| Subspecies |
PAUWELS et al. (2003) state that P. c. condanarus
and P. s. indochinensis can be distinguished by their
microdermatoglyphic patterns which is said to be “echinate” in
condanarus but “canaliculate” in indochinensis (based on F.
Brandstätter’s PhD thesis of 1995).
Distribution: DOWLING & JENNER 1988 list only one species of
Psammophis from Myanmar, namely Psammophis condanarus.
Psammophis condanarus indochinensis SMITH 1943 is treated here as
valid species. (1)Ganesh e.a. 2017: "Smith (1943) described the
Indo-Chinese population of P. condanarus as subspecies P.
condanarus indochinensis based on the differences in ventral,
subcaudal counts and dorsal stripe patterns. Later it was given full
species status by Hughes (1999) in his review on primarily African
species. Psammophis condanarus is distinct from P.
indochinensis by having higher ventrals (165-179 vs. 156-173 in
P. indochinensis), higher subcaudals (75-93 vs. 66-85 in P.
indochinensis), dorsal pattern (vertebral stripes darker vs.
vertebral stripe lighter/absent or variable), number of dark dorsal
stripes (3 or 5 vs. 4 in P. indochinensis) and their different
geographical distributions. It is noteworthy here that the ventral
counts of the new material resemble P. indochinensis much more
than P. condanarus. We provisionally consider them to represent
P. condanarus, based on congruence of other morphological
characters and distribution." |
| Common Names |
E: Sand Snake
G: Sandrennnatter |
| Synonym |
Coluber condanarus MERREM 1820: 107
Phayrea Isabellina THEOBALD 1868 (fide BOULENGER1890)
Psammophis condanarus — BOULENGER 1890
Leptophis bellii JERDON 1853 (fide SMITH 1943)
Psammophis indicus BEDDOME 1863 (fide SMITH 1943)
Psammophis condonarus [sic] — JERDON 1865: 417
Psammophis condanarus — FISCHER 1881: 228
Mike elegantissimus WERNER 1924
Psammophis condanarus — SMITH 1943: 364
Psammophis condernarus — CHAN-ARD et al. 1999: 182 (in error)
A nomen nudum Psammophis sibilans quadrilineata Jan, 1863 also exists
(Wallach et al. 2014).
Taphrometopon condanarum - Wallach et al. 2014
|
| Description (from Boulenger 1890) |
Ganesh e.a. 2017:
"Description (also see Table 1): A thick-set, smooth and
glossy-bodied snake with fairly large head, sharply protruding snout,
concave loreal, distinct neck, robust body and tapering tail.
Measurements of preserved specimen (in mm): head length: 23.50, head
width: 11.50, head depth: 7.50, midbody width: 12.00, eye diameter:
3.30, eye-lip distance: 5.50, inter-narial distance: 3.50, frontal scale
length: 6.00, frontal-rostral distance: 4.00, frontal width at midline:
2.20, frontal width at anterior end: 3.00. Measurements of live specimen
(in mm): head length: 18.5; head width: 7.5; head depth: 7.0; body
width: 10.5; eye diameter: 2.5. Scalation: Rostral visible from above,
protruding, with a distinct cleft underenath; nasal scale only partially
divided, sutured below the nostril, reaching between 1st and 2nd
supralabials, loreal oval, posterior genials slightly longer than
anterior pair, dorsal scales imbricate, smooth but with distinct and
deep apical pits, outermost coastal scale rows slightly larger than the
rest, vertebral scale rows not larger than the rest, scales on dorsal
tail larger, ventral scales very wide, extending on to ventrolateral
parts, not angulate laterally. Colour in preservation of voucher
specimen
(formalin-darkened): slaty dark grey above with white and black spots on
labia, chin and outermost scalerows; dorsum with three dark greyish-brown
stripes - one vertebral stripe that is five scalerows wide (at midbody)
narrowing posteriorly to three scalerows wide; this one flanked by two
lateral stripes on either side that are one scale row wide; each ventral
scale dotted with black on either extremities forming a ventro-lateral
line.
