Teretrurus rhodogaster

(Redirected from Brachyophidium)

Teretrurus rhodogaster is a species of nonvenomous shield tail snake, endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is known as Wall's shield-tail snake, the Palni Mountain burrowing snake, or the red-bellied shield-tail snake.

Teretrurus rhodogaster
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Uropeltidae
Genus: Teretrurus
Species:
T. rhodogaster
Binomial name
Teretrurus rhodogaster
Wall, 1921
Synonyms[2][3]
  • Teretrurus rhodogaster M.A. Smith, 1943
  • Brachyophidium rhodogaster Rajendran, 1985

It is perhaps the smallest species of shield-tail snake, with adults barely exceeding 5–6 in (130–150 mm).

Geographic range

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It is found in South India, in the Western Ghats encompassing the Palni Hills (Shembaganur in Kodaikanal Hills, Palnis).

The type locality given is "Palnai Hills."[2]

References

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  1. ^ Srinivasulu, B.; Srinivasulu, C.; Ganesan, S.R.; Prabhu, M.; Sreekar, R.; Ramesh, M. (2013). "Brachyophidium rhodogaster". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T172611A1351984. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172611A1351984.en. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b 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).
  3. ^ Pyron, R. A., Ganesh, S. R., Sayyed, A., Sharma, V., Wallach, V., & Somaweera, R. 2016. A catalogue and systematic overview of the shield-tailed snakes (Serpentes: Uropeltidae). Zoosystema, 38(4), 453-506.

Further reading

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