| Himalayan keelback | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Natricinae |
| Genus: | Amphiesma |
| Species: | A. platyceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Amphiesma platyceps (Blyth, 1854) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Tropidonotus platyceps Blyth, 1854 |
|
The Himalayan keelback (Amphiesma platyceps) is a species of grass snake found in South Asia.
It is known from India along the sub-Himalayan region, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan and China between 1000 to 3600 m elevation.
Contents |
Eye moderate; rostral just visible from above; suture between the internasals as long as that between the pre-frontals or shorter; frontal longer than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals; loreal longer than deep ; one pre-ocular (sometimes divided); two or three postoculars; temporals 1+1, or 1+2, or 2+2; upper labials 8, third, fourth, and fifth entering the eye; 4 or 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are much shorter than the posterior. Scales in 19 rows faintly or feebly keeled. 177-235 ventrals; anal divided; subcaudals 75-107. Olive-brown above, with small black spots; frequently two black parallel lines or an elliptic marking on the nape; a light, black-edged streak on each side of the head, or a black line from eye to gape; belly yellowish, with or without blackish dots; frequently a black line or series of elongate blackish spots along each side of the belly; lower surface of tail frequently mottled with blackish; throat sometimes black. In life, a coral-red band is said to run along the ends of the ventrals.[1]
Total length 90 cm (3 feet); tail 23 cm (9 inches).[2]