Oligodon arnensis, banded kukri, common kukri, Snakes, Reptiles
Common Kukri | Oligodon arnensis, Shaw (1802)
Though all snakes amaze me but there are some which are
even more attractive & this is one those beautiful snakes that I have
encountered.
The species Oligodon arnensis is commonly known as common kukri or banded kukri, is a species of nonvenomous snakes that belong to family colubridae.
This species has a wide range of distribution i.e. from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.The species have beautiful morphological pattern and can be easily identified by sighting chocolate dorsal, blackish bands and a black banding of arrow design on the head.
Scientific
classification
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Kingdom:
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Animalia
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Phylum:
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Chordata
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Class:
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Reptilia
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Order:
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Squamata
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Suborder:
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Serpentes
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Family:
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Colubridae
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Genus:
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Oligodon
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Species:
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O. arnensis
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Oligodon
arnensis
(Shaw, 1802)
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Description:
The body of the species is slender with sleek and smooth scales. The specimens were grayish-brown in color with blackish bands on its dorsal side which run from neck upto tail. In case of juveniles, these bands are darker as compared to adults. Ventral side is whitish & sub caudal scales are paired having zigzag pattern.
The snout is these snakes are found pointed. There is a triangle shape mark found on the top of head starting from frontal which pass through parietal scales reaching to 1-5 ventral scales. Eyes are small bearing round pupil. Tail is of normal length in these snakes which is pointed towards the tip. It is small to medium snake species ranging from 2-3 feet, while the juveniles are mostly 7-8 cm in length. There are sharp small teeth’s present on back side of the mouth which is used to feed on eggs small organism and on small rodents, insect, larvae, reptile eggs, and skinks mostly.
Ecology: The species has wide range of distribution so habitat of these snakes also ranges from moist deciduous forests, rainforest, dry to mixed scrub forest and agricultural lands. The species mostly found hidden in gardens, agricultural lands, urban settlements, piles, mounds, cracks, and under fallen wooden logs.
It is a semi-fossorial and nocturnal species. The snakes of this species are shy and non-aggressive snake. Mating occurs throughout the year, juveniles are mostly found during monsoon periods to late winters. Whereas females of the species lay out 2-10 eggs inside rock crevices, mounds, wooden logs etc. The individuals of this species are threatened by anthropogenic act ivies including road kills and slaying on account of misidentification. However this species has well adopted him near human settlements
| Observation based on some Individuals observed in central India Full body length :140 mm-560 mm Snout-vent length :120 mm-455 mm Tail length :20 mm-105 mm Scalation Ventral scales :170-201 Anal scale :Divided Sub-caudal scales :43-50 **Dorsal scales (A:M:P) :17:17:15 Supra-labial scales (3rd & 4th in eye contact) :7/7 Infra-labial scales :7/7 **Note: A- Anterior; M-Midbody; P-Posterior |
Literature cited:
Boulenger, G.A. 1890. The fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma, Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor and Francis, London.
http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Oligodon&species=arnensis
http://www.indiansnakes.org/content/common-kukri-0
Manhas, A., Kotwal, A., Wanganeo, R.R. and Wanganeo, A., 2015. Diversity, Threats and Conservation of Herpetofauna in and around Barkatullah University, Bhopal (MP), India. Int. J. Adv. Res. 3: 1546-1553.
Manhas, A., Raina, R. and Wanganeo, A. 2017. Current Status and Diversity of Ophidians (Reptilia: Squamata: Serpents) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Int. J. Cur. Micro. Appl. sci., 6 (5): 1384-1390.
Manhas, A., Raina, R. and Wanganeo, A. 2018. Reptilian diversity of the Bhopal region of state Madhya Pradesh in Central India. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians, 25 (2):104-114.
Manhas, A., Raina, R., and Wanganeo, A. 2016. An addition to the reptilian diversity of Barkatullah university campus, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Int. J. Pure Appl. Zool., 4 (4): 306-309.
Manhas, A., Raina, R., and Wanganeo, A., 2015. Snakes of the Bhopal district, Madhya Pradesh, India with special reference to road mortality. J. Res. Biol., 5: 1868-1873.
Manhas, A., Raina, R., and Wanganeo, A., 2016. An assessment of reptilian diversity and their distribution in Jammu and Kashmir state from Jammu city in northern India: A case study. IJFBS 3: 20-23.
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. III, Serpentes, Taylor & Francis, London.
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