Oligodon brevicauda

Shorthead kukri snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Oligodon
Species:	O. brevicauda
Binomial name
Oligodon brevicauda Günther, 1862

Oligodon brevicauda, the shorthead kukri snake, is a species of snake found in the Western Ghats of India.

Description[]

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.

Scale pattern

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.^[1]

Total length of females 500mm with tail 55mm.

Known from the Western Ghats south of the Goa Gap and in the Niligiri, Anaimalai and Travancore hills.

Notes[]

References[]

• 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.