| Beaked blind snake | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Typhlopidae |
| Genus: |
Grypotyphlops Peters, 1881 |
| Species: | G. acutus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Grypotyphlops acutus (
A.M.C. Duméril &
Bibron, 1844)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Grypotyphlops acutus, also known as the beaked worm snake, beaked blind snake, or beak-nosed worm snake, is a harmless blind snake species endemic to peninsular India. It is the only species in the genus Grypotyphlops. No subspecies are currently recognized. [3]
Taxonomy
Grypotyphlops is thought to group with the African typhlopids in the genera Afrotyphlops, Letheobia, and Rhinotyphlops, being the sister group to the latter two and having dispersed from Africa to the Indian subcontinent during the Paleogene. This contrasts with the other blind snakes in the Indian subcontinent, which are thought to have either mainland Asian ancestry ( Indotyphlops and Argyrophis) or be descended from ancient Gondwanan endemics of Insular India ( Gerrhopilus). [4]
Geographic range
This species is found throughout peninsular India south of the Ganges and Rajputana basins. The type locality given is "inconnue" ( French for unknown). [2]
References
- ^ Srinivasulu, B.; Srinivasulu, C.; Vijayakumar, S.P.; Ganesan, S.R.; Madala, M. (2013). "Grypotyphlops acutus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T172598A1349131. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172598A1349131.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b Grypotyphlops acutus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 13 February 2020.
- ^ Sidharthan, Chinta; Karanth, K. Praveen (2021-04-01). "India's biogeographic history through the eyes of blindsnakes- filling the gaps in the global typhlopoid phylogeny". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 157: 107064. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.107064. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 33387646. S2CID 230282291.
Further reading
- Boulenger, G.A. 1890. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp.
- Duméril, A.M.C. & Bibron, G. 1844. Erpetologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complete des Reptiles. Vol.6. Libr. Encyclopédique Roret, Paris.
- Wallach, Van 1994. The status of the Indian endemic Typhlops acutus (Duméril and Bibron) and the identity of Typhlops psittacus Werner (Reptilia, Serpentes, Typhlopidae). Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique Biologie. Vol. 64, pp. 209–229.