Colouration in life (based on both specimens): dorsum light rosy grey,
with a broad, five scales-wide dark
coffee brown, black and white edged vertebral stripe; laterally flanked
by two thinner stripes three scaleswide, partly of fully black-bordered
similar dark brown bilateral stripes on each side. Top of head dark
brown being the origin of the dark broad vertebral stripe; sides of head
covered by similar dark brown stripe across eye, separated above a thin
lighter supraocular stripe; rest of the head (including labia), chin and
underside of head pale white with brownish spots; a brown-bordered white
ventrolateral stripe covering the confluence of ventral and outermost
coastal scalerows; ventral and subcaudals scales pale yellow. Hemipenis
(n=1, of the preserved specimen): organ everted, with a single side
exposed out; organ smooth, slender and without a broad lobe-head, not
quite forked at tip; pedicel narrower, at the level of tubular part;
pedicel head lacking spiny projections or other distinct architecture;
sulcul lips not
prominent, smooth; organ 18mm long and 4mm wide, extending upto 5th
subcaudal scale."
|
| Distribution |
For both subspecies together: N India (incl. Himachal Pradesh, Punjab [Dino Aulakh,
pers. comm.]), Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar
(1)
This species is found in Pakistan
in the area of the Indus Delta and lower Punjab, and ranges throughout
northern India, Nepal and southeast Asia to Viet Nam and Indonesia
(McKay 2006) although it does not appear to inhabit southern Thailand
(Cox 1991). It is generally found below 2,000 m above sea level.
Native: Bangladesh; Cambodia; India; Indonesia; Lao People's Democratic
Republic; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Thailand; Viet Nam (2)
Type locality: Ganjam District
Map legend:
- Region according to the
TDWG standard, not a precise distribution map. (1)This
species is reported to be common (Sharma 2003, Daniel 2002). G. Zug
(pers. comm.) notes that in Myanmar specifically it is widespread and
moderately abundant from the central region of the country to the
Ayeyarwady delta.
Though habitat degradation is occurring in portions of its range, this
species is tolerant of human-affected environments and it is unlikely
that this species is being impacted upon by any major threats throughout
its range. (2) In 2017 there was a sighting in South India.
See the article.
Ganesh e.a. (2017): "The Indian Sand Snake Psammophis condanarus
(Merrem, 1820) is distributed in eastern, northern and central India
including parts of the Himalayan foothills, Bengal, Indo-gangetic
plains, northwestern arid desert zones including Pakistan and northern
parts of the Deccan plateau (Stoliczka 1872; Murray 1886; Wall 1908;
Minton 1966; Whitaker & Captain 2004; Chandra & Gajbe 2005), making it
the most widespread species of the genus in the Indian subcontinent. In
fact it is the only congener in most of the central and eastern parts of
peninsular India (Smith 1943; Whitaker & Captain 2004). Three more
congeneric species namely P. schokari (Forskal, 1775), P.
longifrons Boulenger, 1890, and P. leithi Günther, 1869 are
confined mainly to northwestern and central India (Whitaker & Captain
2004; Vyas & Patel 2013). A closely related congener Psammophis
indochinensis Smith, 1943 inhabits the Indo-Chinese region (Smith
1943).
|
| Habitat and Ecology: |
"This species occurs in diverse habitats including
moist grasslands, shrublands and woodlands, mangroves and agricultural
land (Sharma 2003, McKay 2006, Schleich and Kästle 2002). It is reported
to "adapt" to rural-agricultural modifications (G. Zug pers. comm.). It
appears to be partially arboreal and can be found climbing trees and
bushes. It is a diurnal species which shelters in the burrows of sand
lizards (Khan 2006)."(2)
Ganesh 2017: "Field observations: The snake from Tirupati was
observed actively moving about in a grassy patch during early morning
hours in Kapilatheertham, at the foot of the Tirumala Hills. The one
from Hospet was captured from suburban outskirts of the city during
daytime when it was taking shelter along the boundary wall of a
building. The area was vegetated with thorny bushes and human
settlements." |
| Types |
Lectotype: Russell 1796, plate 27 (1) |
| Comment |
Synonymy partly after Wallach 1988, Amphibia-Reptilia
9: 62. (1)
|
| References |
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coast of Coromandel, containing descriptions and drawings of each
species, together with experiments and remarks on their several
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Systematis Amphibiorum). J. C. Kriegeri, Marburg, 191 pp.
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Günther’s work on the reptiles of British India. Ann. Mag. Nat.
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get paper here
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-
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Bubesh Guptha.
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Psammophis condanarus (Merrem, 1820) (Reptilia: Lamprophiidae) in
southern India. In: Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2017 | 9(7): 10453–10458
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| External links |
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