Provisional Checklist of the Snakes of Sri Lanka (as at October 2010)

Compiled by Ruchira Somaweera

Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Reptile Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia.
ruchira.somaweera@gmail.com

wefl%dfldf l=,h ( Family Acrochordidae Bonaparte, 1831 ) osh f.dhka$ fros khska
1. Acrochordus granulatus (Schneider, 1799)
Wart Snake/ Cloth Snake

fros khd$ osh f.dhd

fndhsf l=,h ( Family Boidae Gray, 1825 ) fldg msUqrka

2. Gongylophis conicus (Schneider, 1801)
+1
Gongylophis conicus brevis (Deraniyagala, 1951)

Common Sand Boa

Sri Lankan Sand Boa

fldg msUqrd$ je,s msUqrd

fld%f l=,h ( Family Colubridae Oppel, 1811 ) fld%vdjka

3. Ahaetulla nasuta (Lacepede, 1789)
4. Ahaetulla pulverulenta (Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854)
5. Argyrogena fasciolata (Shaw, 1802)
6. Boiga barnesii (Gunther, 1869) *
7. Boiga beddomei (Wall, 1909)
8. Boiga ceylonensis (Gunther, 1858)
9. Boiga forsteni (Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854)
10. Boiga trigonata (Bechstein, 1802)
Boiga trigonata trigonata (Bechstein, 1802)
11. Cercaspis carinatus (Kuhl, 1820) *#
12. Chrysopelea ornata (Shaw, 1802)
13. Chrysopelea taprobanica Smith, 1943 *
14. Coelognathus helena (Daudin, 1803)
15. Dendrelaphis bifrenalis (Boulenger, 1890) *
16. Dendrelaphis caudolineolatus (Gunther, 1869)
17. Dendrelaphis oliveri (Taylor, 1950) *
18. Dendrelaphis schokari (Kuhl, 1820)
19. Dendrelaphis tristis (Daudin, 1803)
20. Dryocalamus gracilis (Gunther, 1864)
21. Dryocalamus nympha (Daudin, 1803)
22. Haplocercus ceylonensis Gunther, 1858 *#
23. Liopeltis calamaria (Gunther, 1858)
24. Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus, 1758)
25. Lycodon osmanhilli Taylor, 1950 *
26. Lycodon striatus (Shaw, 1802)
+1
Lycodon striatus sinhaleyus Deraniyagala, 1955
27. Oligodon arnensis (Shaw, 1802)
28. Oligodon calamarius (Linnaeus, 1754) *
29. Oligodon sublineatus Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854 *
30. Oligodon taeniolata (Jerdon, 1853)
+
Oligodon taeniolata ceylonicus (Wall, 1921)
Oligodon taeniolata fasciatus (Gunther, 1864)
31. Ptyas mucosa (Linnaeus, 1758)
+1
Ptyas mucosa maximus (Deraniyagala, 1955)
32. Sibynophis subpunctatus (Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854)
+
Sibynophis subpunctatus ceylonicus de Silva, 1969

Green Vine Snake

Brown Vine Snake
Banded Racer
Barnes's Cat Snake
Beddomes Cat Snake
Sri Lanka Cat Snake
Forsten's Cat Snake
Common Cat Snake
Common Indian Cat Snake
Sri Lanka Wolf Snake
Ornate Flying Snake
Sri Lankan Flying Snake
Trinket Snake
Boulenger's Bronze-back
Striped-tailed Bonze-back
Oliver's Bronze-back
Kuhls Bronze-back
Common Bronze-back
Gunthers Slender Bridal Snake
Common Bridal Snake
Black-spined Snake
Reed Snake
Common Wolf Snake
Flowery Wolf Snake
Barred Wolf Snake
Shaw's Wolf Snake
Common Banded Kukri Snake
Templeton's Kukri Snake
Streaked Kukri Snake
Russell's Kukri Snake
Variegated Kukri Snake
Indian Streaked Kukri Snake
Rat Snake
Sri Lankan Rat Snake
Black-headed Snake
Black-headed Snake

