''Aspidura trachyprocta'', the common rough-sided snake, known as දලව මැඩිල්ලා (dalawa medilla) in Sinhala, is a

colubrid Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...

species endemic to

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

Distribution

A commonly encountered small burrowing snake from midhills to montane limits of central Sri Lanka. Localities recorded are

Gammaduwa Gammaduwa is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Matale District, Central Province with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is situated at an elevation of 931 m (3,054 ft) above sea level. The area is mildly dense ...

Monaragala Monaragala ( si, මොනරාගල, translit=Monarāgala; ta, மொணராகலை, translit=Moṇarākalai) is a town located in Monaragala District, Uva Province, Sri Lanka. It is the largest town in Monaragala District and is located ...

, Labukele,

Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya ( si, නුවර එළිය ; ta, நுவரெலியா) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrativ ...

, Harasbedda, Eskdale, Central Kandy,

Pundaluoya Pundaluoya is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province. See also *List of towns in Central Province, Sri Lanka Central Province is a province of Sri Lanka, containing the Kandy District, Matale District, and Nuwara Eliya ...

, Longton Estate, Diyagama Estate,

Nanu Oya Nanu Oya is a long stream in the Central Province of Sri Lanka It originates from Pidurutalagala at an elevation of over and drains into the Kotmale Oya at an elevation of approximately . The Kotmale Oya is a tributary of the Mahaweli River, t ...

Sita Eliya Sita Eliya is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province. Places of interest Seetha Amman Temple The Seetha Amman Temple is believed to be the site where Sita was held captive by Ravana Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king ...

Ambewela Ambewela ( ta, அம்பேவளை, translit=Ampēvaḷai; si, අඹේවෙල, translit=Am̆bēvela) is a village, and a hill station, located in the Nuwara Eliya District of Sri Lanka. The area is also sometimes called "Little New Zeal ...

, Pattipola,

Hakgala Hakgala is a mountain situated in the Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka at above mean sea level, most parts of the mountain are covered with forest belonging to Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve. Hakgala Botanical Garden is situated on the northea ...

Horton Plains National Park Horton Plains National Park ( si, හෝර්ටන් තැන්න ජාතික උද්‍යානය, Hortan Thanna Jathika Udyanaya) is a national park in the central highlands of Sri Lanka that was designated in 1988. It is locate ...

Namunukula Namunukula, literally "Nine Peaks" in Sinhala language, is the name of a mountain range in Sri Lanka's province of Uva. Its main peak is high. The nearby town is also sometimes called Namunukula Town. During the Ming treasure voyages of the 15 ...

Kandy Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...

, Radella,

Ramboda Ramboda is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province. The Ramboda Road Tunnel is currently the longest road tunnel in Sri Lanka and is situated on the A5 highway (Perandenyia - Nuwara Eliya Road), close to Ramboda falls. ...

, and

Diyatalawa Diyatalawa (දියතලාව, meaning “the watered plain”) is a former garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is situated at an altitude of and has become a popular destination ...

at elevations of 750-2100m.

Description

Head indistinct from neck, body is cylindrical. Dorsum range from blackish brown to light reddish brown, with lateral stripes and 2–3 rows of dark dorsal spots. Venter varying from being heavily blotched with black to light yellow with a red tint and just blotched on midline.

Scalation

Midbody scale rows 15. Pre-oculars present. 2 Post-oculars contact with parietal. Ventrals 128–151. Subcaudals 11–26.

Ecology

Found in piles of humus, leaf litter and rotten timber, within agricultural lands.

Reproduction

4-12 eggs at a time, measuring 16 × 25mm.

References

* http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Aspidura&species=trachyprocta * http://www.wildreach.com/reptile/Serpentes/Aspidura%20trachyprocta.php * http://lankanaturesummary.blogspot.com/2014/03/common-rough-sided-snake-aspidura.html * https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=700775 {{Taxonbar, from=Q2866868 Aspidura Reptiles of Sri Lanka Reptiles described in 1860 Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope