List of snakes of South Asia (Colubridae)

The following is a list of colubrid snakes of South Asia, primarily covering the region covered by mainland India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, parts of Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Island chains. This forms part of the complete list of snakes of South Asia.

Order Squamata - suborder Serpentes

Family Colubridae

This section is broken into sub-sections based on genera.

Ahaetulla

* Gunther's vine snake "Ahaetulla dispar" Southwest India
* Green vine snake "Ahaetulla nasuta" India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China
* Oriental green snake "Ahaetulla prasina" Eastern India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Indo-China, Malay region
* Brown vine snake "Ahaetulla pulverulenta" Southwest India, Sri Lanka

Amphiesma

* Boulenger's keelback "Amphiesma parallelum" India, Nepal, Myanmar, China, Indo-China
* Eastern striped keelback "Amphiesma platyceps" India (Kashmir, Northeast), Nepal
* Buff-striped keelback "Amphiesma stolatum" Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Indo-China
* "Amphiesma khasiense"
* Hill Keelback "Amphiesma monticola" India
* "Amphiesma nicobariense"
* "Amphiesma pealii"
* "Amphiesma xenura"
* "Amphiesma modestum"
* "Amphiesma sieboldii"

Argyrogena

* Banded racer "Argyrogena fasciolata" Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh

Aspidura

* Boie's rough-sided snake "Aspidura brachyorrhos" Sri Lanka
* Cope's rough-sided snake "Aspidura copei" Sri Lanka
* Deraniyagala's rough-sided snake "Aspidura deraniyagalae" Sri Lanka
* Drummond-Hay's rough-sided snake "Aspidura drummondhayi" Sri Lanka
* Gunther's rough-sided snake "Aspidura guentheri" Sri Lanka
* Common rough-sided snake "Aspidura trachyprocta" Sri Lanka

Atretium

* Olive keelback water snake "Atretium schistosum" India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka

Balanophis

* Sri Lanka blossom krait "Balanophis ceylonensis" Sri Lanka

Blythia

* Iridescent snake "Blythia reticulata" Northeast India, China, Myanmar

Boiga

* Barnes' cat snake "Boiga barnesii" Sri Lanka
* Sri Lankan cat snake "Boiga ceylonensis" India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
* Green cat snake "Boiga cyanea" India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China
* Forsten's cat snake "Boiga forsteni" India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
* Many-spotted cat snake "Boiga multomaculata" Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, China
* Orange cat snake "Boiga ochracea" East and Northeast India, Myanmar
* Common cat snake "Boiga trigonata" Central Asia, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
* Nicobarese cat snake "Boiga wallachi" India (Nicobars)
* "Boiga multifasciata"
* "Boiga quincunciata"
* "Boiga ocellata"
* "Boiga nuchalis"
* "Boiga gokool"
* "Boiga dightoni"
* "Boiga dendrophila"
* "Boiga cynodon"
* "Boiga beddomei"
* "Boiga andamanensis"

Calamaria

* Collared Reed Snake "Calamaria pavimentata"

Cantoria

* Cantor's Water Snake "Cantoria violacea"

Cerberus

* Dog-faced water snake "Cerberus rynchops" Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Indo-China, Malay region

Cercaspis

* Sri Lankan wolf snake "Cercaspis carinatus" Sri Lanka

Chrysopelea

* Ornate flying snake "Chrysopelea ornata" Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India
* Sri Lankan flying snake "Chrysopelea taprobanica" Southwest India, Sri Lanka
* Paradise flying snake "Chrysopelea paradisi"

Coluber

* Glossy-bellied racer "Coluber ventromaculatus" India, Sri Lanka
* "Coluber rhodorachis"
* "Coluber karelini"
* "Coluber gracilis"
* "Coluber bholanathi"
* "Coluber vittacaudatus"

Coronella

* Indian Smooth Snake "Coronella brachyura"

Cyclophiops

* Doria's Green Snake "Cyclophiops doriae"