is,skafv%d*sf l=,h ( Family Cylindrophiidae Fitzinger, 1843 ) fom;a khska

33. Cylindrophis maculatus (Linnaeus, 1758) *
Sri Lankan Pipe Snake
b,emsf l=,h ( Family Elapidae Boie, 1827 ) khska" lrjka yd fom;a
Subfamily Elapinae
34. Bungarus caeruleus (Schneider, 1801)
35. Bungarus ceylonicus Gunther, 1864 *
+
Bungarus ceylonicus ceylonicus Gunther, 1864
+
Bungarus ceylonicus karavala Deraniyagala, 1955
36. Calliophis haematoetron Smith, Manamendra-Arachchi & Somaweera, 2008 *
37. Calliophis melanurus (Shaw, 1802)
+1
Calliophis melanurus sinhaleyus Deraniyagala, 1951
38. Naja naja (Linnaeus, 1758)
Subfamily Hydrophiinae

weyegq,a,d
fykl|hd
j,a .erhd
mre udms,d
ly udms,d
ksos udms,d
f,a udms,d$ kd. udms,d
?ka udms,d
odr lrj,d
fmd,au,a lrj,d
or oKavd
lgljd
mre yd,aoKavd
jhsrs yd,aoKavd
T,sjf.a yd,aoKavd
l=,af.a yd,aoKavd
;=re yd,aoKavd
.eg lrj,d
.eg lrj,d
l=rka lrj,d$ r;a lrj,d
mkanrshd
w roklhd
u,a roklhd
lnr
wrKs
lnr
mq,a,s

roklhd
o;a lehd
o;a lehd
o;a lehd

jhsrs o;a lehd

mq,a,s o;a lehd
.erhd
oe;sf.daurhd
fom;akhd $ jgW,a,d

ljka
Common Indian Krait
Sri Lankan Krait
Sri Lankan Krait
Sri Lankan Krait
Red-bellied Coral Snake
Slender Coral Snake
Sri Lankan Coral Snake
Indian Cobra/ Spectacled Cobra

f;,a lrj,d$ u.urejd

uq lrj,d
y;a lrj,d
nv r;= fom;a ljd
fom;a ljd
khd$ kd.hd

39. Astrotia stokesii (Gray & Stokes, 1846)

40. Enhydrina schistosus (Daudin, 1803)
41. Hydrophis bituberculatus Peters, 1873
42. Hydrophis cyanocinctus Daudin, 1803
43. Hydrophis gracilis (Shaw, 1802)
44. Hydrophis lapemoides (Gray, 1849)
45. Hydrophis mammilaris (Daudin, 1803)
46. Hydrophis ornatus (Gray, 1842)
Hydrophis ornatus ornatus (Gray, 1842)

Stoke's Sea Snake

Hook-nosed Sea Snake
Peter's Sea Snake
Chittul/ Annulated Sea Snake
Small-headed Sea Snake
Persian Gulf Sea Snake
Bombay Gulf Sea Snake
Gray's Sea Snake
Gray's Sea Snake

uy jd,lalhd
jd,lalhd
mSgf.a uqyq khd
jhsrka uqyq khd
l=vd)ysia uqyq khd
mishdkq uqyq khd
fndf uqyq khd
f.%af.a uqyq khd
1

47. Hydrophis spiralis (Shaw, 1802)

48. Hydrophis stricticollis Gunther, 1864
49. Kerilia jerdonii Gray, 1849

uy uqyq khd
.ka;f.a uqyq khd

50. Lapemis curtus (Shaw, 1802)

51. Pelamis platura (Linnaeus, 1766)
52. Praescutata viperina (Schmidt, 1852)

Narrow-banded Sea Snake

Gunther's Sea Snake
Jerdon's Sea Snake
Jerdon's Sea Snake
Shaw's Short Sea Snake
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake
Viperine Sea Snake

Subfamily Laticaudinae
53. Laticauda colubrina (Schneider, 1799) 3

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait

f;d, ly uqyq lrj,d

Kerilia jerdonii jerdonii Gray, 1849

cfvdaksf.a uqyq khd

Yafjdaf.a l=vd uqyq khd
nv ly uqyq khd
fmdf<dx uqyq khd

fyduf,dmaisf l=,h ( Family Homalopsidae Bonaparte, 1845 ) l<mq osh khska

Dog-faced Water Snake
Cerberus rynchops rynchops (Schneider, 1799)
Dog-faced Water Snake
55. Enhydris enhydris (Schneider, 1799) 4
Rainbow Mud Snake
56. Gerarda prevostiana (Eydoux & Gervais, 1837)
Glossy Marsh Snake

54. Cerberus rynchops (Schneider, 1799)

fka%isf l=,h ( Family Natricidae Bonaparte, 1838 ) fka%isvdjka

57. Amphiesma stolatum (Linnaeus, 1758)
58. Aspidura brachyorrhos (Boie, 1827) *#
59. Aspidura copei Gunther, 1864 *#
60. Aspidura deraniyagalae Gans & Fetcho, 1982 *#
61. Aspidura drummondhayi Boulenger, 1904 *#
62. Aspidura guentheri Ferguson, 1876 *#
63. Aspidura trachyprocta Cope, 1860 *#
64. Atretium schistosum (Daudin, 1803)
65. Balanophis ceylonensis (Gunther, 1858) *#
66. Macropisthodon plumbicolor (Cantor, 1839)
+1
Macropisthodon plumbicolor palabariya Deraniyagala, 1955
67. Xenochrophis asperrimus (Boulenger, 1891) *
68. Xenochrophis sp. (after Vogel & David, 2006) * 5
mhsf;dksf l=,h ( Family Pythonidae Fitzinger, 1826 ) msUqrka
69. Python molurus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Python molurus molurus (Linnaeus, 1758)

l=Kqosh ljd
foakq osh nrshd
fm%fjdiaf.a osh nrshd

Buff Stripped Keelback

Boie's Rough-side
Cope's Rough-side
Deraniyagala's Rough-side
Drummond-Hay's Rough-side
Gunther's Rough-side
Common Rough-side
Olive Keelback
Sri Lankan Blossom Krait
Green Keelback
Sri Lankan Green Keelback
Sri Lankan Keelback
Checkered Keelback
Rock Python
Indian Rock Python

maf,dmsf l=,h ( Family Typlopidae Merrem, 1820 ) mKqW,a,ka$ lKW,a,ka

Brahminy Blind Snake
Smiths Blind Snake
Lanka Blind Snake
Pied Blind Snake
Malcolms Blind Snake
Jan's Blind Snake
Stoliczkas Slender Blind Snake
Taylors Blind Snake
Veddhas Blind Snake
Violet Blind Snake

70. Ramphotyphlops (inc. sed.) braminus (Daudin, 1803) 6

71. Typhlops ceylonicus Smith, 1943 *
72. Typhlops lankaensis Taylor, 1947 *
73. Typhlops leucomelas Boulenger, 1890 *
74. Typhlops malcolmi Taylor, 1947 *
75. Typhlops mirus Jan, 1860 *
76. Typhlops porrectus Stoliczka, 1871
77. Typhlops tenebrarum Taylor, 1947 *
78. Typhlops veddae Taylor, 1947 *
79. Typhlops violaceus Taylor, 1947 *

