Rhinophis drummondhayi

Rhinophis drummondhayi
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Uropeltidae
Genus:	Rhinophis
Species:	R. drummondhayi
Binomial name
Rhinophis drummondhayi Wall, 1921

Rhinophis drummondhayi, commonly known as Drummond-Hay's earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. ^[2] The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. ^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of R. drummondhayi is forest, at altitudes of 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft), but it has also been found in agricultural habitats such as home gardens and tea pantations. ^{[1] [3]}

Reproduction

R. drummondhayi is ovoviviparous. ^[2]

Etymology

The specific name, drummondhayi, is in honor of Henry Maurice Drummond-Hay (1869–1932), who was a planter and naturalist in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and who was the son of Scottish ornithologist Colonel Henry Maurice Drummond-Hay (1814–1896). ^[4]

References

1. Wickramasinghe, N.; Wickramasinghe, L.J.M. (2021). "Rhinophis drummondhayi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021 e.T178286A123306699. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T178286A123306699.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. Rhinophis drummondhayi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 24 January 2017.
3. Bamaradeniya, Channa N.B. (2006). The Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). p. 163.
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Rhinophis drummondhayi, p. 76).

Further reading

• Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Rhinophis drummondhayi, p. 89).
• Wall F (1921). Ophidia Taprobanica or the Snakes of Ceylon. Colombo, Ceylon [Sri Lanka]: Colombo Museum. (H.R. Cottle, Government Printer). xxii + 581 pp. (Rhinophis drummondhayi, new species, pp. 43–44).