Plectrurus is a genus of nonvenomous shield tail snakes endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.[1] Currently, three species are recognized.[3] They inhabit high elevation montane Shola forests and are usually found under fallen logs and rocks. Some species are rare while some are quite common in their range.
| Plectrurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Perrotet's shieldtail, Plectrurus perrotetii | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Uropeltidae |
| Genus: | Plectrurus A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 |
| Synonyms | |
| |
- Common names: burrowing snakes[2]
Description
editSmall snakes, they do not exceed 43 cm (17 in).
An ocular shield covers the eye. The eyes are small, diameter not more than half the length of the ocular shield. The tail is laterally compressed. The terminal scute also is laterally compressed, with two superposed points. The points are simple, bifid, or trifid.[4]
Species
edit| Species[3] | Taxon author[3] | Common name[2] | Geographic range[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plectrurus aureus | Beddome, 1880 | golden shield-tail snake | Southern India in Coonoor, the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu In October 2020, two specimens were found by 10-year-old Dhruv Gowda. There had not been a recorded sighting of this snake in 140 years. |
| Plectrurus guentheri | Beddome, 1863 | Günther's shield-tail snake | Southern India in the Western Ghats: Sispara Ghat on the west side of the Nilgiri Hills |
| Plectrurus perrotetiiT | A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 | Perrotet's shield-tail snake | Southern India in the Western Ghats: the Nilgiri Hills, where it is a common species |
- ) Not including the nominate subspecies
References
edit- ^ a b c d McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ a b c "Plectrurus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
- ^ 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. 160-161.
External links
edit
- Plectrurus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 1 September 2007.