Amphiesma monticola
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| Wynaad Keelback | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Amphiesma monticola (Jerdon, 1853)[1] |
The Wynaad Keelback or Hill Keelback (Amphiesma monticola) is a species of non-venomous colubrid snake found in the Western Ghats of India. They are especially well known from the Kodagu and Wayanad regions of the Western Ghats.
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[edit] Description
This species is a small and slender snake found in leaf litter in forest habitats. The head is reddish. The body is brownish with a greenish gloss, while some individuals are bright green.
This species has 19 keeled scale rows at midbody, 133-144 ventrals. The anal scales are divided, and has 78-29 subcaudals. There are 8 supralabials with 3, 4 and 5 touching the eye. There is one preocular scale. [2]
Description from G. A. Boulenger, Fauna of British India
Eye large, its diameter more than its distance from the nostril; rostral just visible from above; suture between the internasals shorter than that between the prefrontals; frontal considerably longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals; loreal as long as deep, or deeper than long; one preocular; three post-oculars; temporals 2+2; upper labials 8, third, fourth, and fifth entering the eye; 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are a little shorter than the posterior. Scales in 19 rows, strongly keeled, the outer row smooth or feebly keeled. Ventrals 134-142; anal divided; subcaudals 80-92. Green above, with black cross bands divided on each side by a pale spot; a white line across the head behind the eyes and a white dot on each side of the frontal; pre and postoculars and labials 3 to 6, white; lower parts white. Total length 18 inches, tail 5.5.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Jerdon, T.C. (1853) Catalogue of the Reptiles inhabiting the Peninsula of India. Part 2. J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal xxii: 522-534
- Whitaker, R. and Ashok Captain (2004) Snakes of India: The Field Guide. Draco Books, Chennai.
