About Uropeltis macrolepis (Peters, 1862)
Uropeltis macrolepis, first described by Peters in 1862, is black or dark purplish brown on both its dorsal (upper) and ventral (under) surfaces, and every individual scale has lighter-colored edges. This species has a yellow stripe along the lips and the sides of the neck, which is followed by two to five large yellow spots, plus a yellow stripe running along each side of the tail. Fully grown adults can reach a total length of 29.5 cm (11+1⁄2 inches) including the tail. Smooth dorsal scales are arranged in just 15 rows at midbody, and in 17 rows behind the head. There are 128 to 140 ventral scales, and 7 to 9 subcaudal scales. The snout of Uropeltis macrolepis is rounded. The rostral scale makes up less than one quarter of the length of the shielded portion of the head, and the portion of the rostral visible from above is shorter than the distance between the rostral and the frontal scale. The nasal scales contact each other behind the rostral scale. The frontal scale is as long as, or slightly longer than, it is broad. The diameter of the eye is more than half the length of the ocular shield. The total body length is 24 to 29 times the body diameter. Ventral scales are twice as large as the adjacent contiguous scales. The end of the tail is obliquely cut off (truncate), flattened on the dorsal side, and covered with strongly bicarinate (double-keeled) scales. The terminal tail scale has a transverse ridge and two points. This species is found in Maharashtra, India, with recorded locations including Phansad near Supegaon, Mahabaleshwar, Koyna, and Lonavla. The type locality for the subspecies Uropeltis macrolepis mableshwarensis is "Mahableshwar, Satara district, Bombay State", India. Its preferred natural habitat is forest, occurring at altitudes ranging from 10 m to 1,350 m (33 ft to 4,429 ft). Uropeltis macrolepis reproduces via ovoviviparity.
