Aspidura guentheri

Günther's Rough-sided Snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Sauropsida
Subclass: Diapsida
Infraclass: Lepidosauromorpha
Superorder: Lepidosauria
Order: Squamata
Infraorder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Aspidura
Species: A. guentheri
Binomial name
Aspidura guentheri
(Ferguson, 1876)

Günther's Rough-sided Snake, (Aspidura guentheri), known as කුඩා මැඩිල්ලා (kuda medilla) in Sinhala, is a colubird species endemic to Sri Lanka. It is the smallest member of genus Aspidura.

Destribution

A burrowing snake restricted to the lowlands of Sri Lanka. Localities recorded include Ratnapura, Deniyaya, Yapitikanda, Kandilpana, Kosgama, Kalutara, and Balangoda at elevations of 100-500m..

Description

Head indistinct from neck, body is cylindrical. Dorsum brown mottled with dark brown. Forehead is dark. A pale neck band present. Vertebral and lateral rows of dark spots. Venter light brown.

Scalation

Midbody scale rows 17. Pre-oculars present. A single post-ocular contact with parietal. Ventrals 103-122. Subcaudals 18-29.

Ecology

Diet comprises mainly earthworms.

Reproduction

Clutches of 1 to 3 eggs are laying.

References