Melanophidium bilineatum Beddome, 1870

Pyron, Robert Alexander, Ganesh, Sumaithangi Rajagopalan, Sayyed, Amit, Sharma, Vivek, Wallach, Van & Somaweera, Ruchira, 2016, A catalogue and systematic overview of the shield-tailed snakes (Serpentes: Uropeltidae), Zoosystema 38 (4), pp. 453-506 : 474-476

Melanophidium bilineatum Beddome, 1870

Melanophidium bilineatum Beddome, 1870: 169 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Lectotype: BMNH 1872.1.2.5 (= 1946.1.15.750). Paralectotype: MNHN-RA-1895.111. Both designated by Gower et al. (2016).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Lectotype: Periya peak, Wayanad District, Kerala state, India . Paralectotype: possibly Terrihioot peak, Wayanad District, Kerala state, India. Exact localities unclear ; see Remarks.

DISTRIBUTION. — India, definitively known only from the type locality, Periya and Tirrihioot peaks in the Wayanad hills, at elevations> 1200 m (Gower et al. 2016), but see Remarks).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length of c. 360 mm, 188-200 ventrals, 14- 17 subcaudals, dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody (see Smith 1943; Gower et al. 2016). Color pattern typically a bluishblack venter and dorsum marked by thick light-yellow lines situated dorsoventrally, running from the head to the tail. This character is considered diagnostic (Gower et al. 2016).

REMARKS

We concur with Gower et al. (2016) in doubting a recent report of this species from the Anaimalai hills South of the Palghat Gap ( Vijayakumar et al. 2001), as only M. punctatum is known from this region. This species is known from a very small number of specimens and sites, possibly restricted to the four specimens from the original collection. Beddome (1870) reported collections at 5000 ft from Periya and Terrihioot peaks, and in 1886 clarified that there were four individuals collected (three adults and one juvenile) at elevations around 4000 ft from those localities. Smith (1943) and Gans (1966) erroneously reported three types, but there are only two, plus two additional specimens from Beddome. Gower et al. (2016) report the lectotype as originating from Periya Peak, and two additional BMNH specimens, one adult and one juvenile (together with the lectotype apparently representing three of Beddome’s original four), as originating simply from “Wayanad district”. Thus, it seems likely that the adult paralectotype from Paris represents the collection from Terrihioot Peak. However, the actual locations of these collections is unclear; there are no peaks> 1200 m in the immediate vicinity of Periya (which is c. 800 m), though these elevations can be found c. 15 km to the North or the south. Gower et al. (2016) also report a specimen (BNHS 3410) from Gurukula, near Periya, at c. 800 m. Thus, this species may occur at lower (c. 800 m elevations), but apparently only in a small region in the vicinity of Periya, Kerala state, India.

Melanophidium khairei

Gower, Giri, Captain & Wilkinson, 2016

Melanophidium khairei Gower, Giri, Captain & Wilkinson, 2016:482 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: BNHS 3452. Paratypes: BNHS 96, 3199, 3253, 3444-3446, 3472.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Holotype: Amboli, Sindudurg district , Maharashtra, India . Paratypes: Patgaon, Kolhapur district , Maharashtra ( BNHS 3444-3446 ) ; Verle, South Goa, Goa ( BNHS 3472 ) ; “Jelewadi, Goa Frontier”, likely Telewadi , Karnataka ( BNHS 96 ) .

DISTRIBUTION. — A small range at elevations c. 500-800 m in semi-evergreen forests in the Western Ghats of northern Karnataka, Goa, and southern Maharashtra states, India (Gower et al. 2016).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length of c. 550 mm, 191-200 ventrals, 11- 13 subcaudals, dorsal scales in 13-15 rows at midbody, fewer than 13 subcaudal scales, typically exhibiting scale-row reduction to 13 rows (from 15) at midbody (between the 20th and 40th ventral), and having a short, dorsoventrally-compressed terminal scute (Gower et al. 2016). Color pattern usually dark brown or black, piebald and punctate (white or yellowishwhite markings). These characters are considered diagnostic (Gower et al. 2016; but see Remarks).

REMARKS

Reported to be relatively common in recent collections, this species was long considered (see Gower et al. 2016) to represent a northern population isolate of Melanophidium punctatum (e.g., Srinivasulu et al. 2013), but also superficially resembles M. wynaudense . Exact relationships remain unclear, pending further molecular sampling in the genus. The specimen identified here as M. khairei and included in the molecular phylogeny originates from a topotypic population and generally appears to match the description of M. khairei given above (Appendix 2).

