Appearance
It is a small, robust snake with thin head, short snout and slit nostrils placed rather high. The snake is olive-green and yellow to orange below. It is sometimes tinged with pink or purplish on the flanks. The length of the tail is one third to one-fourth of the total length.The scales are rough because they are keeled. Specimens from South India have a distinct reddish line along the 5th and 6th or the 4th and 5th up to the vent. This line is brighter in the males. The females are between 70 to 75 cm long, and the males between 50 to 60 cm. The longest measured snake is 87 cm long.
The olive Keelback is found near water or among the surrounding vegetation.The snake is distinguished by a number of scale characteristics:
# Single internasal.
# Nineteen rows of costals.
# 8 or 9 supralabials .
Can easily be confused with olive forest Snake .
Naming
* Kannada – ''Barmmya''.⤷ Telegu – ''Nalla wahlagillee''
⤷ Sinhala – ''Diya Warnaya''
Distribution
Found in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. In India it occurs in peninsular India south of latitude 15 degrees north and along the east coast to Uttarakhand. It is reported to be very common around Bangalore, North Arcot district and Kakinada area in Andhra Pradesh. Occurs up to 1000m above sea level. Absent from most of North India.Reproduction
It is oviparous . It breeds in the monsoon. The eggs, which are white, soft and 30 to 35mm in length, are laid in clutches of 10 to 32 in the months January to April. The newly hatched snakes measure 16.6 to 17.5 cm in length.References:
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