Argyrophis diardii

Argyrophis diardii, commonly known as Diard's blind snake, the Indochinese blind snake, the large blind snake, and the large worm snake, is a species of harmless snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia.^[1] There are two recognized subspecies.

Argyrophis diardii
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Typhlopidae
Genus:	Argyrophis
Species:	A. diardii
Binomial name
Argyrophis diardii Schlegel, 1839
Synonyms[2]
List Typhlops Diardii Schlegel, 1839 Typhlops Mülleri Schlegel, 1839 Typhlops nigro-albus A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844 Argyrophis bicolor Gray, 1845 Argyrophis Horsfieldii Gray, 1845 Typhlops striolatus W. Peters, 1861 T[yphlops]. (Typhlops) nigroalbus — Jan, 1863 T[yphlops]. (Typhlops) Schneideri Jan, 1863 T[yphlops]. (Typhlops) Diardi — Jan, 1863 T[yphlops]. (Typhlops) Mülleri — Jan, 1863 T[yphlops]. Diardi — Jan & Sordelli, 1864 T[yphlops]. bicolor — Jan & Sordelli, 1864 T[yphlops]. Mülleri — Jan & Sordelli, 1864 T[yphlops]. nigroalbus — Jan & Sordelli, 1864 Typhlops horsfieldii — Günther, 1864 T[yphlops]. Schneideri — Jan & Sordelli, 1865 Tychlpos Diardii — Steindachner, 1867 Typhlops barmanus Stoliczka, 1872 Typhlops diardi — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops muelleri — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops nigroalbus — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops schneideri — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops kapaladua Annandale, 1906 Typhlops tephrosoma Wall, 1908 [Typhlops diardi] var. cinereus Wall, 1909 Typhlops labialis Waite, 1918 Typhlops diardi diardi — M.A. Smith, 1923 Typhlops diardi nigroalbus — M.A. Smith, 1923 Typhlops fusconotus Brongersma, 1934 Typhlops diardi mülleri — Brongersma, 1934 Typhlops diardi — Bourret, 1936 Typhlops d[ardi]. tephrosoma — Bourret, 1936 Typhlops diardi diardi — Hahn, 1980 Typhlops muelleri — Hahn, 1980[3] Typhlops diardii — McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré, 1999 Asiatyphlops diardii — Hedges et al., 2014 Argyrophis diardii — Pyron & Wallach, 2014

Taxonomy

Argyrophis diardii was first described by German herpetologist Hermann Schlegel in 1839, as Typhlops Diardii.^[4] The type locality of Schlegel's specimen was "Cochinchina [southern Vietnam]". Saint Girons (1972: 32) described it as "Cochinchina sans certitude [southern Vietnam without certainty]", and Hahn (1980: 56) as "East Indies".^[3]

Etymology

Both the specific name, diardii, and the common name, "Diard's blindsnake", are in honor of French naturalist Pierre-Médard Diard.^[4][5]

The synonym, Typhlops Mülleri Schlegel, 1839, was named in honor of German naturalist Salomon Müller.^[5]

Subspecies

Two subspecies of Argyrophis diardii are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies:^[2]

• Argyrophis diardii diardii Schlegel, 1839^[4]
• Argyrophis diardii platyventris Khan, 1998^[6]

Description

Argyrophis diardii is heavy-bodied for a blindsnake. It has 22–25 scale rows around the body at midbody. The belly is distinctly flat.^[2]

Geographic distribution

Argyrophis diardii is found in India (Jalpaiguri-West Bengal, as far west as Dun Valley in Assam), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, Nias Island, Sumatra, Web Island (off northwest Sumatra), Bangka, and Borneo.^[1]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of Argyrophis diardii are forest, shrubland, and grassland, at elevations of 30–1,524 m (98–5,000 ft), and it has also been found in agricultural areas.^[1]

Diet

Argyrophis diardii preys upon earthworms, insect larvae, and adult insects.^[1]

Reproduction

The mode of reproduction of Argyrophis diardii is uncertain. The species may be either oviparous or ovoviviparous.^[2]