Oligodon brevicauda
Shorthead kukri snake | |
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Conservation status | |
![]() Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Oligodon |
Species: | O. brevicauda |
Binomial name | |
Oligodon brevicauda Günther, 1862 |
Oligodon brevicauda, the shorthead kukri snake, is a species of snake found in the Western Ghats of India.
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.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/OligodonBrevicaudaSmith.jpg/220px-OligodonBrevicaudaSmith.jpg)
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.[2]
Total length of females 500mm with tail 55mm.
Currently this species is known only from anamalai hills,Periyar hills and agastyamalai hills of southern western ghats.
Notes
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.