Distributed range & status
Found in Sri Lanka dry zone lowlands & semi arid zones of the country such as southeast, south, northeast & Northern provinces. Also found in gardens & plantation lands. Jaffna, vilpaththu, kumana, panama, mannar, trincomalee, yala, palatupana, eluvankulama, puliyankulama. Species are also known from Peninsular, India,Nepal, Pakistan, & an unconfirmed record from Bangladesh.

Scales

Head contain small sales. Mid body scale rows 40-55, ventrals 165-190, subcaudals 19-21 a pair of spurs on each side of the vent is found. Tapering short tail has strongly keeled scales, supar labial 11-15.

Characteristics
Medium sized stout, cylindrical & short keeled body with a head scarcely distinct from the neck. Snout is rounded with small nostrils & small eyes. Eyes contain vertical pupils. There are two muscular bands at each side of the genital.

Colour
The body is dorsally brownish grey, with large irregular series of dark brown or reddish brown blotches. They may some times be joined to each other or form a zig zag band. Some times the black lining of the blotches may be out lined by a white out lining. Lateral body may have brown patches. Ventrally it contains a yellowish white colour.

Venom
Not poisonous.

Dentition
Mental grove & pre maxillary teeth are absent.

Behavior
They become active at night & at dusk. They are known to be hidden under dried leaves or rodent burrows. When aggressive it may try to bite by flattening its body. It can wound when bitten.

Breeding
Mating season is in November. Their ovoviviparous & produce around 3-10 litter.

Growth
At birth they measure 100mm & males grow up to 400mm while females grow up to 800mm. Female snakes are longer than male snakes.

Food
Prey is caught by hiding in ambush & killed by constriction. Birds, skinks, small mammals, lizards, frogs & insects form their diet.