Salty earth snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhinophis sanguineus |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Uropeltidae |
| Genus: | Rhinophis |
| Species: |
R. sanguineus
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhinophis sanguineus Beddome, 1863
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| Synonyms | |
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The Rhinophis sanguineus, also known as the salty earth snake, is a special kind of snake. It belongs to a group called uropeltid snakes. You can find this snake in the Western Ghats mountains of India.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
This snake has a unique appearance. Its body scales are quite large, usually in 15 rows. Sometimes, near its head, there can be 17 rows.
Head and Tail Features
The snake's snout, called the rostral, is very pointy and strong. It helps the snake dig through the earth. Its eyes are tiny and hard to see, located near the front of its head.
The tail has a special flat, oval-shaped part called a caudal disk. This disk is almost as long as the tail itself. It's covered with bumps and can have red stripes.
Color and Size
The body of the salty earth snake is usually a bluish-black color. Its belly is a bright red with some darker spots. This bright red color can fade if the snake is preserved in liquid.
Male snakes can grow up to about 13 inches (33 cm) long. Females are a bit smaller, reaching around 10 inches (25.5 cm). Their body is about 1 inch (25 mm) around.
Some related snakes, like the one once called Rhinophis microlepis, are smaller, about 6 inches (15 cm) long. They might be greyish-black with yellowish-white spots and a yellowish belly.
Where Does It Live?
The salty earth snake lives in southern India. You can find it in areas like Mysore (Koppa, Kalsa), Wynaad, Nilgiris, Travancore, and Tinnevelly.
First Discoveries
The first Rhinophis sanguineus snake was found in a place called Cherambady in the Wayanad region of Malabar. This area is about 3,500 feet high.
Another similar snake was found on Mr. Minchin's Estate, also in the Wayanad region, at the same elevation.
 | Chris Smalls |
 | Fred Hampton |
 | Ralph Abernathy |
