Plectrurus perrotetii Duméril & Bibron, 1851

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 : 478

Plectrurus perrotetii Duméril & Bibron in Duméril & Duméril, 1851

( Fig. 6E )

Plectrurus perrotetii Duméril & Bibron in Duméril & Duméril, 1851: 224.Numerous syntypes including BMNH 1886.3.21.6 (= 1946.1.1.41, MNHN-RA-0.170, MNHN-RA-0.190, MNHN-RA-6996, and ZMB 4036; others unknown, possibly c. 15-20 (see McDiarmid et al. 1999). Type locality: Nilgiri hills, Tamil Nadu state, India.

Plectrurus brevis . Nomen nudum from Günther (1875: 230; see McDiarmid et al. 1999).

Plectrurus davidsoni Beddome, 1886: 25 . Holotype: BMNH 1885.3.21.6 (= 1946.1.1.41). Type locality: Anaimalai hills, Kerala or Tamil Nadu state, India. Designated as a junior subjective synonym by Gans (1966).

DISTRIBUTION. — India, definitively known only from the upper Nilgiris (> 1800 m), including the Ootacamund Plateau, where it is very common ( Wall 1919; Whitaker & Captain 2004). Records from Coorg ( Whitaker & Captain 2004) would benefit from confirmation in the form of vouchered specimens. Reports South of Palghat Gap including Anaimalai and Meghamalai ( Hutton & David 2009) are doubtful, since none was reported from there previously ( Wall 1919, 1928; Roux 1928; Chandramouli & Ganesh 2010) or during our fieldwork ( Ganesh 2015).

DESCRIPTION

Maximum total length c. 440 mm, ventrals 144-180, subcaudals 6-12 (see Wall 1919; Smith 1943; Constable 1949; Rajendran 1985; Whitaker & Captain 2004). Color pattern typically a uniformly dark brown dorsum and lighter venter, and sometimes a reddish-orange stripe on the top of the tail.

REMARKS

The type species of Plectrurus . Common at several localities within its range, but records from the Anaimalais ( P.davidsoni ) may represent an undescribed species, based on variation in scale counts (see Rajendran 1985). A lectotype may need to be chosen by future revisers after phylogeographic revision if multiple cryptic species are found; we did not examine the syntypes for such a designation.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Some uropeltid species photographed in life:A, Brachyophidium rhodogaster Wall,1921;B, Melanophidium punctatum Beddome,1871;C, M.wynaudense Beddome, 1863; D, Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877; E, Plectrurus perrotetii Duméril & Bibron in Duméril & Duméril, 1851; F, Rhinophis blythii Kelaart, 1853; G, R. erangaviraji Wickramasinghe, Vidanapathirana, Wickramasinghe & Ranwella, 2009; H, R. goweri Aengals & Ganesh, 2013. Photos by RAP, RS, SRG, VS, A. Singh, K. Ukuwela, and R. Pethiyagoda.