Boulenger's keelback

Last updated

Boulenger's keelback
Xenochrophis asperrimus.jpg
Fowlea asperrimus
Taken by: Gunnar Pettersson(Wildlife Artist) at Sinharaja, Sri Lanka on 2008-02-19.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Fowlea
Species:
F. asperrima
Binomial name
Fowlea asperrima
(Boulenger, 1891) [2]
Synonyms [3] [4]
  • Tropidonotus asperrimus
    Boulenger, 1891: 281
  • Natrix piscator asperrimus
    M.A. Smith, 1943
  • Natrix asperrimus
    Taylor, 1950: 567
  • Xenochrophis asperrimus
    Das 1996: 59
  • Fowlea asperrimus
    Purkayastha et al., 2019

Boulenger's keelback [2] (Fowlea asperrima), also known commonly as the Sri Lankan keelback, [1] is a species of water snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. [5] [6] [7] [4]

Contents

Etymology

The common name "Boulenger's keelback" is in honour of Belgian-born British herpetologist George Albert Boulenger. [8]

Habitat

F. asperrima is found in Sri Lanka, [8] [9] [10] in both dry and wet climatic zones up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above mean sea level. It is abundant in waterways, such as flooded rice fields, ponds, lakes, marshes, rivers and streams. [2] [6] [11]

Characteristics

The body of F. asperrima is short and cylindrical, and has a clear neck and slightly pointed head. The eyes have rounded pupils, and the nostrils are narrow, directed slightly upwards. The tail is long. At hatching, it is 10 cm (3.9 in) long and grows to an adult length of 40–70 cm (16–28 in). The female is longer. [2] [6] [7]

Scalation

F. asperrima has one pair of internasals; the posterior parts are narrow. One loreal, preocular, postocular and three temporals are found. Of the 9 supralabials, 4 and 6 connect with the eye. Ventrals number 131–146, and the undivided subcaudals are 73–93 in count. At midbody there are 19 rows of dorsal scales, which are strongly keeled and rough. [12] [2] [7] [11] [13]

Colour

The dorsal body colour of F. asperrima is olive brown. The anterior half of the body has 20–32 distinct large black spots or cross bars. The posterior body may lack them or may be in light-colored irregular shapes. The head is dark in color. Two black lines run diagonally from behind the eyes to the corners of the mouth. Ventrally, the body is white. F. asperrimus can be easily identified by dark spots or bars on the first half of the body and two dark lines behind the eyes. [2] [6]

Behaviour

F. asperrima is oviparous, diurnal and nocturnal.[ dubious ] In dry conditions during the summer, it undergoes aestivation. It is active in water bodies in search of its prey, which consist mainly of fishes and frogs. It is known to be very aggressive. When threatened, it attempts to bite, by flattening its head and neck as does the cobra. The bite may cause wounds. Also, it may release a noxious odor. [2] [6]

Breeding

The gestation period of F. asperrima is 55–67 days. Females do not guard the clutches of eggs, but they stay close to the nest. They lay clutches of four to 30 eggs between September and October. [2] [6] [11]

Common names

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buff striped keelback</span> Species of snake

The buff striped keelback is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake found across Asia. It is a typically non-aggressive 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.

<i>Boiga forsteni</i> Species of snake

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.

<i>Dendrelaphis bifrenalis</i> Species of snake

Dendrelaphis bifrenalis, also called Boulenger's bronzeback, Boulenger's bronze-back, and Travancore bronze-brown snake, is a colubrid snake native to Eastern Ghats of Southern India and Sri Lanka. It was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1890. Dendrelaphis wickrorum from Sri Lanka was previously confused with this species.

<i>Gerarda prevostiana</i> Species of snake

Gerarda prevostiana, commonly known as the cat-eyed water snake, Gerard's water snake, and 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.

<i>Rhabdophis plumbicolor</i> Species of snake

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Checkered keelback</span> Species of snake

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.

<i>Sibynophis subpunctatus</i> Species of snake

Sibynophis subpunctatus, commonly known as Duméril's black-headed snake or Jerdon's many-toothed snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

St. John's keelback is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia.

