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| Rhinophis siruvaniensis Cyriac, Umesh, Achyuthan, Vidisha Kulkarni & Ganesh, 2025 |
Abstract
We describe a new species of uropeltid snake of the genus Rhinophis based on a series of three specimens collected from the Siruvani Hills, which is part of the Central Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu states of Peninsular India. Rhinophis siruvaniensis sp. nov. is diagnosed from other Indian and Sri Lankan congeners by a combination of 17 dorsal scale rows at (or well beyond) mid-body, 202–205 ventral scales, 4–8 paired subcaudals, and dark brownish-black dorsal and pale whitish blotched lateral and ventral colouration. Phylogenetic reconstructions using mitochondrial markers indicate that the new species is most closely related to R. melanoleucus, but the two species can be distinguished by their unique external morphology and geographic separation. The discovery of this species from outside protected areas in the Attappadi Plateau highlights the need for improved protection of the remaining forests in the Siruvani Hills.
Key Words: Burrowing, fossorial, morphology, Palghat Gap, shieldtail snakes, scalation, Wayanad
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| Rhinophis siruvaniensis sp. nov. in life. Paratype VPRS0622157 showing adult colouration (A) (Photograph by Nitin Xavier) and referred specimen VPRS0720116 showing juvenile colouration (B) (Photograph by UPK). |
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| Head (left) and tail (right) of the holotype (BNHS 3387) of Rhinophis siruvaniensis sp. nov., shown in dorsal (A, D), ventral (B, E) and lateral (C, F) views. Images are not to scale. Photographs by Vivek P. Cyriac. |
Family Uropeltidae Müller, 1832
Genus Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820
Rhinophis siruvaniensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis. A species of Rhinophis, characterized by the following combination of characters: 19 dorsal scale rows in the anterior region, 17 at mid-body and 15 near the vent; ventrals 202–205; subcaudals 4–8 pairs; large, dome-shaped tail shield covering the width of the tail; dorsum dark brownish black, lustrous; venter creamy white, this pattern projecting ventrolaterally as intermittent patches; venter and ventrolateral region with large, bold, brownish black blotches occupying 2–5 ventral scales, interspersed with creamy white colour.
Etymology. Toponym, latinised after its known distribution range – the Siruvani Hills.
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| Map of the southern portion of the Central Western Ghats showing the type localities and distribution of Rhinophis siruvaniensis sp. nov. and its sister species, R. melanoleucus. The Chaliyar River is indicated by blue lines and the Wayanad-Gudalur Plateau, the Nilgiri Massif and the Attappadi Plateau in Siruvani Hills are indicated within red dashed squares. |
Vivek Philip Cyriac, P. K. Umesh, N. S. Achyuthan, Vidisha Kulkarni and S. R. Ganesh. 2025. A New Species of Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820 (Squamata, Uropeltidae) from Siruvani Hills, Western Ghats, India. Evolutionary Systematics. 9(2): 191-201. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.9.150536
