It is a non-venomous snake species in the family Colubridae and is distributed in Himalayan parts of Asia; found in Nepal, India (Sikkim, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir), and China (Tibet). The term “hodgsoni” was given to the species in honor of British Naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson. It is an average sized serpent which grows up to 4-5 feet in total body length including a tail length of 9-15 inches. Elaphe hodgsoni is commonly known as Himalayan Ratsnake.
Scientific
classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Elaphe
Species: hodgsoni
Binomial name
Elaphe
hodgsoni (Günther, 1860)
Elaphe hodgsoni
is brownish-olive over the dorsal surface having black-edged scales mostly,
while juveniles possess blackish cross bands. The ventral side of the species
is yellowish which is darker toward the anterior side, having blackish margins
on all ventrals. Rostral is as deep as it is broad and is visible from above.
The suture between internasals is squatter than, present between the
prefrontals while frontal is as long as its distance from the end of snout but
shorter than parietals. The loral is lengthier than deep and may be united with
the prefrontal. Elaphe hodgsoni has large preocular (one), with or
without a minor subocular scale beneath the preocular and two postocular. It
has 4-5 temporals (2+2 or 2+ 3). Serpent have 8 super labials out of which 4-5
touches the eye, and have 9 lower labials, which are in contact of anterior
chin shields. Beside the species possess 19/23/19, feebly keeled scales; 233–246
ventral; anal divided and subcaudals 79–90.
Characteristics
dimensions as per Manhas et al., 2017
Full
body length: 1200 mm
Snout-vent
length: 980 mm
Tail length: 220 mm
Head width: 15 mm
Mouth angle: 27 mm
Intra-orbital
distance: 10 mm
Eye diameter: 4 mm
Scalation;
Data collected from specimen of Doda, Jammu
**Dorsal Scales (A: M: P): 19/23/19
Supra-labial
scales: 8/8
Infra-labial scales : 9/9
Parietal
scales: 2
Supraocular
scales: 2
Preocular
scales: 1
Post-ocular
scales: 3
Ventral scales: 235
Anal plate: Divided
Subcaudal scales: 82 pair
Intranasal scales: 2
Frontal scales: 1
Prefrontal
scales: 2
**Note: A-Anterior; M-Midbody; P-Posterior
Elaphe hodgsoni terrestrial
and semi arboreal snake species which prefers to live in dense forest and near
human settlements in rural areas. It feeds on Birds, small rodents and lizards,
skinks. The serpent is very shy in behavior which tries to flee at first when
corned and never attempts to bite. There is no serious threat to species except
the loss of habitat and killings by humans in its range.
Literature Cited:
Acharji, M.N. and M.B. Kripalani. 1952. On a collection of Reptilia and Batrachia from the Kangra and Kulu Valleys, Western Himalayas. Records of Indian Museum 49(2): 175-184.
Boulenger, G. A. 1894. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol. II. Taylor and Francis, London.
Boulenger, G.A. 1890. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London.
Das I (2002). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of India. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. ISBN 0-88359-056-5. (Elaphe hodgsoni, p. 33).
Gunther, A. 1864. The Reptiles of British India. In: Hardwicke R. (Editor), Ray Society, London
Manhas, A. 2017. Role of varying climatic regimes on the Reptilian fauna under temperate and tropical conditions. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India..
Manhas, A., R., Raina, and A. Wanganeo. 2018. Reptilian Diversity and Distributions in the Doda District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Reptiles and Amphibians 25(3): 164–169.
Sahi, D.N. 1979. A contribution to the Herpetology of Jammu and Kashmir. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Smith, M.A. 1943. The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region, Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III-Serpentes. Taylor and Francis, London, UK.
Swan, L.W. and A.E. Leviton. 1962. The herpetology of Nepal: a history, checklist, and zoogeographical analysis of the herpetofauna. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 4th Series 32(6): 103-147.
Wallach V (1997). "A monograph of the colubrid snakes of the genus Elaphe Fitzinger (book review)". Herpetological Review 28 (2): 110.
Whitaker, R. 2006. Common Indian snakes: A Field Guide. 2nd ed. Macmillan Publishers, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Whitaker, R. and A. Captain, A. 2004. Snakes of India: The Field Guide. Draco Books, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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