''Oligodon sublineatus'', commonly known as Dumeril's kukri snake
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 ...
.
Description
Body somewhat cylindrical and stout. Head short, and blunt. Dorsum pinkish-brown with small three rows of brown markings. Two lateral rows of linear marks confluent and usually from stripes. Median row of discontinuous spots ending at vent.
Distribution
It is a common species from the plains and midhills of Sri Lanka. Widespread within he country. Known from the localities such as Kalutara
Kalutara ( si, කළුතර, ta, களுத்துறை) or Kalutota is a major city in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is also the administrative capital of Kalutara District. It is located approximately south o ...
, Mathugama
Mathugama ( si, මතුගම, ta, மத்துகம) is a semi urban town surrounded by mountains. It is an electorate of the Kalutara district, in Western Province, Sri Lanka. The town is located to the south of Colombo.
Mathugama is ...
, 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 ...
, and Knuckles Mountain Range
The Knuckles Mountain Range lies in central Sri Lanka, in the Districts of Matale and Kandy. The range takes its name from a series of recumbent folds and peaks in the west of the massif which resemble the knuckles of clenched fist when viewed ...
, Kotmale
Kotmale ( si, කොත්මලේ, translit=Kotmalē; ta, கொத்மலை, translit=Kotmalai) is a village in Sri Lanka in Central Province. Kotmale forms part of a mountainous region that the Sinhalese kings left forested to generate su ...
, Ratnapura
Ratnapura (; ) ("City of Gems" in Sinhala and Tamil) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province, as well as the Ratnapura District, and is a traditional centre for the Sri Lankan gem trade. It is located ...
, Weligalla, Negambo
Negombo (, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the west coast and at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, in Western Province, from Colombo via Colombo - Katunayake Expressway.
Negombo is one of the major commercial hubs in the country and ...
, Nawala
Nawala is an up-market residential Suburb of Colombo, within the Kotte municipality in the western province of Sri Lanka and is approximately 6km south from Colombo City.
Nawala lies between the Commercial Capital Colombo and the Administrativ ...
, Gampola
Gampola ( si, ගම්පොල, ta, கம்பளை) is a town located in Kandy District, Central Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. Gampola was made the capital of the island by King Buwanekabahu IV, who ruled for four yea ...
, Peradeniya
Peradeniya ( si, පේරාදෙණිය, translit=Pēradeniya; ta, பேராதனை, translit=Pērātaṉai) is a suburb of the city of Kandy
Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a m ...
, and 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 ...
in the central hills, as well as localities in dry northern parts of the island.
Ecology
Found in thinly forested areas, often entering human habitation, and usually hides under leaf litter, at elevations up to 1200m. Active during the day as well as at dusk, particularly nocturnal. When threatened, it flattens its body but does not attempt to bite. The blade-like teeth are thought adaptive for cutting up shells of reptile eggs, and small lizards and frog eggs also consumed.
References
* https://web.archive.org/web/20071008061903/http://www.slwcs.org/facts/snakes.html
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oligodon Sublineatus
sublineatus
Reptiles of Sri Lanka
Endemic fauna of Sri Lanka
Reptiles described in 1854
Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril
Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron
Taxa named by Auguste Duméril