Andaman wolf snake

description

(Fig. 6 E & F, 11 C) Material studied: Three adults; ZSI 8145 (Holotype) from Andamans (Fig. 3 E); ANFD uncatalogued, an adult from Mayabunder, Middle Andaman; CIARI uncatalogued, a juvenile specimen from Sippighat, South Andaman (Fig. 3 E, inset). Morphology: Young ones have a distinct white reticulated pattern, which gradually fades as the individuals grow and the adults turn uniform patternless brown. Head distinctly broader than the neck, dorsal scales smooth, in 17: 17: 15 rows; ventrals 192 – 201; preventrals 1 – 2; subcaudals 66 – 72, divided; preocular 1; postoculars 2; anal divided; supralabials 9 (3 – 5 entering orbit); infralabials 10 (1 – 6 in contact with genials); temporals 2 – 3 + 3; loreal 1. Distribution: A nocturnal, endemic species occurring throughout the Andaman archipelago. Several individuals were encountered during this study from South Andaman, Middle Andaman, North Andaman, Little Andaman, Tarmugli, Paget, Interview, Long, Havelock, Rutland and Alexandra Islands. It is often seen amidst human habitation and has been recorded from evergreen, secondary and littoral forests in microhabitats such as leaf-litter, under logs, below tree barks and buildings. Rema

Snake fauna of the Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal-A review of species richness taxonomy, distribution, natural history and conservation status