Xylophis captaini GOWER & WINKLER, 2007
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Xylophis captaini
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| Higher Taxa | Pareidae (Xylophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Captain’s Xylophis, Captain’s wood snake |
| Synonym | Xylophis captaini GOWER & WINKLER 2007 Xylophis stenorhynchus — SMITH 1943: 343 (part) Xylophis stenorhynchus — INGER et al. 1984: 566 Xylophis stenorhynchus — MURTHY 1990: 46 (part) Xylophis stenorhynchus — DAS 2002: 49 (part) Xylophis stenorhynchus — MEASEY et al. 2003: 47 Xylophis stenorhynchus — SHARMA 2003: 152 (part) Xylophis stenorhynchus — WHITAKER & CAPTAIN 2004: 274 (part) Xylophis captaini — WALLACH et al. 2014: 804 |
| Distribution | India (Kerala, elevation below 300 m, Tamil Nadu) Type locality: at Kannam, Kottayam District, in the state of Kerala at approximately 9° 32’ N, 76° 41’ E, 110 m elevation.The locality is situated between the Arabian Sea coast of peninsular India and the western foothills of the Western Ghats. This is also the type locality of the syntopic caecilian amphibian Uraeotyphlus narayani Seshachar. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: BNHS = BNHM 3375. Adult male, collected by O. V. Oommen and colleagues (University of Kerala), 14 August 2000. Paratypes: (n=21) India: Kerala: Thiruvanathapuram District: Palod (8º 45’ N, 77º 01’ E, 150 m), BMNH 97.2.8.1, 97.2.8.2, 97.2.8.3 (collected before 1898); Cheranikara (8º 39’ N, 76º 57’ E, 120 m), BNHS 3376 (27.x.1999), 3388 (27.viii.1999), 3392 (12.viii.2000), 3397 (12. viii.2000); Mennookonom (8º 38’ N, 77º 02’ E, 100 m), BNHS 3389–3391 (29.vi.2000); Azhukkamoozhi, near Kattalakada (approximately 15 km East of Thiruvananthapuram), BNHS 3378 (11.viii.2000); Vanchuvam (8º 39’ N, 77º 01’ E, 80 m), BNHS 3381–82, 3396 (21. viii.2000); Potugani Junction (8º 28’ N, 77º 13’ E), BNHS 3383 (21.viii.2000); Chathankodu (8º 39’ N, 77º 09’ E, 120 m), BNHS 3385–87 (12. x.2005). Kollam District: near Punalur (8º 59’ N, 76º 57’ E, 150 m), BNHS 3377 (5.viii.1998), 3379 (17.viii.2000); Pathanapuram (9º 06’ N, 78º 51’ E, 50 m), BNHS 3384 (27.viii.2000). Pathanamthitta District: Mylam (9º 02’ N, 76º 48 E, 85 m), BNHS 3393 (13.viii.2000). Kottayam District: Chengalam (9º 37’ N, 76º 43’ E, 120 m), BNHS 3394 (15.viii.2000). Idukki District: Peralamattayam (9º 55’ N, 76º 40’ E, 48 m), BNHS 3395 (14.viii.2000). Tamil Nadu: Kanyakumari District: Aarukani (8º 29’ N, 77º 12’ E, 210 m), BNHS 3380 (19.viii.2000). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A Xylophis resembling X. stenorhynchus (and its putative junior synonym X. indicus – see below), and differing from X. perroteti in having 15 instead of 13 dorsal scale rows at midbody. X. captaini differs from X. stenorhynchus (and X. indicus) in having internasal scales that approach being subequal in midline length to the prefrontal scales, rather than much shorter than them. X. captaini is smaller (up to 145 mm total length versus over 200 mm), has a proportionately shorter tail, and fewer ventral (106–122+ versus 120–135) and subcaudal (males 17–22 versus 24–29; females 10–14 versus 15) scales. X. captaini also has more teeth – approximately 27–30 in each maxilla and each dentary compared to approximately 18–21 in each in X. stenorhynchus. In X. captaini, the first and second infralabial scales are short, and together are shorter than the third infralabial, while in X. stenorhynchus, the second infralabial is notably longer than the first, and together the first and second approach the length of the third. In X. captaini the parietal scales make a much shorter midline contact than in X. stenorhynchus. (Gower & Winkler 2007) |
| Comment | Distribution: The locality is situated between the Arabian Sea coast of peninsular India and the western foothills of the Western Ghats. This is also the type locality of the syntopic caecilian amphibian Uraeotyphlus narayani Seshachar. |
| Etymology | The species is named for Ashok Captain (Pune, India), in recognition of his contributions to the knowledge of Indian snakes. |
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