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Notes on Typhlops diardi - the Wildlife of Pakistan Website

Notes on Typhlops diardi - the Wildlife of Pakistan Website

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20<br />

Let me know ehat you think.<br />

I believe <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r subspecies <strong>of</strong> T. <strong>diardi</strong> (T.d.muelleri from<br />

Indo-Australia) is now recognised as a valid full species.<br />

I welcome your comments.<br />

Regards,<br />

Mark<br />

I will copy <strong>the</strong> videos to you next week if I have a chance.<br />

<strong>Typhlops</strong> <strong>diardi</strong>i Diard's blindsnake<br />

11/3/92 Bardia Base Camp, Geruwa River, w. RBNP.<br />

14/3/92 (x2) Bardia Base Camp, Geruwa River, w. RBNP.<br />

Three blindsnakes were located under rotten logs around <strong>the</strong><br />

expediti<strong>on</strong> base camp. All three specimens agreed with <strong>Typhlops</strong><br />

<strong>diardi</strong>i <strong>diardi</strong>i as described in Smith (1943 pp.51-52) with 24<br />

l<strong>on</strong>gitudinal scale rows at midbody, a dark brown dorsum and<br />

slightly lighter venter but without str<strong>on</strong>g demarcati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

T. <strong>diardi</strong>i is not generally c<strong>on</strong>sidered an Indian subc<strong>on</strong>tinent<br />

taxa (see discussi<strong>on</strong>.)<br />

Discussi<strong>on</strong><br />

Royal Bardia Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park lies <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tact z<strong>on</strong>e between<br />

Smith's (1933) Gangetic Plains (which he c<strong>on</strong>sidered<br />

faunistically part <strong>of</strong> India) and his Eastern Himalayan regi<strong>on</strong><br />

(which he c<strong>on</strong>sidered faunistically Indo-Chinese).<br />

The terai is low m<strong>on</strong>tane forest typical <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Himalayan regi<strong>on</strong><br />

whereas <strong>the</strong> phantas grassland is more indicative <strong>of</strong> neighbouring<br />

Uttar Pradesh in India. However, <strong>the</strong> denticulate delta plain<br />

formed by <strong>the</strong> Karnali River, as it exits <strong>the</strong> narrow Chisapani<br />

Gorge and spreads out over <strong>the</strong> lowlands, blurs <strong>the</strong> boundaries<br />

between Himalayan terai and Gangetic phantas. Evenso,<br />

most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> survey fieldwork was carried out in <strong>the</strong> sal forest<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> terai and could, <strong>the</strong>refore, be c<strong>on</strong>sidered just inside<br />

Smith's Eastern Himalayan regi<strong>on</strong>. Das (1996) did not c<strong>on</strong>sider<br />

<strong>the</strong> grassland plains and m<strong>on</strong>tane forest habitats different<br />

physiographic z<strong>on</strong>es, preferring to term <strong>the</strong> entire Uttar<br />

Pradesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and nor<strong>the</strong>rn West Bengal z<strong>on</strong>e<br />

as 'Himalayas'.<br />

Most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> species recorded during here are well documented<br />

Indian sub-c<strong>on</strong>tinent reptiles occurring widely from sou<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

India (and Sri Lanka) to Nepal but three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> snake taxa are<br />

<strong>of</strong> particular zoogeographical interest since <strong>the</strong>y are not<br />

species generally associated with <strong>the</strong> Indian subc<strong>on</strong>tinent<br />

herpet<strong>of</strong>auna. <strong>Typhlops</strong> <strong>diardi</strong>i<br />

The range <strong>of</strong> T. <strong>diardi</strong>i is recorded as nor<strong>the</strong>ast India (Assam),<br />

Bangladesh, Burma, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand,<br />

peninsular Malaysia and Ind<strong>on</strong>esia (Sumatra and Borneo, with a<br />

doubtful record from Irian Jaya) (Smith 1943, McDowell 1974, Cox<br />

1991). Two subspecies are recognised by some authors: T. d.<br />

<strong>diardi</strong>i occurring north <strong>of</strong> latitude 16=83 in Indo-China<br />

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