Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Serpentes Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Higher classification Uropeltis | |
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Uropeltis macrorhyncha is a nonvenomous shield tail snake species endemic to India. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Contents
Geographic range
It is found in southern India in the Western Ghats: Anaimalai Hills, Madura District.
The type locality given is "Anamullay Mountains, 4,000 feet elevation."
Also, Beddome, 1886, gives a type locality of "Anamallays, dense forests above Ponachi, at an elevation of 4000 feet.
Description
Dorsum brown. A yellow streak from the mouth along each side of the neck. A yellow streak on each side of the tail, connected by a yellow crossbar across the vent. Ventrum brown mixed with yellow.
The type specimen is 57 cm (22 1⁄2 in) in total length.
Dorsal scales in 19 rows behind the head, in 17 rows at midbody. The type specimen, a female, has 213 ventrals, 6 subcaudals.
Snout acutely pointed, strongly projecting. Rostral strongly laterally compressed, keeled above, ½ the length of the shielded part of the head. Nasals narrowly in contact behind the rostral. Frontal as broad as long. Eye very small, less than ⅓ the length of the ocular shield. Diameter of body 38 times in total length. Ventrals slightly less than two times as large as the contiguous scales. End of tail subtruncate, the keeled dorsal portion small and rather flat, the scales with 3-5 strong keels. Terminal scute with two points.