''Liopeltis rappi'' is a species of snake in the family

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...

. The species is endemic to South Asia.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''rappi'', is in honor of German naturalist Wilhelm Ludwig von Rapp.

Geographic range

''L. rappi'' is found in Nepal and India ( Darjeeling, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim). www.reptile-database.org.

Taxonomy

''Liopeltis rappi'' was originally described as a new species (''Ablabes rappii'' ) by Günther in 1860, based on a single specimen which was "uniform blackish" dorsally. In the same scientific paper, Günther also described another new species (''Ablabes owenii'' ), likewise based on a single specimen which was smaller and "greyish-brown" with a "black collar" and black crossbands anteriorly. After more specimens had been added to the collection of the British Museum, including some which were intermediate in size and colouration,

Boulenger Boulenger is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Boulenger (born 1990), French footballer * Edward George Boulenger (1888–1946), British zoologist, director of aquarium at London Zoo * George Albert Boulenger (1858–1 ...

determined that "''owenii'' " was a juvenile specimen of ''Liopeltis rappii''. Boulenger GA (1894). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ.'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xi + 82 pp. + Plates I-XX. (''Ablabes rappii'', pp. 282-283).

References

* Boulenger GA (1890). ''The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia.'' London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor & Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (''Ablabes rappii'', p. 307). * Günther A (1860). "Contributions to a Knowledge of the Reptiles of the Himalaya Mountains". ''Proc. Zool. Soc. London'' 1860: 148–175. (''Ablabes rappii'', new species, pp. 154–155 + Plate XXVI, figures B, b; ''Ablabes owenii'', new species, p. 155 + Plate XXVI, figures A, a). * Smith MA (1943). ''The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes.'' London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (''Liopeltis rappi'', p. 186). * Stoliczka F (1870). "Observations of some Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Reptilia". ''Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Fourth Series'' 6: 105–109. (''Ablabes rappii'', p. 107). Liopeltis Reptiles described in 1860 Taxa named by Albert Günther IUCN Red List data deficient species Reptiles of India Reptiles of Nepal {{Colubrinae-stub

Etymology

Geographic range

Taxonomy

References

Further reading