Travancore Hills thorntail snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Platyplectrurus madurensis |
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| Genus: |
Platyplectrurus
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| Species: |
madurensis
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Platyplectrurus madurensis, often called the Travancore Hills thorntail snake, is a special kind of snake. It is also known as the Palni purple-brown worm thorntail snake or Madurai shield-tail snake. This snake belongs to a family called uropeltids, which are known for their unique tails. You can find this snake in southern India, and some people think it also lives in Sri Lanka.
Where This Snake Lives
The Platyplectrurus madurensis snake makes its home in the Western Ghats mountain range in India. Some reports also suggest it lives in Sri Lanka.
What This Snake Looks Like
The Platyplectrurus madurensis has a beautiful, shiny purplish-brown color on its back. Its belly scales and the scales next to them are white in the middle, with purplish-brown edges.
The longest snake of this type ever measured by Beddome was about 35 centimeters (13.8 inches) long, including its tail.
This snake is quite similar to another snake called P. trilineatus. However, P. madurensis has shorter head scales. Also, the scale above its eye (called the supraocular) is not longer than the scale in front of its eye (called the prefrontal). The snake's body is quite thin, with its width being about 38 to 42 times smaller than its total length.
Different Types of This Snake
There are two main types, or subspecies, of Platyplectrurus madurensis that scientists recognize.
- Platyplectrurus madurensis madurensis Beddome, 1877
- Platyplectrurus madurensis ruhanae Deraniyagala, 1954
The name ruhanae comes from an old kingdom in Sri Lanka called Ruhuna. Some experts even think that P. m. ruhanae might be a completely separate species of snake!
