Platyplectrurus Günther, 1868

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 : 476-477

Platyplectrurus Günther, 1868

Platyplectrurus Günther, 1868: 414 .

Wallia Werner, 1925: 53 . Type species: Wallia inexpectata Werner, 1925 by monotypy; designated as a subjective junior synonym of Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877 by Smith (1928).

TYPE SPECIES. — Plectrurus trilineatus Beddome, 1867 by original monotypy.

INCLUDED SPECIES. — Platyplectrurus madurensis , P. trilineatus .

DIAGNOSIS. — Platyplectrurus can be distinguished from all other amniotes by the characters given for the family, and from other uropeltids by divided oculars, nasals in contact, temporal, lack of a mental groove, dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody, and posteroventral process of dentary reduced in P. madurensis (see Olori & Bell 2012).

DISTRIBUTION. — India, in the Western Ghats between the Sencotta and Palghat gaps, from hills including the Anaimalai-Palni hill complex (see Wall 1923; Smith 1943; Ganesh 2011; Wallach et al. 2014; Ganesh 2015).

DESCRIPTION

The tail is slightly compressed dorsolaterally, with smooth scales terminating in a scute with a single point. Only a single specimen of Platyplectrurus madurensis was dissected, and no characteristic of visceral topology is significant in uniquely diagnosing it from other uropeltid genera. However, a number of characteristics are divergent from other uropeltids. These are a trachea shorter (25% of SVL) than any other uropeltid specimen examined (mean 31%), a more anterior right lung (Rltip 46% of SVL) than any other specimen examined (mean 55%), and left lung absent but present in all other uropeltids examined. These characters should be examined in more specimens to determine if they are indeed diagnostic of the genus.

REMARK

Should not be considered to occur in Sri Lanka (see above).

Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877 ( Fig. 6D )

Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877: 167 . Five syntypes: BMNH 1883.1.12.52 (= 1946.1.15.64), BMNH 1883.1.12.56-58 (= 1946.1.15.78-80), and MNHN-RA-1895.115a-b.Type locality: near Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu state, India.

Wallia inexpectata Werner, 1925: 54 . Holotype: NMW 18511. Type locality: Pulney hills, Tamil Nadu state, India. Designated as a junior subjective synonym by Smith (1928).

Plectrurus ruhunae Deraniyagala, 1954: 24 . Holotype: NMSL 51 . Type locality: Galle District , Sri Lanka. Designated here as a junior subjective synonym.

DISTRIBUTION. — India, distributed in the Palni and Munnar hills at elevations> 1200 m ( Wall 1923; Roux 1928; Wallach et al. 2014; Ganesh 2015).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length c. 440 mm, ventrals 149-175, subcaudals 10-16 (see Beddome 1877; Smith 1943; Rajendran 1985). Color pattern typically with dark brown dorsal coloration and somewhat lighter dorsolateral stripes covering a single scale row, and ventral and dorsoventral scales (first 2-3 rows) edged in lighter brown with lighter (white or yellow) centers, giving the appearance of rows of white spots.

REMARKS

This species should not be considered to occur in Sri Lanka (see above). Deraniyagala (1954) diagnosed Plectrurus ruhunae from Platyplectrurus madurensis in part based on the number of ventrals (166), but this is within the range reported by Smith (1943) and Rajendran (1985) of 158-175 for P. madurensis . For this and the reasons described above regarding the provenance of Deraniyagala’s specimens, we consider Ple. ruhunae to represent a specimen of P. madurensis erroneously referred to Sri Lanka.

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.