Uropeltis Cuvier, 1829

Szyndlar, Zbigniew & Georgalis, Georgios L., 2023, An illustrated atlas of the vertebral morphology of extant non-caenophidian snakes, with special emphasis on the cloacal and caudal portions of the column, Vertebrate Zoology 73, pp. 717-886 : 717

Uropeltis Cuvier, 1829

Material examined.

Uropeltis arcticeps ( Günther, 1875) (MCZ Herp R-22389 [Morphosource.org: Media 000483006, ark:/87602/m4/483006]); Uropeltis ceylanica Cuvier, 1829 (MCZ Herp R-3852); Uropeltis melanogaster (Gray, 1858) (NHMUK uncat.); Uropeltis woodmasoni (Theobald, 1876) (NHMUK 1930.5.8.75).

Description (Figs 53-56).

Trunk vertebrae. The morphology similar to other uropeltids except for the hypapophysis disappearing at the level of V 20 to V 30, as well as the neural spine that (although vestigial) is still visible in the posterior trunk vertebrae. The above observations are based on Uropeltis melanogaster (the only complete dry skeleton). In Uropeltis ceylanica (anteriormost and posteriormost vertebrae lacking) the vestiges of the neural spine are more reduced. It is further worth noting that, somehow similarly to the case of Rhinophis blythii above, there are peculiar parasagittal posterior projections of the neural arch in trunk vertebrae of Uropeltis melanogaster (though less well developed than those of Rhinophis blythii ), while possibly these appear to be absent in Uropeltis ceylanica .

Trunk / caudal transition. The same morphology as in other uropeltids. A vestigial (but clearly visible) neural spine in caudal vertebrae in Uropeltis melanogaster .

Number of vertebrae. Uropeltis arcticeps (MCZ Herp R-22389): 167 (149+3+15, including a final fusion); Uropeltis melanogaster (NHMUK uncat.): 177 (163+3+11).

Data from the literature: Uropeltis dindigalensis (Beddome, 1877): 164 trunk and cloacal vertebrae and 10 caudal vertebrae, including a final fusion (counted from the skeleton in Ganesh et al. 2022: fig. 7); Uropeltis melanogaster : 166 trunk vertebrae plus unknown number of cloacal and caudal vertebrae ( Tsuihiji et al. 2012); Uropeltis ocellata (Beddome, 1863): 191-?198 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus 14-15 caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966); Uropeltis pulneyensis (Beddome, 1863): 167-173 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus 9 caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966); Uropeltis rubrolineata ( Günther, 1875): 136-169 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus 8-11 caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966); Uropeltis woodmasoni : 166-179 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus 8-15 caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966).

The lowest vertebral counts in the entire family Uropeltidae were reported by Nopcsa (1923) for Silybura brevis Günther, 1862 (a junior synonym of Uropeltis ceylanica ): 141 vertebrae altogether (127 trunk vertebrae plus 14 cloacal and caudal vertebrae) - this value only is only slightly lower than the one documented above for Teretrurus sanguineus (143 vertebrae altogether).