Apr 16, 2025
Large-scaled Shieldtail Snake (Uropeltis macrolepis), family Uropeltidae, India
photograph by Atharva Kerur
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Large-scaled Shieldtail Snake (Uropeltis macrolepis), family Uropeltidae, India
photograph by Atharva Kerur
A new species of Uropeltis Cuvier, 1829 (Serpentes: Uropeltidae) from the eastern escarpment of the southern Western Ghats, India
A new species of the uropeltid (‘shieldtail’) snake genus Uropeltis is described based on eight specimens from the southern part of peninsular India’s Western Ghats. Uropeltis caudomaculata sp. nov. is phenotypically and genetically most similar to U. pulneyensis (Beddome, 1863), but differs primarily in having more ventral scales and in being restricted to the eastern escarpment of the Western Ghats between Meghamalai and approximately 15 km East of Munnar rather than in the Palani Hills, as well as differing in DNA nucleotide sequences. From verified records, we consider U. pulneyensis to be known thus far only from the Palani Hills, and we designate a lectotype for the species. Reconsideration of the holotype of Silybura guentheri Beddome, 1878 from Meghamalai leads us to conclude that it should be removed from the subjective junior synonymy of U. pulneyensis and be considered a distinct though very poorly known species, Uropeltis guentheri comb. nov.
Read the paper here:
A new species of Uropeltis Cuvier, 1829 (Serpentes: Uropeltidae) from the eastern escarpment of the southern Western Ghats, India | Zootaxa (mapress.com)
daily snake #10
🖤 The Pied-Bellied Shieldtail Snake (Melanophidium punctatum) is a species of snake endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It has a rounded snout, and they mainly eat earthworms.
The Beauty of Shieldtail Snake.
Black Shieldtail Snake Aesthetic for @shieldtailblake
hey! I’m glad you decided to request from me! I hope you like my aesthetic! Sorry it’s not more specific to your kintype :(. Hope you enjoy nonetheless! Thank you for requesting! <3
Eranga Viraj's Shieldtail Snake (Rhinophis erangaviraji), family Uropletidae, endemic to Sri Lanka
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.
photograph by Udaya Chanaka
Two-lined Black Shieldtail Snake (Melanophidium bilineatum), family Uropeltidae, Western Ghats, India
photograph by Daimler Pereira
The Beauty of Shieldtail Snake.