Plectrurus

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Plectrurus
Plectrurus perottetti sal.jpg
Perrotet's shieldtail, Plectrurus perrotetii
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Uropeltidae
Genus: Plectrurus
A.H.A. Duméril, 1851
Synonyms
Common names: burrowing snakes [2]

Plectrurus is a genus of nonvenomous shield tail snakes endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. [1] Currently, three species are recognized. [3] They inhabit high elevation montane Shola forests and are usually found under fallen logs and rocks. Some species are rare while some are quite common in their range.

Contents

Description

Small snakes, they do not exceed 43 cm (17 in).

An ocular shield covers the eye. The eyes are small, diameter not more than half the length of the ocular shield. The tail is laterally compressed. The terminal scute also is laterally compressed, with two superposed points. The points are simple, bifid, or trifid. [4]

Species

Species [3] Taxon author [3] Common name [2] Geographic range [1]
Plectrurus aureus Beddome, 1880golden shield-tail snakeSouthern India in Coonoor, the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

In October 2020, two specimens were found by 10-year-old Dhruv Gowda. There had not been a recorded sighting of this snake in 140 years.
This snake was last claimed to have been seen at the Chubra Hills in Wayanad, Kerala in 1880. There have been no recorded sightings since the 1880 sighting at the Chubra Hills.

Plectrurus guentheri Beddome, 1863Günther's shield-tail snakeSouthern India in the Western Ghats: Sispara Ghat on the west side of the Nilgiri Hills
Plectrurus perrotetii T A.H.A. Duméril, 1851Perrotet's shield-tail snakeSouthern India in the Western Ghats: the Nilgiri Hills, where it is a common species

T) Type species [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. 1 2 The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. 1 2 3 "Plectrurus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  4. ↑ Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families...Uropeltidæ... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). London. pp. 160-161.
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