Oligodon brevicauda
| Shorthead kukri snake | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Oligodon |
| Species: | O. brevicauda
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| Binomial name | |
| Oligodon brevicauda Günther, 1862
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Oligodon brevicauda, the shorthead kukri snake, is a species of snake found in the Western Ghats of India.
Description
[edit]- 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.
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
[edit]- ^ Srinivasulu, C.; Srinivasulu, B.; Deepak, V.; Thakur, S. (2013). "Oligodon brevicauda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T172607A1350974. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172607A1350974.en. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Smith, M. A. 1943. Fauna of British India. Reptiles. (pp. 231-232)
References
[edit]- 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.