Horseshoe pitviper

Trimeresurus strigatus

''Trimeresurus strigatus'' is a venomous pitviper species found in the Western Ghats. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Horse shoe pit viper habitat Horse shoe pit viper is a small snake about a foot length that are endemic to western ghats of Southern India primarily Nilgiris and Silent Valley, but are thought to be more widespread. Not much is known about it behavior or its reproduction.
A snake that I longed to see in these magical blue mountains since a long time. With this I have seen all the pit vipers found in Southern India except the mythical Hutton's :P Trimeresurus strigatus,endemic,habitat,pit viper,tamil nadu,venomous,western ghats

Appearance

''Trimeresurus strigatus'' may be distinguished from other pit vipers of peninsular India based on the presence of small internasals, 2nd supralabial in contact with loreal pit, 21 rows of smooth or weakly-keeled dorsal scales at midbody, and a single row of scales between labials and suboculars. The common name of the species is based on the presence of a pale buff horseshoe-shaped mark on the nape. The snake is pale brownish or buff coloured with darker blotches of grey and some white streaks.

This species is essentially a terrestrial animal, with most of the sightings on ground or rock formations.

Of 12 snakes measured, the mean snout-vent length was 24.4 ± 7.04 cm , the tail length was 3.5 ± 0.8 cm , and the weight was 172 ± 10.5 g .

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Status: Least concern
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyViperidae
GenusTrimeresurus
SpeciesT. strigatus
Photographed in
India