Distributed range & status
Rarely found snake from Sri Lanka. Only infrequently in 1888, Haly found 2 specimen from Jaffna arid region. But they’re common in Western & Eastern Ghats of Peninsular, India & a single record from False4 Island, off the Rakhine coast of Myanmar.
Scales
rostral |
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frontal |
Pre frontal contacts with internasals, post nasal, loreal, postocular & supraocular. |
supraoculars |
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parietals |
|
prefrontals |
|
nasals |
1 Divided in to 2 |
internasals |
A pair present. Similar to prefrontals in size. |
loreals |
1 long scale. Connects with eye. |
preoculars |
1 |
postoculars |
2-3 |
temporals |
(2+2) or (2+3) |
Supralabials |
7 (3 & 4 connects with the eye) |
mental |
|
infralabials |
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sublinguals |
|
coastals |
|
ventrals |
199-243 Lateral ridge is present |
anal |
1 undivided but rarely maybe divided |
subcaudals |
75-87 divided |
Mid body is consisting of 15 rows of scales. Body scales are smooth.
Characteristics
It has a slender & small, cylindrical body. Dorso-ventrally flattened body with the head region being broad & depressed. Head is oval shaped with a short snout & narrow tip is present. Laterally found nostrils present on the snout. Large eyes have vertical pupils. The tail is long.
Colour
Dorsal body is dark brown or 35-50 oblique white or yellow bars may be present on the body up to tail end. These bars become broader at the stomach area & very clear at the anterior region. Posteriorly it becomes more spreaded & unclear. Colour of the mid area of the bar is also brown. There is a yellow or cream band around the neck. Supralabials are white. Ventral body is cream or yellow.
Venom
These snakes are non poisonous.
Dentition
Data not found.
Behavior
Nocturnal snake terrestrial but also found on trees due to having the ability to climb trees.
Breeding
These are oviparous snakes breeding continuously. 3-4 eggs are laid by them.
Growth
Adult length of the snake is 450-500mm.
Food
Skinks & lizards comprise their diet.
Identification
Dryocalamus gracilis differ from D. nympha by having amid body consisting of 15 rows of scales, undivided anal scale & the nasal scale divided in to 2.
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