Platyplectrurus madurensis, commonly known as the Travancore Hills thorntail snake, Palni purple-brown worm thorntail snake, or Madurai shield-tail snake, is a
species of
uropeltidsnake. It is found in southern
India[1] and, depending on the source, Sri Lanka.[2]
The dorsum of P. madurensis is iridescent purplish brown. The ventrals and the scales in the two adjoining rows on both sides are white in the center, with purplish brown borders.
The longest of
Beddome's type specimens measures 35 cm (13+3⁄4 in) in total length (including tail).
The
dorsal scales are in 15 rows at midbody (in 17 rows behind the head). The
ventrals number 158-175; and the
subcaudals, 10–15.
P. madurensis is very similar to P. trilineatus, except the head shields are shorter, and the
supraocular is not longer than the
prefrontal. Diameter of body 38–42 times in total length.[3]
The
subspecific name, ruhanae, refers to the Ancient Sri Lankan
Kingdom of Ruhuna (also spelled Ruhana).[5] Some sources consider it to be a separate species.[1]
^Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Uropeltidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I-XXVIII. (Platyplectrurus madurensis, p. 166 + Plate XI, figures 2, 2a).
^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp.
ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Platyplectrurus madurensis ruhanae, p. 228).
Further reading
Beddome RH (1877). "Descriptions of three new Snakes of the Family Uropeltidae from Southern India". Proc. Zool. Soc. London1877: 167–168. (Platyplectrurus madurensis, new species, p. 167).
Beddome RH (1886). "An Account of the Earth-Snakes of the Peninsula of India and Ceylon". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Fifth Series17: 3-33.
Boulenger GA (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Platyplectrurus madurensis, p. 274).
Das I (2002). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of India. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp.
ISBN0-88359-056-5. (Platyplectrurus madurensis, p. 59).
Deraniyagala PEP (1954). "Two new snakes from Ceylon". Proc. 10th Congress Ceylon. Assoc. Advancement Sci.1: 24.
Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Platyplectrurus madurensis, p. 69).
Werner F (1925). "Neue oder wenig bekannte Schlangen aus dem Naturhistorischen Staatsmuseum in Wien. II ". Teil. Sitz. Ber. Akad. Wiss., Wien, Abt. I,134: 45–66.