| Günther's Burrowing Snake | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Uropeltidae |
| Genus: | Plectrurus |
| Species: | P. guentheri |
| Binomial name | |
| Plectrurus guentheri Beddome, 1863 |
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Günther's Burrowing Snake (Plectrurus guentheri) is a species of uropeltid snake found in the Western Ghats of India.
Contents |
Description provided by Beddome (1864: 180): "Scales of the neck in 17 rows; anterior portion of the trunk in 13 rows, of the rest of the body in 15 rows; head-shields as in P. Perrotteti, only the rostral is not produced so far back. All the scales of the tail 5-6-keeled, and some of the approximated scales of the body also keeled; terminal scale of the tail with four sharp points, and covered with small tubercles; abdominals 172, and a bifid anal; subcaudals 12. Total length 13 inches, circumference 18 inch. Colour of the body a bright reddish purple; belly yellow, the yellow colour rising up on the sides of the trunk into regular pyramid-shaped markings, and the purple colour descending in the same way down to the abdominals"
Named after Albert Günther (1830–1914), German-born zoologist at the British Museum.
Found in the Western Ghats and associated hills of southern India. Type locality: Walaghat on the Western slopes of the Nilgiris.