Kvora3: entry

2025-12-16T04:08:01Z

entry

New page

{{Short description|Species of snake}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = ''Uropeltis bhupathyi''
| status = DD
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/new-species-of-shieldtail-snake-discovered-in-western-ghats-60423 | title=New species of shieldtail snake discovered in Western Ghats }}</ref>
| genus = Uropeltis
| species = bhupathyi
| authority = Jins, Sampaio & Gower, 2018<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1094115#null | title=ITIS - Report: Uropeltis bhupathyi }}</ref>
| synonyms = ''Uropeltis ellioti'' <br/>{{small|Kannan & Bhupathy, 1997}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Uropeltis&species=bhupathyi | title=Uropeltis bhupathyi }}</ref>
}}

'''''Uropeltis bhupathyi''''', commonly known as the '''Bhupathy’s shieldtail''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=ZooBank.org |url=https://zoobank.org/References/C7CBCC78-312C-4AAF-B3D2-DA4AD73E139D |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=zoobank.org |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ITIS - Report: Uropeltis bhupathyi |url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1094115#null |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=www.itis.gov}}</ref> is a [[species]] of [[snake]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Uropeltidae]]. The species is [[Endemism|endemic]] to the [[Western Ghats]] in southern [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uropeltis bhupathyi Jins, Sampaio & Gower, 2018 {{!}} Species |url=https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/282613 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=India Biodiversity Portal |language=en}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
''U. bhupathyi'' is named in honour of Indian [[Herpetology|herpetologist]] and [[Wildlife biologist|biologist]] [[Subramanian Bhupathy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=New species of shieldtail snake discovered in Western Ghats |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/new-species-of-shieldtail-snake-discovered-in-western-ghats-60423 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=www.downtoearth.org.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Perinchery |first=Aathira |date=2018-05-03 |title=New snake found in Western Ghats |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-snake-found-in-western-ghats/article23763921.ece |access-date=2022-12-25 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Distribution ==
The species, although native to the Western Ghats in India, has so far only been traced in the Anaikatti hills in [[Coimbatore district]], [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uropeltis bhupathyi |url=https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Uropeltis&species=bhupathyi |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=The Reptile Database}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Zootaxa |url=https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4415.3.1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ResearchGate |url=https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Holotype-of-Uropeltis-bhupathyi-sp-nov-NCBS-AU173-Upper-two-images-show-whole_fig2_324951561}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Uropeltis bhupathyi Jins, Sampaio & Gower, 2018 {{!}} Species |url=https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/282613 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=India Biodiversity Portal |language=en}}</ref>

== Description ==
''U. bhupathyi'', a non-venomous burrowing species, usually feeds on earthworms.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Perinchery |first=Aathira |date=2018-05-03 |title=New snake found in Western Ghats |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-snake-found-in-western-ghats/article23763921.ece |access-date=2022-12-25 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It possesses over 200 ventral scales and 17 dorsal scale rows at midbody.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pskhun |date=2018-05-01 |title=Species New to Science: [Herpetology • 2018] Uropeltis bhupathyi • A New Species of Uropeltis Cuvier, 1829 (Serpentes: Uropeltidae) from the Anaikatty Hills of the Western Ghats of India |url=http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2018/05/uropeltis-bhupathyi.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Species New to Science}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Uropeltis bhupathyi |url=https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Uropeltis&species=bhupathyi |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=The Reptile Database}}</ref> The tail is short and obliquely truncate. It has keeled scales. It is dark brown in colour, with yellow stripes on either side of neck and tail. It has a metallic appearance. The species has a moderately developed tail shield. The terminal scute is wide and surrounded by 8-10 scales.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uropeltis bhupathyi Jins, Sampaio & Gower, 2018 {{!}} Species |url=https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/282613 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=India Biodiversity Portal |language=en}}</ref>

It grows to about 40 cm in total length.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Perinchery |first=Aathira |date=2018-05-03 |title=New snake found in Western Ghats |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-snake-found-in-western-ghats/article23763921.ece |access-date=2022-12-25 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

The species suffers the risk of habitat loss. It is also affected by road traffic and pesticides.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-05 |title=Scientists describe new species of shieldtail snakes found in Anaikatti hills |url=https://india.mongabay.com/2018/07/scientists-describe-new-species-of-shieldtail-snakes-found-in-anaikatti-hills/ |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Mongabay-India |language=en-US}}</ref> It also possibly suffers from a condition rendering its head deformed, reminiscent of the [[snake fungal disease]] prevalent in North America and Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New species of shieldtail snake discovered in Western Ghats |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/new-species-of-shieldtail-snake-discovered-in-western-ghats-60423 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=www.downtoearth.org.in |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{taxonbar|from=Q63184309}}
[[Category:Snakes of India]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 2018]]
[[Category:Uropeltidae]]

Uropeltis bhupathyi - Revision history

Kvora3: entry