Platyplectrurus Guenther , 1868

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

Platyplectrurus Guenther, 1868

Material examined.

Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877 (MCZ Herp R-18046); Platyplectrurus trilineatus (Beddome, 1867) (CAS Herp 244772 [Morphosource.org: Media 000074713, ark:/87602/m4/ M74713 ]) .

Description (Figs 46-47).

Trunk vertebrae. More elongate than trunk vertebrae of Brachyophidium ; otherwise, the morphology is similar to that of other uropeltids.

Trunk / caudal transition. The same morphology as in other uropeltids. In the posteriormost caudal vertebrae, the hypapophysis becomes more prominent (i.e., blade-like and dorsoventrally tall); the same applies to the neural spine, which is diminutive and vestigial in preceding caudal vertebrae but is taller in the posteriormost preserved caudal vertebra (V 173; Fig. 47 ).

Number of vertebrae. Platyplectrurus madurensis (MCZ Herp R-18046):?173+ (?160+3+10+; a few anterior trunk vertebrae lacking); Platyplectrurus trilineatus (CAS Herp 244772): 174 (157+3+14).

Data from literature: Platyplectrurus madurensis : 166-167 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus?12-14+ caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966).

Figures

Figure 47. Uropeltidae: Platyplectrurus madurensis (MCZ Herp R- 18046), posteriormost trunk, cloacal, and caudal vertebrae.