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Aspidura
''Aspidura'' is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Natricinae of the Family (biology), Family Colubridae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to island of Sri Lanka. Member species are Common name, commonly known as rough-sided snakes, except for ''A. ceylonensis'', which is commonly known as the black-spined snake and was formerly in the genus ''Haplocercus''. www.reptile-database.org. The genus ''Aspidura'' comprises nine species, with the latest having been discovered in 2019. Species The following species are recognized as being valid. *''Aspidura brachyorrhos'' – Boie's rough-sided snake *''Aspidura ceylonensis'' – black-spined snake *''Aspidura copei'' – Cope's rough-sided snake *''Aspidura deraniyagalae'' – Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala, Deraniyagala's rough-sided snake *''Aspidura desilvai'' – De Silva's rough-sided snake *''Aspidura drummondhayi'' – Drummond-Hay's rough-sided snake *''Aspidura guentheri'' – Günther's rough-sided snake *''Aspidura rav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Copei
''Aspidura copei'', commonly known as Cope's rough-sided snake or කලු මැඩිල්ලා (''kalu medilla'') in Sinhalese, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. Etymology The specific name, ''copei'', is in honor of American herpetologist and paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011) ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Aspidura copii'', pp. 58-59). Geographic range ''A. copei'' is a found in the mountains of central Sri Lanka. Localities recorded are Dimbulla, Dickoya, Hopewell estate of Balangoda, Avissawella, and Pundaluoya. Description The head of ''A. copei'' is indistinct from the neck, and the body is cylindrical. The dorsum is brown, with a brownish-olive mid-dorsal band, 2-3 scales wide, flanked on each side by a series of 23-26 dark blotches. The flanks have dark markings occupying 2-4 scale ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Guentheri
''Aspidura guentheri'', commonly known as Günther's rough-sided snake, www.reptile-database.org. is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is the smallest member of the genus ''Aspidura''. Etymology The specific name, ''guentheri'', is named after the German-born British herpetologist Albert Günther. Geographic range ''A. guentheri'' is a burrowing snake restricted to the lowlands of Sri Lanka. Localities recorded include Ratnapura, Deniyaya, Yapitikanda, Kandilpana, Kosgama, Kalutara, and Balangoda at altitudes of . Description The head of ''A. guentheri'' is indistinct from the neck, and the body is cylindrical. The dorsum is brown, mottled with dark brown. The forehead is dark, and a pale neck band is present. Running down the back are three rows of dark spots, one vertebral row and two lateral rows. The ventral side is light brown. Scalation ''A. guentheri'' has the following scalation. The dorsal scales are in 17 rows at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Ravanai
''Aspidura ravanai'', commonly known as Ravana's rough-sided snake is a species of colubrid snake endemic to Sri Lanka. Taxonomy The specific name, ''ravanai'', is in honor of the Sri Lankan mythological King Ravana. Distribution and habitat ''A. ravanai'' is known only from the western slopes Sri Pada Adam's Peak is a conical sacred mountain located in central Sri Lanka.Capper, Daniel (2022), ''Roaming Free Like a Deer: Buddhism and the Natural World,'' Cornell University Press. It is well known for the ''Sri Pada'' (; ), a rock format ... sanctuary in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Description ''A. ravanai'' is a small snake similar to its sister lineage '' A. trachyprocta''. The dorsum is dark black in color. A yellowish line runs through the body in venter region. References Further reading *Gans C, Fetcho JR. 1982. The Sri Lankan genus ''Aspidura'' (Serpentes, Reptilia, Colubridae). ''Annals of Carnegie Museum'' 51 (14): 271–316. (''Aspidura deraniya ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Drummondhayi
''Aspidura drummondhayi'', commonly known as Drummond-Hay's rough-sided snake or කෙටිවල් මැඩිල්ලා (''ketiwal medilla'') in Sinhala, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. Etymology The specific name, ''drummondhayi'', is in honor of Henry Maurice Drummond-Hay (1869-1932), who was a planter and naturalist in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and who was the son of Scottish ornithologist Colonel Henry Maurice Drummond-Hay (1814-1896). Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Aspidura drummondhayi'', p. 76). Geographic range ''A. drummondhayi'' is a burrowing snake from the low hills of southwestern Sri Lanka. Localities recorded are Balangoda region, and from Sinharaja, at elevations over . Description The head of ''A. drummondhayi'' is indistinct from the neck, and the body is cylindrical. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Deraniyagalae
''Aspidura deraniyagalae'', commonly known as Deraniyagala's rough-sided snake, the Sri Lanka rough-sided snake, and කදු මැඩිල්ලා (''kandu medilla'') in Sinhala, is a colubrid species endemic to Sri Lanka. Etymology The specific name, ''deraniyagalae'', is in honor of Sri Lankan zoologist Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala. Geographic range ''A. deraniyagalae'' is known from the eastern slopes of the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Localities recorded are Namunukula, Kanawarella, Spring Valley, and Pindarawatta. Habitat The preferred natural habitat of ''A. deraniyagalae'' is forest, at elevations of around . Description ''A. deraniyagalae'' is a small snake. The head is indistinct from the neck, and the body is cylindrical in cross section. The dorsum is light beige to dark brown. The head is dark-pigmented. The venter is blackish-brown, with lighter mottling. Scalation ''A. deraniyagalae'' has the following scalation. The dorsal scales are arranged ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Ceylonensis
