Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Serpentes Scientific name Uropeltis maculata Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Squamata Family Uropeltidae Higher classification Uropeltis | |
Similar Uropeltis, Uropeltis pulneyensis, Plectrurus guentheri | ||
Common names: spotted earth snake.
Uropeltis maculata is a nonvenomous shield tail snake species endemic to southern India. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Contents
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 6000–7000 feet elevation.
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 ¼ 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 ½ 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.