Rhinophis philippinus

Rhinophis philippinus
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Uropeltidae
Genus:	Rhinophis
Species:	R. philippinus
Binomial name
Rhinophis philippinus (Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms
Typhlops philippinus Cuvier, 1829 Rhinophis philippinus – J.P. Müller, 1832 Rhinophis planiceps Peters, 1861 Rhinophis philippinus – M.A. Smith, 1943 [1] [2]

Rhinophis philippinus, also known as Peter's earth snake or Peter's Philippine earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. ^{[2] [3]}

Description

Brown dorsally and ventrally, each scale with a lighter margin. Some specimens have a yellowish blotch near the head or on the anal region.

Total length 27 cm (10+3⁄4 in).

Dorsal scales arranged in 17 rows at midbody (in 19 rows behind the head). Ventrals 153–172; subcaudals 3–6.

Snout acutely pointed. Rostral obtusely keeled above, about 2/5 the length of the shielded part of the head. Nasals separated by the rostral. Eye in the ocular shield. No supraoculars. Frontal usually longer than broad. No temporals. No mental groove. Diameter of body 24 to 34 times in the total length. Ventrals only slightly larger than the contiguous scales. Tail ending in a large convex rugose shield, which is neither truncated nor spinose at the end. Caudal disc about as long as the shielded part of the head. ^[4]

References

1. 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. 141-142.
2. Rhinophis philippinus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 22 November 2020.
3. Bamaradeniya, Channa N.B. The Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation. Colombo, Sri Lanka: IUCN, 2006. 163.
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. 140–142. (Rhinophis planiceps).

Further reading

• Cuvier, G. 1829. Le Règne Animal Distribué, d'après son Organisation, pour servir de base à l'Histoire naturelle des Animaux et d'introduction à l'Anatomie Comparé. Nouvelle Edition, Revue et Augmentée [second edition]. Tome II [Reptiles]. Déterville. Paris. 406 pp. (Typhlops philippinus, p. 74).
• Müller, J.P. 1832. Beiträge zur Anatomie und Naturgeschichte der Amphibien. Zeitschrift für Physiologie, Band 4, pp. 190–275, Plates XVIII - XXII. (Rhinophis philippinus, p. 249).
• Peters, W. 1861. De serpentum familia Uropeltaceorum. Reimer. Berlin. 22 pp., 2 Plates.
• Smith, M.A. 1943. The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III. - Serpentes. Taylor and Francis. London. 583 pp. (Rhinophis philippinus, p. 91).