Melanophidium
Genus of snakes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Melanophidium is a genus of nonvenomous shield-tail snakes endemic to the Western Ghats of India. These species are identifiable by having a mental groove in their chin shields. Currently, four species are recognized, including one newly described species.[2]
| Melanophidium | |
|---|---|
| |
| iridescent shieldtail, M. bilineatum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Uropeltidae |
| Genus: | Melanophidium Günther, 1864[1] |
- Common name: Black shield-tail snakes
Natural history
Geographic range
Found in India in the Western Ghats: from Tirunelveli Hills in Tamil Nadu, at the southern tip of the country, northwards up to the Amboli Hills in Maharashtra.[4]
Species
| Species[2] | Taxon author[2] | Common name | Geographic range[1][4] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melanophidium bilineatum | Beddome, 1870 | Two-lined black shield-tail snake | Wayanad hills in the Western Ghats: in Peria and Tirhoot Peaks west of Manantoddy |
| Melanophidium punctatum | Beddome, 1871 | Spotted black shield-tail snake | Southern Western Ghats: in Travancore (900–1500 m elevation) and the Anamalai Hills south of the Palghat Gap. |
| Melanophidium wynaudenseT | (Beddome, 1863) | Wayanad black shield-tail snake | Central Western Ghats: from Wayanad to the Manantoddy District, Coorg up to the Agumbe Ghats, at 900–1500 m elevation |
| Melanophidium khairei | Gower, Giri, Captain & Wilkinson, 2016 | Khaire's black shield-tail snake | Western India in the Northern Western Ghats of Goa and Maharashtra States |