Dendralaphis

* Boulenger's bronzebacked tree snake "Dendrelaphis bifrenalis" India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand
* Stripe-tailed bronzebacked tree snake "Dendrelaphis caudolineolatus" India, Sri Lanka
* Blue bronzebacked tree snake "Dendrelaphis cyanochloris" India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand
* Painted bronzebacked tree snake "Dendrelaphis pictus" Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Malay region
* Common bronzebacked tree snake "Dendrelaphis tristis" Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
* "Dendrelaphis humayuni"
* "Dendrelaphis grandoculis"
* "Dendrelaphis gorei"

Dinodon

* "Dinodon gammiei"
* "Dinodon septentrionalis"

Dryocalamus

* Gunther's bridal snake "Dryocalamus gracilis" India, Sri Lanka, False Island (off the Arakan coast of Myanmar)
* Common bridal snake "Dryocalamus nympha" India, Sri Lanka

Elachistodon

* Indian egg-eating snake "Elachistodon westermanni" India, Nepal, Bangladesh

Elaphe

* Yellow-striped trinket snake "Elaphe flavolineata" India (Andamans), Malay region
* Common trinket snake "Elaphe helena" Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
* Himalayan trinket snake "Elaphe hodgsonii" India (Himalayas), Nepal
* "Elaphe mandarina"
* "Elaphe porphyracea"
* "Elaphe prasina"
* Copperhead trinket snake "Elaphe radiata" India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Indo-China, China
* "Elaphe taeniura"

Enhydris

* Dussumier's water snake "Enhydris dussumieri" India
* Common smooth water snake "Enhydris enhydris" Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, Malay region
* Rice Paddy Snake "Enhydris plumbea"
* Siebold's Water Snake "Enhydris sieboldi"

Fordonia

* Crab-eating Water Snake "Fordonia leucobalia"

Gerardia

* Cat-eyed fishing snake "Gerardia prevostiana" Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malay region

Gongylosoma

* "Gongylosoma nicobariensis"
* "Gonyosoma cantoris"
* "Gonyosoma frenatum"
* Red-tailed Green Ratsnake "Gonyosoma oxycephalum"

Haplocercus

* Black-spined snake "Haplocercus ceylonensis" Sri Lanka

Liopeltis

* Lesser stripe-necked snake "Liopeltis calamaria" Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka
* "Liopeltis rappi"
* "Liopeltis stoliczkae"

Hemorrhois

* Spotted Whip Snake "Hemorrhois ravergieri"

Homalopsis

* Puff-faced Water Snake "Homalopsis buccata"

Liopeltis

* Günther's Reed Snake "Liopeltis frenatus"

Lycodon

* Banded Wolf Snake "Lycodon fasciatus"
* Yellow-spotted Wolf Snake "Lycodon flavomaculatus"
* Laotian Wolf Snake "Lycodon laoensis"
* Mackinnon's Wolf Snake "Lycodon mackinnoni"
* Andaman Wolf Snake "Lycodon tiwarii"
* Zaw's Wolf Snake "Lycodon zawi"
* Common wolf snake "Lycodon aulicus" Pakistan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar
* Andamanese wolf snake "Lycodon capucinus" India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, China, Hong Kong
* Yellow-speckled wolf snake "Lycodon jara" Nepal, India, Bangladesh
* Shaw's wolf snake "Lycodon striatus" Transcapsia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka
* Travancore wolf snake "Lycodon travancoricus" India

Lytorhynchus

* Sind Longnose Sand Snake "Lytorhynchus paradoxus"

Macrophistodon

* Green Keelback "Macrophistodon plumbicolor" Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka

Oligodon

* Theobald's Kukri Snake "Oligodon theobaldi"
* Kukri Snake "Oligodon affinis"
* White-striped kukri snake "Oligodon albocinctus" India, Bangladesh, Myanmar
* Common kukri snake "Oligodon arnensis" Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
* Templeton's kukri snake "Oligodon calamarius" Sri Lanka
* Cantor's kukri snake "Oligodon cyclurus" Bangladesh, Eastern India
* Spot-tailed kukri snake "Oligodon dorsalis" India, Bangladesh, Myanmar
* Half-lined kukri snake "Oligodon sublineatus" Sri Lanka
* Variegated kukri snake "Oligodon taeniolatus" Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
* Black-spotted kukri snake "Oligodon venustus" India
* Nagarkot Kukri Snake "Oligodon erythrogaster"
* Günther's Kukri Snake "Oligodon cinereus"
* Assam Kukri Snake "Oligodon catenata"
* Shorthead Kukri Snake "Oligodon brevicauda"
* Abor Hills Kukri Snake "Oligodon melanozonatus"
* Nikhil's Kukri Snake "Oligodon nikhili"
* "Oligodon woodmasoni"
* Namsang Kukri Snake "Oligodon erythrorhachis"
* Walnut Kukri Snake "Oligodon juglandifer"
* Bluebelly Kukri Snake "Oligodon melaneus"
* "Oligodon templetoni"

