Calliophis nigrescens
Encyclopedia
The black coral snake Calliophis nigrescens is a species of venomous snake.
in the Western Ghats
, Karwar
, Wayanad, Nilgiris, Anamalai, and the Travancore
hills at 4,000-6,000 feet (1,219-1,829 m).
Rostral broader than long; frontal as long as its distance from the end of the snout, much shorter than the parietals; one preocular and two postoculars; a single temporal; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye; anterior chin shields as long as the posterior or a little shorter, in contact with four labials. Scales in 13 rows. Ventrals 232-261; anal usually divided; subcaudals 33-44. This species comprises several colour varieties, which are connected by insensible gradations; in all the head and nape are black, with an oblique yellow band, sometimes broken up into spots, on each side from the parietals to behind the angle of the mouth, and the upper lip is yellow in front of and behind the eye; lower parts uniform red.
Total length 110 cm (43 inches); tail 11.5 cm (4½ inches).
Geographic range
It is found in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
, Karwar
Karwar
Karwar is the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, India. It is a seaside town situated on the banks of the Kali river which is on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. The town lies about 15 kilometres south of the Karnataka–Goa border and 519 km north-west...
, Wayanad, Nilgiris, Anamalai, and the Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
hills at 4,000-6,000 feet (1,219-1,829 m).
Description
- See snake scalesSnake scalesSnakes, like other reptiles, have a skin covered in scales. Snakes are entirely covered with scales or scutes of various shapes and sizes. Scales protect the body of the snake, aid it in locomotion, allow moisture to be retained within, alter the surface characteristics such as roughness to aid in...
for terms used
Rostral broader than long; frontal as long as its distance from the end of the snout, much shorter than the parietals; one preocular and two postoculars; a single temporal; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye; anterior chin shields as long as the posterior or a little shorter, in contact with four labials. Scales in 13 rows. Ventrals 232-261; anal usually divided; subcaudals 33-44. This species comprises several colour varieties, which are connected by insensible gradations; in all the head and nape are black, with an oblique yellow band, sometimes broken up into spots, on each side from the parietals to behind the angle of the mouth, and the upper lip is yellow in front of and behind the eye; lower parts uniform red.
- A. Dark purplish brown above, with three or five longitudinal series of black, light-edged spots.
- B. The spots confluent and forming three longitudinal black bands edged with whitish.
- C. Intermediate between A and B.
- D. Dark purplish brown above, with three or five more or less distinct black stripes, which are not light-edged.
- E. Pale reddish brown or red above, with five black stripes.
Total length 110 cm (43 inches); tail 11.5 cm (4½ inches).
External links
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/CALLIOPHIS_NIGRESCENS_KH.JPG
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/CALLIOPHIS_NIGRESCENS_KH2.JPG
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/CALLIOPHIS_NIGRESCENS_KH3.JPG