Uropeltis nitida (Beddome, 1878)

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 : 494-495

Uropeltis nitida (Beddome, 1878)

Silybura nitida Beddome, 1878a: 154 . See Beddome (1878a).

TYPE MATERIAL. — Seven syntypes: BMNH 1946.1.16.30-31, BMNH 1946.1.13.95-97, and MNHN-RA-1895.87a-b.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Anamalai hills, around the Nelliampady Estates on the Cochin side, vicinity of western Nelliyampathy hills, Palghat District, Kerala state, India.

DISTRIBUTION. — Known only from the type locality, the Anaimalai hill complex of India, South of the Palghat Gap, c. 1335-1700 m ( Smith 1943; Wallach et al. 2014; Ganesh 2015).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length c. 340 mm, ventrals 184-195 or 197- 224 fide Constable (1949), subcaudals 5-11, dorsal scales in 17 rows at midbody (see Smith 1943). Distinctive color-pattern, with a black or dark brown dorsal and ventral coloration, and alternating broken crossbands of yellow with offset meetings at the midline, or occasionally intersecting and forming complete rings, and yellow markings on the underside and side of tail.Tail is Smith’s (1943) state I (our Type IV), somewhat compressed dorsally, with scales expanded and multicarinate but no clear separation between shield scales and ordinary dorsal scales, and terminal scute enlarged, projecting, and carinate, ending in two points, similar to U. liura . In the juvenile MNHN syntype, tail more closely resembles Smith’s (1943) state III (our Type III), suggesting ontogenetic development. Snout is “Alternate Point- ed”, although less acute than some species (e.g., U. beddomii ). REMARKS

The distinctiveness of this species from Uropeltis ocellata has been questioned by several authors (see McDiarmid et al. 1999), but we treat it as distinct from that species based on both geographic distribution and color pattern (see Boulenger 1893a). May be part of a species complex with other populations of U. ocellata ( Constable 1949; see below). Apparently known only from the syntypes, based on a lack of published reports or accessioned specimens.