Pareas

* Assam snail-eater "Pareas monticola" Bangladesh, India (Himalayan foothills)

Psammodynastes

* Mock viper "Psammodynastes pulverulentus" India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, China, Malay region
* Painted Mock Viper "Psammodynastes pictus"

Psammophis

* Condanarus sand snake "Psammophis condanarus" Pakistan, India, Nepal
* Leith's sand snake "Psammophis leithii" Pakistan, India
* Desert sand snake "Psammophis schokari" Pakistan, India
* Long Sand Racer "Psammophis longifrons"

Ptyas

* Indo-Chinese rat snake "Ptyas korros" India, China, Myanmar, Malay region
* Indian rat snake "Ptyas mucosus" Turkestan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China, Taiwan, Sumatra, Java
* Black-margined rat snake "Ptyas nigromarginatus" India, China, Myanmar

Pseudoxenodon

* False cobra "Pseudoxenodon macrops" Bhutan, India, Nepal (Himalayan foothills)

Rhabdops

* Brown Trapezoid Snake "Rhabdops bicolor"
* Olive Trapezoid Snake "Rhabdops olivaceus"

Rhabdophis

* Himalayan keelback "Rhabdophis himalayanus" India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar
* Red-necked keelback "Rhabdophis subminiatus" Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Indo-China, Malay region

ibynophis

* Günther's Many-tooth Snake "Sibynophis bistrigatus"
* Common Many-tooth Snake "Sibynophis collaris"
* Cantor's blackheaded snake "Sibynophis sagittarius" Nepal, India, Bangladesh
* Spotted blackheaded snake "Sibynophis subpunctatus" India, Sri Lanka

inonatrix

* Olive Keelback "Sinonatrix percarinata"

palerosophis

* Red-spotted snake "Spalerosophis arenarius" India, Pakistan
* Royal snake "Spalerosophis diadema" Turkestan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India

toliczkaia

* Khasi Red Snake "Stoliczkaia khasiensis"

Trachischium

* Blackbelly Worm-eating Snake "Trachischium fuscum"
* Rosebelly Worm-eating Snake "Trachischium guentheri"
* Olive Oriental Slender Snake "Trachischium laeve"
* Mountain Worm-eating Snake "Trachischium monticola"
* Yellow-bellied Worm-eating Snake "Trachischium tenuiceps"

Xenochrophis

* Sri Lankan checkered keelback "Xenochrophis asperrimus" Sri Lanka
* Dark-bellied marsh snake "Xenochrophis cerasogaster" Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh
* Andamanese keelback water snake "Xenochrophis melanzostus" India (Andamans)
* Checkered Keelback "Xenochrophis piscator" Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China, Indo-China
* Yellow-Spotted Keelback "Xenochrophis flavipunctatus"
* "Xenochrophis punctulatus"
* St. John's Keelback "Xenochrophis sanctijohannis"
* Triangle Keelback "Xenochrophis trianguligerus"

Xylophis

* Perrotet's Mountain Snake "Xylophis perroteti"
* Günther's Mountain Snake "Xylophis stenorhynchus"

References

* & aut|Captain, Ashok. (2004) "Snakes of India: The Field Guide". Draco Books, Chennai. ISBN 81 901873 0 9
* (2002) "The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians". Bombay Natural History Society and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-566099-4

External links

* [http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/hisasia/ Herpetology in South Asia]
* [http://www.bio.utexas.edu/grad/sp/pubs/Indian%20Snakes-Checklist.pdf Indian snake checklist]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ReptileIndia/ ReptileIndia Yahoo Group]