Scales in 19:19:15 or 13 rows . Vertebral scales distinctly enlarged and hexagonal. Ventrals 214-235; anal entire ; subcaudals 98-108, paired.
🗒 Synonyms
| synonym | Boiga andamanensis Wall 1924 (fide Smith 1943) |
| synonym | Boiga andamanensis Wall, 1924 |
| synonym | Boiga ceylonensis dakhunensis Deraniyagala 1955 |
| synonym | Boiga ceylonensis Das 1996 |
| synonym | Boiga ceylonensis Groen 2008 |
| synonym | Boiga ceylonensis Smith 1943 |
| synonym | Boiga ceylonensis Wallach et al. 2014 |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus andamanensis Wall, 1909 |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus beddomei Wall 1909 (fide Smith 1943) |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus beddomei Wall, 1909 |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus ceylonensis Günther, 1858 |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus ceylonensis Wall 1909 |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus ceylonensis Wall 1921 |
| synonym | Dipsadomorphus nuchalis Wall, 1900 |
| synonym | Dipsas ceylonensis Günther, 1864 |
| synonym | Dipsas nuchalis Günther, 1875 |
🗒 Common Names
| English |
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| Other |
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📚 Overview
Summary
Reptile group
snakes
Brief
Sandeep Das, P S Easa, Jafer Palot
| Attributions | Sandeep Das, P S Easa, Jafer Palot |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Ceylon Cat Snake or Sri Lankan Cat Snake is a species of Boiga genus found in high elevations of Western Ghats of India also in Sri Lanka. Externally it looks very close to Beddome's Cat Snake (B. beddomei) and Collard Cat Snake (B. nuchalis) and usually indistinguishable from these two which are sympatric to it in Western Ghats. Morphologically all three species are known for brown or yellowish dorsal marked with blackish markings. B. ceylonensis can be identified by checking 19 mid body rows, comparatively lower number of ventrals (215-235) and subcaudals (95-108).
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Diagnostic Keys
Head:
Supralabial 8; 4th to 6th in contact with eyes; loreal 1; preocular 1, reaches to upper surface of head; postocular 2 or 3; temporal 3+3 or 3+4. Maxillary teeth 14-20+2.
Dorsal:
Smooth scales arranged obliquely in 19:19:13/15 rows.
Ventral:
215-235; anal undivided.
Sub Caudal:
95-108; paired.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
|
No Data
📚 Nomenclature and Classification
References
eng: Sri Lankan Cat Snake
Curated from The Reptile Database
| Attributions | Curated from The Reptile Database |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Natural History
Reproduction
Reproductive mode (Reptiles)
Oviparous
Reproduction oviparous, female lays up to 10 eggs in dry tree holes, between rocks etc in late winter to summer months. New born individuals seen during late summer to whole monsoon.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Morphology
Dorsal body:
Laterally flattened long body. Scales smooth, long shaped and obliquely arranged. Top dosral scales along the vertebra larger than side scales and of hexagonal shape. Dorsal color brown, yellowish or brown mixed with reddish. Black, dark brown or reddish patches or cross lines found from head to tail. These markings are broadest on vertebral region.
Ventral body:
Belly color white, yellow or yellowish-brown; usually with blackish or dark brown patches on the outer edge of ventral scales. Subcaudal scales paired in zig-zag manner.
Head:
Head triangular with rounded edge; clearly broader than neck. Top of the head of similar to dorsal color. One black streak runs behind the eye to end of the head. Large eyes with vertical pupil.
