Rhinophis
Creators
- 1. Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW 7 5 BD, UK & Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC 1 E 6 BT, UK
- 2. Wayanad Wild, Lakkidi, Vythiri, Wayanad, Kerala, India
- 3. IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE) and School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala P. O. Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India vivek. cyriac @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 0465 - 0452
- 4. Centre for Applied Genetics, Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560056, India venugcaecilian @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 4873 - 7418
- 5. Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW 7 5 BD, UK
Description
Key to the Indian species of Rhinophis
This is an updated version of the key presented by Cyriac et al. (2020), revised with the addition of R. karinthandani sp. nov. We have removed the relative rostral length character used in Cyriac et al.’s (2020) key because we are less convinced of its diagnostic value and because it can be difficult to measure. All six species are endemic to India and are the only members of this genus known to occur in India.
1 Number of dorsal scale rows just behind midbody 17......................................................... 2
- Number of dorsal scale rows just behind midbody 15......................................................... 3
2 Ventral shields fewer than 160............................................................... R. travancoricus
- Ventral shields more than 180.................................................................... R. goweri
3 Ventral surface with dark blotches in irregular, staggered, transverse half-bands.................................... 4
- Ventral surface with irregular dark speckles or spots.......................................................... 5
4 Only known specimen a female with 195 ventral and 5,5 subcaudal shields (from Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats, South of Palghat Gap)............................................................................. R. fergusonianus
- Ventral shields more than 215; subcaudals 6 or more pairs (from Wayanad region of Western Ghats, North of Palghat Gap)......................................................................................... R. melanoleucus
5 Subcaudals 5 (more typically 6)–11 (5– 7 females; 8– 11 males); venter background colour bright red in life (paler, more orangeyellow in smaller specimens).................................................................. R. sanguineus
- Subcaudals 4–8 (4– 5 females; 6– 8 males); venter background colour whitish (to pale pink anteriorly) in life.............................................................................................. R. karinthandani sp. nov.
Notes
Files
Files
(2.6 kB)
| Name | Size | Download all |
|---|---|---|
|
md5:38bbdafe5518e2420c5bf9e381225608
|
2.6 kB | Download |
System files
(12.6 kB)
| Name | Size | Download all |
|---|---|---|
|
md5:0c3c153a2e2efa9aca17060f47c1fda0
|
12.6 kB | Download |
Linked records
Additional details
Identifiers
Biodiversity
References
- Cyriac, V. P., Narayanan, S., Sampaio, F. L., Umesh, P. & Gower, D. J. (2020) A new species of Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820 (Serpentes: Uropeltidae) from the Wayanad region of peninsular India. Zootaxa, 4778 (2), 329 - 342. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4778.2.5