Uropeltis beddomii
Encyclopedia
Uropeltis beddomii, commonly known as Beddome's earth snake, is a species
of snake
in the family Uropeltidae. It is endemic to India
.
(1830–1911), British army officer and botanist.
(Anaimalai Hills
).
Type locality = "Anamallay Hills".
The longest specimen in the type series collected by Col. Beddome is a female 27.5 cm (10¾ inches) in total length.
Dorsal scales in 19 rows behind the head, in 17 rows at midbody. Ventrals 180-188; subcaudals 6-7 (females).
Snout acutely pointed, strongly projecting. Rostral strongly compressed, keeled above, portion visible from above two fifths the length of the shielded part of the head. Nasals in contact with each other behind the rostral. Frontal longer than broad. Eye very small, less than ½ the length of the ocular. Diameter of body 33 to 44 times in the total length. Ventrals less than twice as large as the contiguous dorsal scales. End of tail subtruncate, convex, or somewhat flattened dorsally, the scales with 3 to 5 strong keels. Terminal scute with a transverse ridge and two points.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
in the family Uropeltidae. It is endemic to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Etymology
The specific name or epithet, beddomii, is in honor of Richard Henry BeddomeRichard Henry Beddome
Colonel Richard Henry Beddome was a British military officer in India, chief conservator of the Madras Forest Department and a naturalist...
(1830–1911), British army officer and botanist.
Geographic range
It is found in southern IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(Anaimalai Hills
Anaimalai Hills
The Anaimalai Hills is a range of mountains in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of South India. The name "Anaimalai" derives from the Tamil word 'Ana' meaning elephant and 'Mala' meaning hill, thus Elephant Hill. The highest peak of the Anaimalai Hills is Anamudi, , located in the...
).
Type locality = "Anamallay Hills".
Description
Dorsum brown. A yellow streak on each side of the neck. A yellow crossband at the base of the tail, but not on the sides of the tail. Ventrum brown mixed with yellow.The longest specimen in the type series collected by Col. Beddome is a female 27.5 cm (10¾ inches) in total length.
Dorsal scales in 19 rows behind the head, in 17 rows at midbody. Ventrals 180-188; subcaudals 6-7 (females).
Snout acutely pointed, strongly projecting. Rostral strongly compressed, keeled above, portion visible from above two fifths the length of the shielded part of the head. Nasals in contact with each other behind the rostral. Frontal longer than broad. Eye very small, less than ½ the length of the ocular. Diameter of body 33 to 44 times in the total length. Ventrals less than twice as large as the contiguous dorsal scales. End of tail subtruncate, convex, or somewhat flattened dorsally, the scales with 3 to 5 strong keels. Terminal scute with a transverse ridge and two points.