Tail:
Long and thin tail typically like other arboreal snakes with pointed tip. Dorsal body patterns continue to tail in faint form.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Look Alikes
Beddome's Cat Snake (Boiga beddomei)
Collared Cat Snake (Boiga nuchalis)
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Behaviour
Activity nocturnal and arboreal. Locomotion slow. Behavior shy, elusive and usually calm. On threatening throws half of fore body into loops with head on the top, sometimes jerk or flicker its tail also which is followed by mock attacks to keep distance with threatening object or animal.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Trophic Strategy
Feeds mainly on lizards, birds, rodents, bats, frogs etc.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Habitat and Distribution
General Habitat
Arboreal
Sandeep Das, P S Easa, Jafer Palot
| Attributions | Sandeep Das, P S Easa, Jafer Palot |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Lives in moderate to high elevations of Western Ghats mainly in evergreen and mixed deciduous forests. Lives in dense vegetation including bushes and trees of hills. Choose tree holes, dense bushes, rocks for roosting and hiding.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Description
Western Ghats
Sandeep Das, P S Easa, Jafer Palot
| Attributions | Sandeep Das, P S Easa, Jafer Palot |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
In India its distribution is whole of Western Ghats up to hills of Maharashtra.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Endemic Distribution
Endemic to Indian subcontinent (India and Sri Lanka)
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Occurrence
No Data
📚 Demography and Conservation
Threats
Threats includes killing due to misidentification with some venomous snake (mostly Pit Vipers). As this species is endemic to hilly rainforests of Indian subcontinent, habitat destruction will affect its population. Road kill mortality is found to be another remarkable threat observed in many parts of its distribution range.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Protection Legal Status
Wildlife Protection Act (1972): Schedule 4.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Uses and Management
📚 Information Listing
References
- Uetz, P., Freed, P. & Hošek, J. (eds.), The Reptile Database, http://www.reptile-database.org, accessed 11/12/2018
- Whitaker, R. and Captain, A .2004. Snakes of India. The Field Guide. Draco Books.Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu,xiv+479, pls, text-figs.
Overview > Diagnostic > Diagnostic Keys
- Blackburn D. G. (1993) Standardized criteria for the recognition of reproductive modes in Squamate Reptiles. Herpetologica, 49 (1), 118-132
- Ganesh S. R., Chadramouli S. R., Sreekar R., Shankar P. G. (2013) Reptiles of the Central Western Ghats, India- a reappraisal and revised checklist, with emphasis on the Agumbe Plateau. Russian Journal Of Herpetology. Vol. 20 (2), pp. 134- 142
- Smith M. A. (1943) The fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of The Indo-Chinese Sub-region, Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol 3 Serpentes. Taylor & Francis, London.
- Murthy T. S. N. (1990) Illustrated Guide to the Snakes of the Western Ghats, India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Occasional Paper No. 114
- Chikane S., Bhosale H. (2012) Reptiles of Kaas, Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India, with notes on habitat preferences, abundances and threats. Sauria, Berlin, 34 (3): 3–15
- Inger R. F., Shaffer H. B., Koshy M., Bakde R. (1984) A report on a collection of Amphibians and Reptiles from the Ponmudi, Kerala, South India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 81 (2), 406-570
- Chandramouli S. R., Ganesh S. R. (2010) Herpetofauna of Southern Western Ghats, India − reinvestigated after decades. Taprobanica Vol. 02 (2): pp. 72-85
- Ganesh S. R., Asokan J. R. (2010) Catalogue of Indian herpetological specimens in the collection of the Government Museum Chennai, India. Hamadryad Vol. 35 (1), pp. 46 – 63
- Ganesh S. R., Bhupathy S., David P., Sathishkumar N., Srinivas G. (2014) Snake fauna of High Wavy Mountains, Western Ghats, India: Species richness, status, and distribution pattern. Russian Journal of Herpetology. Vol. 21 (1), pp. 53 – 64
- Boulenger G. A. (1890) The fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma, Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Taylor and Francis.
- Boulenger G. A. (1896) Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol. 3, London: Taylor and Francis.
- Whitaker R., Captain A. (2004) Snakes of India, The Field Guide. Draco Books
- Günther A. (1864) The reptiles of British India. London: Published for the Ray Society by Robert Hardwicke
Information Listing > References
- Uetz, P., Freed, P. & Hošek, J. (eds.), The Reptile Database, http://www.reptile-database.org, accessed 11/12/2018
- Whitaker, R. and Captain, A .2004. Snakes of India. The Field Guide. Draco Books.Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu,xiv+479, pls, text-figs.
No Data
🐾 Taxonomy
| Root | Root |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Family | Colubridae |
| Genus | Boiga |
| Species | Boiga ceylonensis (Günther 1858) |
📊 Temporal Distribution
📷 Related Observations
