Distributed range & status
These snakes are found low country wet & dry zones from Sri Lanka. Vavniya, Koslanda, Monaragala, Wennappuwa, Hambantota, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Nainativu, Chilaw, Anuradapura, Negambo, Suriyawewa, Bundala, Udawalawe, Ratnapura. Also they’re known from Western & Eastern Ghats of Peninsular, India.
Scales
rostral |
|
frontal |
Pre frontal contacts with internasals, post nasal, loreal, postocular & supraocular. |
supraoculars |
|
parietals |
|
prefrontals |
|
nasals |
1 not divided or divided partially below nostrils |
internasals |
A pair present. smaller than prefrontals in size |
loreals |
1 long scale. |
preoculars |
1-2 |
postoculars |
2 |
temporals |
2+2 |
Supralabials |
|
mental |
|
infralabials |
|
sublinguals |
|
coastals |
|
ventrals |
200-236 Lateral ridge is present |
anal |
1 divided |
subcaudals |
65-88 divided |
Mid body is consisting of 13 rows of scales. Body scales are smooth.
Characteristics
It has a slender & small, cylindrical body. Dorso-ventrally flattened head. The head region becomes 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 black with 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
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. Day time is spent under dry leaves. Some times enters human habitations. When threatened it twists itself in to knots. Do not attack.
Breeding
Data not found.
Growth
At birth 10-15mm & adult length of the snake is 300-450mm.
Food
Skinks, frogs, geckos, small reptile eggs & lizards comprise their diet.
Identification
Dryocalamus nympha is similar to Wolf snakes. Differ from D. gracilis by having amid body consisting of 13 rows of scales, divided anal scale & the nasal scale not divided or divided partially below nostrils. They have similar body colour to Bungarus spp. Subcaudals being divided & large head alsoVertebrals being not clear & them lacking hexagonal shape helps to identify these from Bungarus spp.
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