Added 27 October 2024.
Boulenger gives the characteristics of the genus as follows: eye in the ocular shield. A median groove along the chin. No supraocular ; no temporal. Tail cylindrical or slightly compressed, the terminal scute pointed or with one or two vertical ridges. Palatine teeth present.
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QUICK INDEX |
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M. bilineatum, Two-Lined Black Earth Snake |
M. khairei, Khaire's Black Earth Snake |
M. punctatum, Beddome's Black Earth Snake |
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M. wynaudense, Indian Black Earth Snake |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Melanophidium |
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Two-Lined Black Earth Snake |
India |
TL 36 cm |
Head details: snout rounded; rostral small, just visible from above; frontal longer than its distance from the end of the snout; suture between the ocular and the frontal less than one third the length of the latter shield. Eye: very small. Diameter of body: 40-50 times in the total length. Scalation details:15 scales round the middle of the body, 17 or 19 behind the head. Ventrals: rather more than twice as broad as the contiguous scales, 188-200. Subcaudals: 15-17. Coloration: black, beautifully iridescent; a broad yellow band, with or without a series of black dots, along each side, from the lips to the tail, where it unites with its fellow on the under surface. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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Khaire's Black Earth Snake |
India |
TL 13cm |
Considered by many authorities to be synonymous with M. punctatum: see Reptile Database entry. |
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Beddome's Black Earth Snake |
S India |
TL 55 cm |
Head details: snout rounded; rostral small, just visible from above; frontal as long as or longer than its distance from the end of the snout; suture between the ocular and the frontal less than one third the length of the latter shield. Eye: very small, still smaller than in M. wynaudense. Diameter of body: 42-48 times in the total length. Scalation details: 15 scales round the middle of the body, 17 behind the head. Ventrals: rather more than twice as broad as the contiguous scales, 183-198. Subcaudals: 15-18. Coloration: black above, beautifully iridescent; ventrals and the two lower series of scales on each side with a broad white border. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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Indian Black Earth Snake |
S India |
TL 44.5 cm |
Head details: snout rounded; rostral small, just visible from above; frontal as long as its distance from the end of the snout; suture between the ocular and the frontal more than one third the length of the latter shield. Eye: very small. Diameter of body: 44-48 times in the total length. Scalation details: 15 scales round the middle of the body, 17 or 19 behind the head. Ventrals: rather more than twice the size of the contiguous scales, 176-185. Subcaudals: 10-15. Coloration: black, beautifully iridescent, uniform or with large yellow spots on the belly. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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