Suborder Serpentes Phylum Chordata Rank Species | Subphylum Vertebrata Scientific name Uropeltis ellioti Higher classification Uropeltis Order Scaled reptiles | |
Similar Uropeltis, Uropeltis macrolepis, Uropeltis pulneyensis, Plectrurus perrotetii, Plectrurus guentheri | ||
Uropeltis ellioti, commonly known as Elliot's earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to India.
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Etymology
The specific name or epithet, ellioti, is in honor of Scottish naturalist Walter Elliot.
Geographic range
U. ellioti is found in southern India (Hills of Peninsular India. Western Ghats south of the Goa Gap to Tinnevelly. Eastern Ghats: Shevaroys, Coimbatore district, South Arcot, Jalarpet, Vizagapatam district, Ganjam).
Type locality of Siloboura ellioti = "Madras".
Type locality of Silybura punctata = "Pulney hills, Golcondah hills".
Description
Dorsum dark brown, either uniform or with yellow dots. A yellow stripe on each side of the neck, and a yellow stripe on each side of the tail. Ventrum dark brown with small yellow dots, and a yellow transverse bar across the vent, which connects the stripes on the sides of the tail.
Adults may attain a total length (including tail) of 24 cm (9 1⁄2 in).
Dorsal scales in 19 rows behind the head, in 17 rows at midbody. Ventrals 144-172; subcaudals 6-10.
Snout pointed. Rostral about ⅓ the length of the shielded part of the head, the portion visible from above longer than its distance from the frontal. Nasals in contact with each other behind the rostral. Eye very small, less than half the length of the ocular shield. Diameter of the body 25 to 32 times in the total length. Ventrals nearly twice as large as the contiguous scales. End of tail convex or somewhat flattened dorsally. Dorsal scales of tail with 3 to 6 strong keels. Terminal scute with a transverse ridge and two points.