Teretrurus rhodogaster (WALL, 1921)
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Teretrurus rhodogaster
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| Higher Taxa | Uropeltidae, Henophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Palni Mountain Burrowing Snake |
| Synonym | Brachyophidium rhodogaster WALL 1921 Teretrurus rhodogaster — SMITH 1943: 70 Teretrurus rhodogaster — WILLIAMS 1959 Brachyophidium rhodogaster — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 129 Teretrurus rhodogaster — SHARMA 2004 Brachyophidium rhodogaster — OLORI & BELL 2012 Brachyophidium rhodogaster — WALLACH et al. 2014: 123 Teretrurus rhodogaster — CYRIAC & KODANDARAMAIAH 2017 Teretrurus rhodogaster — GANESH & MURTHY 2022 |
| Distribution | India (Shembaganur, Kodaikanal, Palnis, Kerala) Type locality: „Palnai HiIls", S India (probably vicinity of Shembanagur). |
| Reproduction | ovovivparous |
| Types | Holotype: BMNH 1921.3.4.13 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Brachyophidium can be distinguished from all other amniotes by the characters given above for the family, and from other uropeltids by eye in ocular shield, nasals in contact, a temporal, no mental groove, dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody, a simple, unmodified tail tapering to a single pointed scale, and interchoanal process of parasphenoid absent (see Olori & Bell 2012, Pyron et al. 2016). Diagnosis: A species of Teretrurus endemic to the Palni-Anamalai hill complex, lacking a distinct supraocular scale (vs. possessing in T. sanguineus, T. travancoricus, T. hewstoni). (Ganesh & Murthy 2022) Description and variation (n=3): Measurements in mm: snout-vent length: 159-163; tail length: 13.5-19; head length: 6.7-8.2; head width: 5-5.5; body width 5.5-7; eye diameter: 1; eye-snout distance: 2-2.2; inter-orbital distance: 3.3-4; inter-narial distance: 0.8-1. Habitus: Small-bodied, trunk cylindrical to slightly compressed, especially near tail; body fairly slender; head not distinct from neck, as wide as midbody; snout fairly pointed to slightly rounded in profile; tail small, abruptly ending in a short pointed spur. Scalation: scales smooth, cycloid, without apical pits; nasal scales entire, pierced by nostrils; nasals in broad midline contact, not separated by rostrum; prefrontal abnormally elongate and much produced, as large as frontal, but a bit smaller than parietal; head scales lacking pre-, post-oculars; supraocular not discernable, at least partially fused with ocular scale; temporal present; mental groove absent; dorsal scales in 13:15:15 rows, with 13-->15 at 38-40th ventral scales; supralabials 4/4; infralabials 4/5; ventrals 142-146; subcaudals 7-10 pairs; terminal caudal scales keeled, with a single sharp projection in the end. Colouration: dorsum purplish or dark cherry red to maroon coloured, with orange crescent-shaped collar mark and bright washes along the sides; venter uniform and unpatterned bright orange to pink (turning pale off-white in preservative); subcaudals orange medially, border on both sides by purplish black; eye black. (Ganesh & Murthy 2022) |
| Comment | Type species: Brachyophidium rhodogaster WALL 1921 is the type species of the genus Brachyophidium WALL 1921, now a synonym of Teretrurus. |
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