Added 6 November 2024.
Boulenger gives the characteristics of the genus as follows: eye in the ocular shield. No mental groove. A supraocular; no temporal. Tail compressed, the terminal scute compressed and with two superposed, simple, bifid or trifid points.
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P. aureus, Kerala Burrowing Snake |
P. guentheri, Günther's Burrowing Snake |
P. perroteti, Nilgiri Burrowing Snake, Perrotet's Shieldtail |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Plectrurus |
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Kerala Burrowing Snake |
S India (Kerala) |
TL 36 cm |
Very closely allied to P. guentheri, the only structural difference being found in the ventrals, which are a little broader, viz., twice as broad as the contiguous scales. Diameter of body: 39-44 times in the total length. Ventrals: 164-177. Subcaudals: 8-12. Coloration: brilliant gold, brighter beneath; the scales edged with violet, with or without a few irregular narrow violet-black cross bars on the back; the belly much ornamented with violet-black cross bauds or alternating spots. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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Günther's Burrowing Snake |
S India (Kerala) |
TL 36 cm |
Head details: snout obtuse; rostral small, the portion visible from above shorter than its distance from the frontal; nasals in contact; frontal longer than broad. Eye: half the length of the ocular. Diameter of body: 36-42 times in the total length. Scalation details: 15 scales round the middle of the body, 17 behind the head. Ventrals: not twice as large as the contiguous scales, 171-175. Subcaudals: 10-12 (m). Caudal scales: pluricarinate; terminal scute with two superposed hi- or tricuspid transverse ridges. Coloration: bright reddish purple above, this colour descending as triangular processes to the sides, which, like the belly, are yellow; these triangular markings sometimes extending across the belly. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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Nilgiri Burrowing Snake, Perrotet's Shieldtail |
S India |
TL 33 cm |
Head details: snout obtuse; rostral small, the portion visible from above shorter than its distance from the frontal; nasals in contact; frontal longer than broad. Eye hardly half the length of the ocular. Diameter of body: 30-38 times in the total length. Scalation details: 15 scales round the middle of the body, 17 behind the head. Ventrals: not quite twice as large as the contiguous scales, 152-168. Subcaudals: 7-12. Caudal scales: more or less distinctly pluricarinate; terminal scute with two superposed single points. Coloration: brown or purplish, uniform, or each scale edged with darker; young pale brown, with darker longitudinal lines. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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