Trachischium tenuiceps

Yellow-bellied worm-eating snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: incertae sedis
Genus: Trachischium
Species: T. tenuiceps
Binomial name
Trachischium tenuiceps
(Blyth, 1854)
Synonyms

Calamaria tenuiceps Blyth, 1854
Ablabes tenuiceps - Günther, 1864
Trachischium tenuiceps - Boulenger, 1890[1]

The yellowbelly worm-eating snake[2] (Trachischium tenuiceps) is a species of colubrid snake.

Geographic range

It is found in Nepal, Bangladesh, India (Darjeeling, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh [Mokto, Bomdir - Tawang district] ) and Tibet.

Description

Trachischium tenuiceps is blackish dorsally, and, as the common name implies, it is yellowish ventrally. The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 13 rows, with males having keeled dorsal scales in the anal region. Ventrals 134-138; anal divided; subcaudals 34-39. Adults may attain 35 cm (14 inches) in total length, and have a tail 5 cm (2 inches) long.[3]

References

  1. Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume I. London. p. 299.
  2. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Boulenger, G.A. 1890. The Fauna of British India, Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor and Francis. London. p. 286.