Added 27 October 2024.
Boulenger gives the characteristics of the genus as follows: eye distinct from the neighbouring shields, of moderate size. A supraocular and a temporal. Tail cylindrical or slightly compressed, the terminal scute pointed or with a transverse ridge.
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P. madurensis, Travancore Hills Thorntail Snake |
P. trilineatus, Lined Thorntail Snake |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Platyplectrurus |
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Travancore Hills Thorntail Snake |
S India, Sri Lanka |
TL 35 cm |
Differs from P. trilineatus as follows: Head details: head-shields rather shorter and supraoculars not longer than the prefrontals. . Diameter of body: 38-42 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, 158-175. Subcaudals: 10-15. Coloration: above a nacreous purplish brown; ventrals and the two adjoining series of scales on each side white in the centre, purplish brown on the borders. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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P. m. madurensis |
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P. m. ruhunae |
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Lined Thorntail Snake |
India |
TL 40 cm |
Head details: snout broadly rounded; rostral small, visible from above; frontal longer than broad; supraocular much larger than the eye, longer than the prefrontals; temporal two thirds or three fifths the length of the parietals. Diameter of body: 37-50 times in the total length. Scalation details: 15 scales round the middle of the body, 17 behind the head. Ventrals: nearly twice as broad as the contiguous scales, 163-175. Subcaudals: 8-16. Caudal scales: smooth or a few of the terminal ones inconspicuously bi- or tricarinate; terminal scute with a transverse ridge which is hardly distinct in the female. Coloration: adult reddish brown or brick-red above, with three continuous or interrupted black longitudinal lines; young dark brown or black above, with two or more yellowish dorsal stripes, yellowish below, each scale with a brown dot. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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