Gerrhopilus thurstoni

Gerrhopilus thurstoni, or Thurston's worm snake, is a species of harmless blind snake in the family Gerrhopilidae. The species is native to western India. No recognized subspecies exist.^[4]

Gerrhopilus thurstoni
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Gerrhopilidae
Genus:	Gerrhopilus
Species:	G. thurstoni
Binomial name
Gerrhopilus thurstoni (Boettger, 1890)
Synonyms[2][3]
Typhlops thurstoni Boettger, 1890 Typhlops thurstonii [sic] — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops walli Procter, 1924 Typhlops hurstonii [sic] Bourret, 1936 (ex errore) Gerrhopilus thurstoni — Hedges et al., 2014

Etymology

The specific name, thurstoni, is in honor of British zoologist Edgar Thurston.^[5]

Geographic range

In western India, G. thurstoni has been found in southern Goa, from sea level to approximately 1,200 m elevation (4,000 feet),^[2] and in Kerala.^[3]

The type locality given is "Nilgiri Hills, Brit. Ostindien ".^[2][3][6]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of G. thurstoni is forest.^[1]

Description

G. thurstoni may attain a total length (including tail) of 30 cm (12 in). The body is light brown or yellowish dorsally, and paler ventrally. The snout and the anal region are whitish.^[7]

Reproduction

G. thurstoni is oviparous.^[3]