Uropeltis liura ( Günther, 1875 )

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 : 492

Uropeltis liura ( Günther, 1875)

( Fig. 8G )

Silybura liura Günther, 1875: 228 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: BMNH 1874.4 .29.1206 (= 1946.1.16.7).

TYPE LOCALITY. — High Wavy Mountains, Madura hills, eastern Kerala and western Tamil Nadu state, India.

DISTRIBUTION. — India, High Wavys or Meghamalai hills, Cardamom hills, and Agasthyamalai or Ashambu hills at elevations> 1200 m (see Rajendran 1985; Wallach et al. 2014).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total size c. 320 mm, ventrals 173-188 (but 182- 208 reported by Rajendran 1985), subcaudals 8-12, dorsal scales in 17 rows at midbody ( Whitaker & Captain 2004). Smith classified the tail as state III, in which the tail is blunt and rounded and the scales are smooth, with an enlarged, projecting terminal scute ending in two points. We tentatively agree with this classification (our Type III). Snout is “Alternate Pointed”, but rostral is less enlarged or recurved than other such species (e.g., U. beddomii ). Very distinctive color-pattern, with a primarily purplish-black dorsal coloration with small yellowish-white ocelli scattered throughout, and small irregular rectangles of yellow scales extending from the venter onto the dorsum. The single specimen dissected has a larger densely vascularized portion of the right lung (10% of SVL) than any other Uropeltis specimen examined (mean of 6%).

REMARKS This species has a complicated taxonomy; the original namebearing populations are from the High Wavys and were recently studied in situ ( Whitaker & Captain 2004; SRG pers. obs.). However, Rajendran (1985) assigned populations from Agasthyamalais South of the Sencotta Gap to this taxon, and further work is thus needed to clarify the status of the southern population.There are reports of substantial geographic variation in color pattern and ventral count ( Rajendran 1985; Whitaker & Captain 2004; Ganesh 2015).

Figures

FIG. 8. — Some uropeltid species photographed in life: A, Rhinophis zigzag Gower & Maduwage, 2011; B, Teretrurus sanguineus (Beddome, 1867); C, Uropeltis bicatenata (Günther,1864); D, U. ceylanica Cuvier,1829; E, U.dindigalensis (Beddome,1877);F, U. ellioti (Gray,1858); G, U. liura (Günther,1875);H, U. macrolepis (Peters, 1861). Photos by RAP, RS, SRG, VS, S. Kehimkar, A. Mohan, and D. Raju.