Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820

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

Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820

Material examined.

Rhinophis blythii Kelaart, 1853 (MCZ Herp R-4233; MNHN-AC uncat.); Rhinophis sanguineus Beddome, 1863 (UF Herp 78397 [Morphosource. org: Media 000072226, ark:/87602/m4/ M72226 ]) .

Description (Figs 50-52).

Trunk vertebrae. The morphology is relatively similar to that of other uropeltids. Hypapophyses are present in anterior trunk vertebrae up to V 40-V 45. Notably also, in most trunk vertebrae of Rhinophis blythii , there are peculiar parasagittal posterior projections of the neural arch (Figs 51 - 52 ), though still not present in all trunk vertebrae (Fig. 50 ).

Trunk / caudal transition. The morphology is relatively similar to that of other uropeltids. The hypapophysis is rather prominent, dorsoventrally tall, and almost straight in the posteriormost caudal vertebra.

Number of vertebrae. Rhinophis blythii (MNHN-AC uncat.):?160+ (?153+3+4+); several vertebrae belonging to this examined skeleton, at least those formerly illustrated by Hoffstetter and Gasc (1969), i.e., atlas and four posteriormost caudal vertebrae are apparently lacking (the specimen was labelled ibidem as belonging to the "pers. coll. Hoffstetter"); Rhinophis sanguineus (UF Herp 78397): 217 (204+4+9, including a final fusion and the shield).

Data from literature and unpublished data from personal communications: Rhinophis blythii : 152-157 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus 7-11 caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966); Rhinophis blythii : 151 trunk vertebrae plus unknown number of cloacal and caudal vertebrae ( Hoffstetter 1968); Rhinophis philippinus (Cuvier, 1829): 150-166 trunk and cloacal vertebrae plus 5-9 caudal vertebrae ( Alexander and Gans 1966); Rhinophis philippinus : 149 trunk vertebrae plus 4 cloacal vertebrae plus 6 caudal vertebrae (excluding shield) (UMZC R.5.7-1; Jason Head, unpublished data, personal communication to GLG); Rhinophis philippinus : 143 trunk plus 13 cloacal and caudal vertebrae ( Rhinophis planiceps of Baumeister 1908).

Figures

Figure 50. Uropeltidae: Rhinophis blythii (MCZ Herp R- 4233), trunk, cloacal, and caudal vertebrae.

Figure 51. Uropeltidae: Rhinophis blythii (MNHN-AC uncat.), trunk vertebrae.

Figure 52. Uropeltidae: Rhinophis blythii (MNHN-AC uncat.), trunk, cloacal, and caudal vertebrae.