Calliophis melanurus, commonly known as the slender coral snake, is a species of venomous elapid snake endemic to the Indian subcontinent. Two subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerdon's sea snake</span> Species of snake

Jerdon's sea snake is a species of venomous sea snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae.

Hydrophis cantoris, also known commonly as Cantor's narrow-headed sea snake and Cantor's small-headed sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus</span> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus, the Sri Lankan pit viper, Ceylon pit viper, Sri Lankan green pitviper or locally, pala polonga, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Sri Lanka. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Boiga barnesii</i> Species of snake

Boiga barnesii is a species of cat snake endemic to Sri Lanka. It is known as Barnes' cat snake in English and panduru mapila-පදුරු මාපිලා in Sinhala. It is a member of the snake family Colubridae. It is distributed in the lowlands and midlands up to approximately 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level, with known localities include Matale, Kandy, Gannoruwa, Gampola, Ambagamuwa, Balangoda, Labugama and Sinharaja Rain Forest. Barnes' cat snake is mainly a forest-dwelling species but may occasionally be found in human habitats. It is the smallest cat snake in Sri Lanka and grows up to a maximum of about 600 mm (24 in) in snout-vent length. Being a nocturnal and an arboreal hunter, it mainly feeds on agamid lizards and geckos. The day time is usually spent inside a tree hole or a crevice. It’s a very timid and a mildly venomous snake and rarely attempts to bite.

<i>Rhinophis blythii</i> Species of snake

Rhinophis blythii, or Blyth's earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to the rain forests and grasslands of Sri Lanka.

Rhabdophis ceylonensis is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka. The species is commonly known as the Sri Lanka blossom krait, the Sri Lanka keelback, and මල් කරවලා or නිහලුවා (nihaluwa) in Sinhala. It is a moderately venomous snake.

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.

Aspidura drummondhayi, commonly known as Drummond-Hay's rough-sided snake or කෙටිවල් මැඩිල්ලා in Sinhala, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka.

<i>Aspidura guentheri</i> Species of snake

Aspidura guentheri, commonly known as Günther's rough-sided snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is the smallest member of the genus Aspidura.

<i>Fowlea</i> Genus of snakes

Fowlea is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Asia.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 de Silva, A. & Wickramasinghe, L.J.M. (2021). "Fowlea asperrimus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021. IUCN: e.T197191A123311972. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Boulenger, G.A. (1891). "Description of new oriental reptiles and batrachians". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 6. Taylor and Francis, Ltd. London: 279–283.
  3. Smith, M.A. (1943). "3. Serpentes". The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-Region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Taylor and Francis, Ltd. London. p. 583.
  4. 1 2 Fowlea asperrima at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 19 January 2016.
  5. Das, I. [in French] & De Silva, A. (2005). Photographic guide to snakes and other reptiles of Sri Lanka. New Holland Publishers. p. 144.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Suranjan Karunarathna, D. M. S. & Thasun Amarasinghe, A. A. (2011). "A Preliminary Survey of the Reptile Fauna in Nilgala Forest and its Vicinity, Monaragala District, Sri Lanka". Taprobanica. 3 (2): 69–76. doi: 10.47605/tapro.v3i2.49 .
  7. 1 2 3 Taylor, Edward H. (1950). "The snakes of Ceylon". University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 33 (14): 519–603. ISSN   0022-8850.
  8. 1 2 Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 33–35. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. LCCN   1421401355.
  9. 1 2 De Silva, A. (1998). Snakes of Sri Lanka: a checklist and an annotated bibliography. Dept. Wildlife Conservation/GEF/UNDP/FAO, Colombo.
  10. Wall, Frank (1921). Ophidia Taprobanica or the Snakes of Ceylon. Colombo Mus. (H. R. Cottle, govt. printer), Colombo. p. 581.
  11. 1 2 3 Boulenger, G.A. (1893). Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum.(Natural history) Vol. I. Taylor and Francis, London. p. 448.
  12. Vogel, G. & David, Patrick (2006). "On the taxonomy of the Xenochrophis piscator complex (Serpentes, Natricidae)" (PDF). Herpetologia Bonnensis. II: 241–246.
  13. Janzen, P.; Klaas, P. & Ziesmann, S. (2007). "Sri Lankas Schlangenfauna". Draco. 7 (30): 56–64.