head. Some of the distal dorsal scales of the tail weakly keeled.