hqfrdafm,af l=,h ( Family Uropeltidae Mller, 1832 - ;=vq,a,ka$ j,a.d wenhka

80. Platyplectrurus madurensis Beddome, 1877
Madurai Shieldtail
+1
Platyplecturus madurensis ruhunae Deraniyagala, 1954
Madurai Shieldtail
#
81. Pseudotyphlops philippinus (Schlegel, 1839) *
Large Shieldtail
82. Rhinophis blythii Kelaart, 1853 *
Blyth's Shieldtail
83. Rhinophis dorsimaculatus Deraniyagala, 1941 *
Orange Shieldtail
84. Rhinophis drummondhayi Wall, 1921 *
Drummond-Hay's Shieldtail
85. Rhinophis erangaviraji Wickramasinghe, Vidanapathirana, Wickramasinghe & Ranwella, 2009 * Eranga Virajs shieldtail snake
86. Rhinophis homolepis (Hemprich, 1820) *
Hemprich's Shieldtail
87. Rhinophis oxyrhynchus (Schneider, 1801) *
Schneider's Shieldtail
88. Rhinophis philippinus (Cuvier, 1829) *
Cuvier's Shieldtail
89. Rhinophis porrectus Wall, 1921 *
Willey's Shieldtail
90. Rhinophis punctatus Muller, 1832 *
Muller's Shieldtail
91. Rhinophis tricoloratus Deraniyagala, 1975 *
Deraniyagalas Shieldtail
92. Uropeltis melanogaster (Gray, 1858) *
Gray's Earth Snake
93. Uropeltis phillipsi (Nicholls, 1929) *
Phillip's Earth Snake
94. Uropeltis ruhunae Deraniyagala, 1954 *
Southern Earth Snake
jhsfmrsf l=,h ( Family Viperidae Boie, 1827 ) fmd<=ka iy j,)fmd<=ka
Russell's Viper
Daboia russelii russelii (Shaw & Nodder, 1797)
Indian Russell's Viper
96. Echis carinatus (Schneider, 1801)
Saw-scaled Viper
Echis carinatus carinatus (Schneider, 1801)
South Indian Saw-scaled Viper
97. Hypnale hypnale (Merrem, 1820)
Merrem's Hump-nosed Pit Viper
98. Hypnale nepa (Laurenti, 1768) *
Highland Hump-nosed Pit Viper
99. Hypnale zara (Gray, 1849) *
Lowland Hump-nosed Pit Viper
100. Hypnale species amal (see Maduwage et al., 2009) *
Amals Hump-nosed Pi Viper
101. Trimeresurus trigonocephalus (Sonnini & Latreille, 1801) *
Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper

wyrl=lald
f,a ue,a,d
l ue,a,d
l ue,a,d
flj,a ue,a,d
l=vd ue,a,d
o,j ue,a,d
osh jkhd$ lfvd,d
u,a lrj,d$ ksyjd
m,dnrshd
osh nrshd
osh khd

msUqrd
uqgq lKW,a,d
ia;af.a lKW,a,d
,la lKW,a,d
lnr lKW,a,d
ue,alf.a lKW,a,d
ySka lKW,a,d
iafgd,slaialdf.a isyska lKW,a,d

f,f.a lKW,a,d
jeoaodf.a lKW,a,d
o lKW,a,d

urdis xW,a,d
uy xW,a,d
f.daur ;=vq,a,d
;nmkaks j,a.d wenhd
;fmda ;=vq,a,d
trx. rdf.A ;=vq,a,d
fom;a ;=vq,a,d ;=vq,a,d
W,a ;=vq,a,d
l=hf.a j,a.d wenhd
os.a ;=vq,a,d
;s;a ;=vq,a,d
oerKsh.,f.a j,a.d wenhd
l jlgq,a,d
brs jlgq,a,d
reyqKq jlgq,a,d

95. Daboia russelii (Shaw & Nodder, 1797)

;s;a fmd<d$ odr fmd<d

je,sfmd<d
fmdf<dx f;,siaid$ l=Klgqjd
llr uql,ka f;,siaid
my;rg uql,ka f;,siaid
wu,af.a f;,siaid
m,d fmd<d
2

^* wdfKsl fYaI Endemic species " wdfKsl Wm fYaI Endemic subspecies "

wjYsIag fYaI Relict species &

1 The taxonomic validity of several subspecies where rejected in recent literature (e.g. Chrysopelea ornata
sinhaleya). Most of the subspecies erected by Deraniyagala need to be studied in detail.
2 Taxonomy following Zug et al. (2001).
3 Now recognized as separate families (Vidal et al., 2009; Zaher et al., 2009).
4 Ambercrombie (1913) record it from Jaffna province. A specimen (CAS 12767) collected from Ceylon exists
(Gyi, 1970; Murphy, 2007).
5 This earlier Xenochrophis piscator form the island is regarded as a new, undescribed species, sharing characters
of both X. piscator and X. flavipunctatus, but not of X. asperrimus (Vogel & David, 2006).
6 A new monotypic genus is going to be described to accommodated the world's only obligatory
parthenogenetic snake.