Amphiesma monticola
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| Amphiesma monticola (Jerdon, 1853) |
The Wynaad Keelback or Hill Keelback (Amphiesma monticola) is a species of non-poisonous colubrid snake found in the Western Ghats in India. They are especially well known from the Kodagu and Wayanad region of the Western Ghats.
The head is reddish. The body is brownish with a greenish gloss, while some individuals are bright green.
[edit] Description
19 keeled scale rows at midbody. 133-144 ventrals. Anals divided, subcaudals 78-92. Supralabials 8 (3,4 & 5 touching eye). Preocular 1. (Whitaker and Captain, 2004)
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 postoculars; 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] External links
[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.
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