Melanophidium punctatum Beddome, 1871 ( Fig. 6B )

Melanophidium punctatum Beddome, 1871: 401 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Lectotype: BMNH 1872.1 .2.6 (= 1946.1.4.37) and paralectotypes: BMNH 1874.4.29.121-122 (= 1946.1.15.48- 49) and MNHN-RA-1895.116. Designated by Gower et al. (2016), but see Remarks.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Lectotype: Muthukuzhi Vayal in the Kalakkad- Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in the Agasthyamalai hills, Kerala state, India. Paralectotypes: Azhutha, Kerala state, India.

DISTRIBUTION. — India, Agasthyamalai hills, at elevations> 1000 m. This is the only Melanophidium species occurring South of the Palghat Gap (see Gower et al. 2016).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length 560 mm but generally c. 400 mm, ventrals 180-198, subcaudals 14-18, dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody, subcaudals typically in 15-17 but occasionally 14-18 pairs, and no dorsal scale-row reduction ( Smith 1943; Whitaker & Captain 2004; Gower et al. 2016). Color pattern typically characterized by a black venter and dorsum marked dorsoventrally by white edging surrounding the black pigment, giving the appearance of rows of spots running alongside the ventral scales. This character is considered diagnostic (Gower et al. 2016).

REMARKS

Beddome (1871) reports one specimen (c. 457 mm TL) from ‘Muti-kuli vayal’ (Muthukuzhi Vayal in the Kalakkad- Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve) in the Agasthyamalai (“Asamboo” = Ashambu) hills, and two (an adult and a juvenile) from the much more northerly ‘Peermede’ (= Azhutha). The existence of four putative syntypes is thus unclear. The Muthukuzhi Vayal specimen (BMNH 1872.1.2.6 [= 1946.1.4.37]) was erroneously listed as BMNH 1946.1.4.73 by Wallach et al. (2014). The MNHN specimen was not specified by Beddome (1871), but was listed by Gans (1966) as a type, and was collected by Beddome. The MNHN specimen is c. 400 mm TL, from Peermede, and likely represents one of BMNH 1874.4.29.121-122, later sent to Paris. Welch (1988) listed the type locality only as Agasthyamalai hills. This restriction was cemented by Gower et al. (2016). Populations of M. khairei were long considered to be M. punctatum (e.g., Srinivasulu et al. 2013; see Gower et al. 2016).

Melanophidium wynaudense (Beddome, 1863) ( Fig. 6C )

Plectrurus wynaudensis Beddome, 1863a: 48 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Lectotype: BMNH 1874.4 .29.84 (=1946.1.15.46) and paralectotypes: BMNH 1864.3 .9.6 (= 1946.1.15.74) and MNHN-RA-1895.108-109. Designated by Gower et al. (2016), but see Remarks.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Cherambadi, Tamil Nadu state, India (see Remarks).

DISTRIBUTION. — India, distributed from the Nilgiri hills to Agumbe, at elevations c. 600-2100 m (see Wall 1919; Ganesh et al. 2012; Wallach et al. 2014; Ganesh 2015).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length c. 440 mm, ventrals 170-189, subcaudals 11-12 but occasionally 10-18, dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody ( Boulenger 1890; Wall 1919; Smith 1943; Ganesh et al. 2012; Gower et al. 2016). Color pattern distinguishable by a bluish-black dorsum marked by broad white patches on the venter, which increase in size and irregularity towards the tail. This character is considered diagnostic (Gower et al. 2016).

REMARKS

We follow McDiarmid et al. (1999) in considering Beddome (1863a) as the original description, supporting the current spelling over Plectrurus wynandensis Beddome, 1863 given by Beddome (1863b). However, this is not a settled matter, and may need to be referred to the ICZN. Regarding the type species of Melanophidium , the type locality Cherambadi is in Tamil Nadu, not Kerala as stated by Wallach et al. (2014). This species was long known from relatively few specimens, with recent reports from new localities ( Ganesh et al. 2012). Large variation in scale counts among different widespread localities (see Ganesh et al. 2012 and discussion therein) may indicate cryptic diversity.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Some uropeltid species photographed in life:A, Brachyophidium rhodogaster Wall,1921;B, Melanophidium punctatum Beddome,1871;C, M.wynaudense Beddome, 1863; D, Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877; E, Plectrurus perrotetii Duméril & Bibron in Duméril & Duméril, 1851; F, Rhinophis blythii Kelaart, 1853; G, R. erangaviraji Wickramasinghe, Vidanapathirana, Wickramasinghe & Ranwella, 2009; H, R. goweri Aengals & Ganesh, 2013. Photos by RAP, RS, SRG, VS, A. Singh, K. Ukuwela, and R. Pethiyagoda.