Oligodon brevicauda
Oligodon brevicauda, the shorthead kukri snake, is a species of snake found in the Western Ghats of India.
| Shorthead kukri snake | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Oligodon |
| Species: | O. brevicauda |
| Binomial name | |
| Oligodon brevicauda Günther, 1862 | |
Description
- See snake scales for terms used
Rostral in contact with and partly separating the prefrontals. No internasals ; no loreal touching the preocular; seven supralabials, 3rd and 4th touching the eye; 1 anterior temporal. Scales in 15 rows. Ventrals 158-173, not angulate laterally. Caudals 25-29.
Brown above with a light vertebral stripe, bordered on each side by a dark brown or black stripe involving two scale-rows; these stripes may or may not be marked with paired series of spots or short bars on the anterior part of the body; a narrow dark lateral stripe on each side of scale row 3; brownish or whitish below (red in life) with large quadrangular or transverse black spots; head with a crescent-shaped band in front, an oblique temporal stripe, and a large dark nuchal patch usually connecting by a longitudinal stripe with the prefrontal mark.[1]
Total length of females 500mm with tail 55mm.
Known from the Western Ghats south of the Goa Gap and in the Niligiri, Anaimalai and Travancore hills.
Notes
- Smith, M. A. 1943. Fauna of British India. Reptiles. (pp. 231-232)
References
- Campden-Main, S.M. 1970 The Identity of Oligodon cyclurus (Cantor, 1839) and Revalidation of Oligodon brevicauda (STEINDACHNER, 1867) (Serpentes: Colubridae) Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 82 (58): 763-765
- Günther, Albert 1862 On new species of snakes in the collection of the British Museum. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 9: 52-67.