''Aspidura ceylonensis'', also known as the Ceylon keelback, black-spined snake, or slender mould snake, is a species of colubrid snake endemic to Sri Lanka. Distribution ''Aspidura ceylonensis'' is a semi-fossorial snake from submontane forests. Restricted to submontane forests and plantations of the Central Highlands, including Pussellawa, Gampola, Hatton, Knuckles, Balangoda, Pundaluoya, Ramboda, Kotagala, Namunukula, Mousakanda, Gammaduwa, and Kotmale, up to about of elevation. Description The head is long and the snout is broadly rounded. The neck is indistinct and the body is slender with cylindrical, short tail. The dorsal side is crimson brown with a black vertebral line, hence given the name. The dorsum of fore-body is brown. Laterally there are a series of black spots in a line and the neck region has a dark brown marking. The venter is crimson colored. Adults are in length. The midbody has 17 scale rows. There are 162–207 ventral scales and 37–56 subcau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Desilvai
''Aspidura desilvai'', commonly known as De Silva's rough-sided snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. Etymology The specific name, ''desilvai'', is in honor of Pilippu Hewa Don Hemasiri de Silva, the former director of the National Museums of Sri Lanka from 1965 to 1981 and also the author of the book ''Snake Fauna of Sri Lanka'': ''with special reference to skull, dentition and venom in snakes''. Geographic range The species is endemic to the Knuckles Mountain Range in the Matale District Matale District (, ) is a district in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is one of 25 districts of Sri Lanka. The administrative capital and largest city of the district is Matale. The district is considered to be the centremost region of ... of Sri Lanka. References desilvai Reptiles described in 2019 Reptiles of Sri Lanka {{snake-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Trachyprocta
''Aspidura trachyprocta'', the common rough-sided snake, known as දලව මැඩිල්ලා (dalawa medilla) in Sinhala, is a colubrid species endemic to Sri Lanka. Distribution A commonly encountered small burrowing snake from midhills to montane limits of central Sri Lanka. Localities recorded are Gammaduwa, Monaragala, Labukele, Nuwara Eliya, Harasbedda, Eskdale, Central Kandy, Pundaluoya, Longton Estate, Diyagama Estate, Nanu Oya, Sita Eliya, Ambewela, Pattipola, Hakgala, Horton Plains National Park, Namunukula, Kandy, Radella, Ramboda, and Diyatalawa Diyatalawa (), (), meaning ) 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 for local holiday makers. It is home ... at elevations of 750-2100m. Description Head indistinct from neck, body is cylindrical. Dorsum range from blackish brown to light reddish brown, with lateral s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspidura Brachyorrhos
''Aspidura brachyorrhos'', commonly known as Boie's rough-sided snake and as ලේ මැඩිල්ලා (le medilla) in Sinhala, is a species of colubrid endemic to Sri Lanka. Bites from this species are known to cause mild local reactions, including a slight burning sensation and swelling. Distribution A small burrowing snake found in the midhills of central Sri Lanka. Recorded localities include Namunukula, Gampola, Weligala, Peradeniya, Gammaduwa, Dambulla, Kegalle, and Kandy Kandy (, ; , ) is a major city located in the Central Province, Sri Lanka, Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy from 1469 to 1818, under the Kingdom of Kandy. The city is situated in the midst of .... Description The head is indistinct from the neck, and the body is cylindrical. The dorsal side is a rich orange-brown with mottled, discontinuous mid-dorsal stripes that are distinct, accompanied by two rows of lateral spots. The head is dark br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Ferguson (botanist)
William Ferguson FRSE FLS DL FGS (1820–1887), was a botanist and entomologist. He specialised in algae and ferns. Career Ferguson entered the Ceylon civil service in 1839, arriving in the island in December of that year. Here he lived until his death on 31 July 1887. He occupied his leisure time in botanical and entomological studies, gaining an intimate knowledge of the flora and insect life of the island, and publishing from time to time the results of his observations and researches in '' The Ceylon Observer'' and the ''Tropical Agriculturist''. His work obtained recognition from Dr. Hooker and other eminent biologists (see Ceylon, Physical, Historical and Topographical). With Albert Grunow he issued the exsiccata ''Algae Ceylanicae, legit W. Ferguson, determ. A. Grunow''. Also, in the scientific field of herpetology, Ferguson described two new species of reptiles, ''Aspidura guentheri'' and '' Cnemaspis scalpensis''. In 1874 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Societ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albert Günther
Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther , also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther (3October 18301February 1914), was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. Günther is ranked the second-most productive reptile taxonomist (after George Albert Boulenger) with more than 340 reptile species described. Early life and career Günther was born in Esslingen in Swabia ( Württemberg). His father was a ''Stiftungs-Commissar'' in Esslingen and his mother was Eleonora Nagel. He initially schooled at the Stuttgart Gymnasium. His family wished him to train for the ministry of the Lutheran Church for which he moved to the University of Tübingen. A brother shifted from theology to medicine, and he, too, turned to science and medicine at Tübingen in 1852. His first work was "''Ueber den Puppenzustand eines Distoma''" (On the pupal state of ''Distoma''). He graduated in medicine with an M.D. from Tübingen in 1858, the same year in which he published a handbook ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colubridae
Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. Colubrid snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica. Description Colubrids are a very diverse group of snakes. They can exhibit many different body styles, body sizes, colors, and patterns. They can also live in many different types of habitats including aquatic, terrestrial, semi-arboreal, arboreal, desert, mountainous forests, semi-fossorial, and brackish waters. A primarily shy and harmless group of snakes, the vast majority of colubrids are not venomous, nor do most colubrids produce venom that is medically significant to mammals. However, the bites of some can escalate quickly to emergency situations. Furthermore, within the Colubridae, the South African boomslang and twig snakes, as well as the Asian keelback snakes (' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |