| Atretium | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Atretium Cope, 1861 |
| Species: | A. schistosum |
| Binomial name | |
| Atretium schistosum (Daudin, 1803) | |
Atretium schistosum, the split keelback or olive keelback wart snake, is a species of snake found in South Asia. It is a common and harmless watersnake.
Found in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. In India it occurs in peninsular India south of latitude 15 degrees north and along the east coast to Uttarakhand. It is reported to be very common around Bangalore, North Arcot district (Tamil Nadu) and Kakinada area in Andhra Pradesh. Occurs up to 1000 m (3280 ft) above sea level. Absent from most of North India.
It is a small, robust snake with thin head, short snout and slit nostrils placed rather high. The snake is olive-green and yellow to orange below. It is sometimes tinged with pink or purplish on the flanks. The length of the tail is one third to one-fourth of the total length.
The scales are rough because they are keeled. Specimens from South India have a distinct reddish line along the 5th and 6th or the 4th and 5th up to the vent. This line is brighter in the males. The females are between 70 and 75 cm long, and the males between 50 and 60 cm. The longest measured snake is 87 cm long.
The olive keelback is found near water or among the surrounding vegetation.
The snake is distinguished by a number of scale characteristics:
Can easily be confused with olive forest Snake (Rhabdops olivaceus).
Lives in water or among the surrounding vegetation.
A diurnal snake, it is seen at night also. The snakes rarely bite when handled. It is known to aestivate in the summer.
The olive keelback feeds mainly on frogs, tadpoles, fish and crabs which it catches with a side-stroke motion that is characteristic of watersnakes. The snake swims past the prey and suddenly snaps its head to the side. The olive keelback is also known to eat mosquito larvae (Whitaker).
Sometimes, referred to as a water-cobra, the olive keelback is nevertheless tolerated by people.
It is oviparous (egg laying). It breeds in the monsoon. The eggs, which are white, soft and 30 to 35mm in length, are laid in clutches of 10 to 32 in the months January to April. The newly hatched snakes measure 16.6 to 17.5 cm in length.
Agkistrodon piscivorus is a species of pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers, and is native to the southeastern United States. As an adult, it is large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite. When threatened, it may respond by coiling its body and displaying its fangs. Individuals may bite when feeling threatened or being handled in any way. It tends to be found in or near water, particularly in slow-moving and shallow lakes, streams, and marshes. It is a capable swimmer and, like several species of snakes, is known to occasionally enter bays and estuaries and swim between barrier islands and the mainland.
The banded krait is a species of elapid snake found on the Indian Subcontinent, in Southeast Asia, and in southern China. It is the largest species of krait, with a maximum length up to 2.7 m.
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Indotyphlops braminus, commonly known as the brahminy blind snake and other names, is a non-venomous blind snake species found mostly in Africa and Asia, but has been introduced in many other parts of the world. They are completely fossorial animals, with habits and appearance similar to earthworms, for which they are often mistaken, although close examination reveals tiny scales rather than the annular segments characteristic of true earthworms. The species is parthenogenetic and all known specimens have been female. The specific name is a Latinized form of the word Brahmin. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Craspedocephalusmalabaricus, commonly known as Malabar pit viper, Malabar rock pit viper, or rock viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to the High-moderate elevations of western ghats of southwestern India.Recently this species complex was split into three different species, Craspedocephalus malabaricus, Craspedocephalus travancoricus, Craspedocephalus anamallensis.
The buff striped keelback is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake found across Asia. It is a typically nonaggressive snake that feeds on frogs and toads. It belongs to the subfamily Natricinae, and is closely related to water snakes and grass snakes. It resembles an Asian version of the American garter snake. It is quite a common snake but is rarely seen.
Boiga forsteni, also known commonly as Forsten's cat snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South Asia.
The common trinket snake is a nonvenomous constrictor species of colubrid snake native to south Central Asia.
Gerarda prevostiana, commonly known as the cat-eyed water snake, Gerard's water snake, or the glossy marsh snake, is a species of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The species is endemic to Asia. It is the only species in the genus Gerarda.
Lycodon striatus, commonly known as the northern wolf snake or the barred wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake from southern Asia.
Rhabdophis plumbicolor, known as the green keelback or lead keelback, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae native to parts of the Indian subcontinent.
The checkered keelback, also known commonly as the Asiatic water snake, is a common species in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia. It is non-venomous.
Trimerodytes percarinatus, commonly known as the eastern water snake, olive keelback, olive annulate keelback or Chinese keelback water snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae.
The bronze grass skink, bronze mabuya or speckled forest skink, is a species of skink found in South and Southeast Asia. It is a common, but shy, ground-dwelling species that is active both day and night.
The banded water snake or southern water snake is a species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous, colubrid snakes endemic to the Midwest and Southeastern United States.
Nerodia floridana, commonly known as the Florida green watersnake, or eastern green watersnake, is a harmless North American species of water snakes in the family Colubridae.
The common watersnake is a species of large, nonvenomous, common snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America. It is frequently mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth.
Boulenger's keelback, also known commonly as the Sri Lankan keelback, is a species of water snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Aspidura copei, commonly known as Cope's rough-sided snake or කලු මැඩිල්ලා in Sinhalese, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Fowlea schnurrenbergeri or Xenochrophis schnurrenbergeri is a species of Non venomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is found in Nepal, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(February 2014) |
