Ahaetulla pulverulenta
Brown-speckled whipsnake | |
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Species: | A. pulverulenta
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Binomial name | |
Ahaetulla pulverulenta (Duméril & Bibron, 1854)
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Synonyms | |
Dryophis pulverulentus |
Brown-speckled whipsnake or brown vine snake (Ahaetulla pulverulenta) is a species of tree snake found in the Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka, known as හෙනකදයා (henakadaya) in Sinhala. This name provided the name anaconda.[1][2][3]
Description
- See snake scales for terms used
Snout pointed, terminating in a dermal appendage which is longer than the eye, formed below by the rostral, and covered above with numerous small scales or warts; the length of the snout, without the dermal appendage, more than twice the diameter of the eye. Nasals in contact behind the rostral appendage, or narrowly separated; no loreal; internasals and prefrontals in contact with the labials; frontal as long as its distance from the nasals, as long as the parietals or a little longer; two preoculars, with one subocular below, the upper preocular in contact with the frontal; two postoculars; temporals 2+3 or 2+2; upper labials 8, fifth entering the eye; 4 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are shorter than the posterior. Scales in 15 rows, ventrals 182-194; anal divided; subcaudals 154-173. Greyish, powdered with brown, with blackish transverse spots above; a dark brown rhomboidal spot on the upper surface of the head, and a brown band on each side, passing through the eye. [4] Total length 5 feet 10 inches; tail 2 feet 4 inches.
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Head profile from top
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Head view and eye profile
References
- ^ Ferguson, Donald (1897). "The derivation of "Anaconda"". Notes and Queries. 12: 123–124.
- ^ Skeat, Walter W. (1882). A concise etymological dictionary of the English Language. Oxford University Press. p. 16.
- ^ Yule, Henry; Burnell, A.C. (1903). Hobson-Jobson. London: John Murray. pp. 24–25.
- ^ Boulenger, George A. 1890 The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp.
Further reading
- Duméril, A. M. C., Bibron, G. & Duméril, A. H. A., 1854 Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Deuxième partie, comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux. Paris, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret: i-xii + 781-1536
- Khaire, A.;Khaire, N. 1993 Occurrence of brown whip snake Ahaetulla pulverulenta (Dum. & Bibr.) in Pune, India Snake 25: 147-148
- Venkatraman, C.;Gokula, V.;Kumar, Saravana 1997 Occurrence of brown whip snake (Ahaetulla pulverulenta) in Siruvani foot hills Cobra 28: 36-37
External links
- Ahaetulla pulverulenta at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/lal_trekila/5824193473/
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/lal_trekila/5811369272/
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Ahaetulla_pulverulenta1.jpg[permanent dead link]
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Ahaetulla_pulverulenta2.jpg[permanent dead link]