Muhtarophis

{{Speciesbox

| name = Muhtarophis barani

| image =

| status = DD

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = Kaska Y, Kumlutaş Y, Avci A, Üzüm N, Yeniyurt C, Akarsu F (2018). "Muhtarophis barani (amended version of 2009 assessment)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T164762A122877031. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T164762A122877031.en. Downloaded on 08 October 2018.

| genus = Muhtarophis

| parent_authority = Avci et al., 2015

| species = barani

| authority = (Olgun, Avci, Ilgaz, Üzüm & Yilmaz, 2007)

| synonyms = *Rhynchocalamus barani
{{small|Olgun, Avci, Ilgaz, Üzüm & Yilmaz, 2007}}

Rhynchocalamus barani
{{small|— Wallach et al. 2014}}
Muhtarophis barani
{{small|— Avci et al. 2015}}
Muhtarophis barani
{{small|— Šmíd et al. 2015}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Muhtarophis barani, also known commonly as Baran's black-headed dwarf snake, is a species of snake in the monotypic genus Muhtarophis in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae.{{cite web |url=http://www.turkherptil.org/IcerikDetay.asp?Harf=585 |title=Amanos Dwarf Snake |publisher=AdaMerOs Herptil Türkiye |access-date=11 March 2017}} The species is endemic to the Amanos Mountains of Turkey, and was discovered in 2007.{{cite web |url=http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2015/09/muhtarophis-barani.html |title=Molecular Phylogeny and Micro CT-Scanning Revealed Extreme Cryptic Biodiversity in Kukri Snake, A New Genus for Rhynchocalamus barani (Serpentes: Colubridae)|date=30 September 2015 |publisher=Novataxa |access-date=11 March 2017}}{{cite journal|title=An integrative systematic revision and biogeography of Rhynchocalamus snakes (Reptilia, Colubridae) with a description of a new species from Israel|pmc=5183090|pmid=28028461|doi=10.7717/peerj.2769|volume=4|journal=PeerJ|page=e2769|author=Tamar K, Šmíd J, Göçmen B, Meiri S, Carranza S|year=2016 |doi-access=free }}

Etymology

The generic name, Muhtarophis, is in honor of Turkish herpetologist Muhtar Başoğlu (with the suffix -ophis meaning "snake").Avci et al. (2015).

The specific name, barani, is in honor of Turkish herpetologist {{Interlanguage link multi|İbrahim Baran|tr}} of the Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir.{{cite web |url=http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Muhtarophis&species=barani |title=Muhtarophis barani OLGUN, AVCI, ILGAZ, ÜZÜM & YILMAZ, 2007 |publisher=The Reptile Database |access-date=11 March 2017}}Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (Rhynchocalamus barani, p. 16).

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of M. barani are shrubland and rocky areas, at an altitude of {{convert|1,300|m|ft|abbr=on}}.

Description

M. barani has 17 dorsal scale rows at midbody, and 163–173 ventral scales. The head is oblique-shaped anteriorly. There is a distinctive black blotch under the eye, running into a narrow stripe. The dorsal surface of the body is colored reddish brown, with no spots.

Reproduction

M. barani is oviparous.

Muhtarophis

Etymology

Habitat

Description

Reproduction

References

Further reading