Distributed range & status
Only one specimen was found in Sri Lanka by Twynam, which is used as the type specimen. It was found from Jaffna, Arpio. They Habits plains, alluvial soil, grass lands, forests, dense bushes, parks & gardens. These snakes are also known from Indian Peninsula, from the foothills of Himalayas, & also Bangladesh & Nepal.
Scales
rostral |
1 |
frontal |
|
supraoculars |
|
parietals |
|
prefrontals |
|
nasals |
1 scale divided |
internasals |
1 pair |
loreals |
|
preoculars |
1 scale connected with the frontal |
postoculars |
2 |
temporals |
(2+3) or (3+3) |
Supralabials |
8 (4-5 connected to the eye) |
mental |
|
infralabials |
|
sublinguals |
|
coastals |
|
ventrals |
191-232 |
anal |
divided |
subcaudals |
73-96 divided |
Dorsal scales are smooth with 21-23 mid body scale rows.
Characteristics
Swift, long & slender medium sized body is present with a clear neck region. Head is moderately depressed & gets gradually narrowed towards a strongly projected snout. Present of big eyes with round pupils.
Colour
Juveniles have a white coloured pattern on the dark dorsum with narrow cross bars on the anterior half of the body. Adults have a brick red tinted brown dorsum with narrow cross bars of white, brown & black. Posterior indistinct dark cross or spots are present. Venter has no pattern & takes a yellow & cream colour.
Venom
These snakes are non poisonous.
Dentition
Data not found.
Behavior
They are diurnal & terrestrial & conceals in rat holes, under rock piles or other debris. Very aggressive type of snakes when threatened inflates the neck & flattens body forming a coil. Also raises its head.
Breeding
They are oviparous snakes. They lay 2-6 eggs in January & hatches in July.
Growth
At birth total length is 150mm & grows up to 750-1200mm.
Food
Though their diet comprises of rodents, shrews, bats, frogs & lizards, adults mainly feed on mice.
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