Sibynophis subpunctatus

Taxobox | name = Jerdon's Many-tooth Snake


image_width = 275px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
genus = "Sibynophis"
species = "S. subpunctatus"
binomial = "Sibynophis subpunctatus"
binomial_authority = (Duméril & Bibron, 1854)
synonyms = "Polyodontophis subpunctatus"

Jerdon's Many-tooth Snake or Dumeril's black-headed snake "Sibynophis subpunctatus" is a species of snake found in India (Maharashtra (Pune district) ) and Sri Lanka.

A species of non venomous snake found in India (Maharashtra (Pune (=Poona) district) ) and Sri Lanka.These snakes are active by the day as well as the night. Lives in leaf litter, preys on geckos, skinks, and smaller snakes. Maximum size is 18 inches.

Description

Rostral nearly twice as broad as deep; suture between the internasals a little shorter than that between the prefrontals; frontal longer than its distance from the end of the snout, as long as the parietals or a little shorter; loreal longer than deep; one preocular; two postoculars, both in contact with the parietal; temporals 1 (or 2) +2; 9 or 10 upper labials, fifth and sixth, or fourth, fifth, and sixth, entering the eye; eighth upper labial usually excluded from the labial margin, simulating a lower anterior temporal; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, the first usually separated from its fellow by the mental; posterior chin-shields a little longer than the anterior. Dorsal scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 151-220 (240 according to Blanford); anal divided; subcaudals 47-76. Pale brown above, with a vertebral series of small round black spots; usually a more or less distinct dark lateral line or series of dots; head and nape dark brown or black; lips, "canthus rostralis", a transverse line between the eyes, and two broad cross-bands, one in front and one behind the nape, yellow; the dark colour often extending along the median line, bisecting the yellow collar; lower surfaces yellow, each shield with a black dot near its outer border.Boulenger, G. A. 1890. Fauna of British India. Reptilia and Batrachia]

Sri Lankan specimens have 157 to 176 ventrals and 52-64 subcaudals. [Wall, F. (1921) Snakes of Ceylon]

Distribution records

Found in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. Records from Mulshi, Pune. Specimens from the Northeast of India are probably those of "Sibynophis sagittarius". [Captain, Ashok;Gower, David J.;David, Patrick;Bauer, Aaron M. (2004) Taxonomic sttus of the Colubrid snake "Sibynophis subpunctatus" (Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854). Hamadryad 28(1):90-94.] In Sri Lanak it is found mostly towards the west coast from Puttalam to Kalutara. [ [http://members.fortunecity.com/ukp001/naja/colubridae/sibynophis_subpunctatus.htm] Accessed December 2006]

Cited references

Other references

* Duméril, A.M.C., G. Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril 1854 Erpétologie générale ou Histoire Naturelle complète des Reptiles. Vol. 7 (partie 1). Paris, xvi + 780 S.
* Sharma, Satish Kumar 1998 Range extension of the Dumeril's black-headed snake "Sibynophis subpunctatus" (Dum. & Bibr., 1854) Cobra 32: 32-33
* Vyas, Raju 1986 Extension of the range of Dumeril's black headed snake ("Sibynophis subpunctatus"). Hamadryad 11 (3): 24

External links

* http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=6056