IDENTIFICATION OF VENOMOUS SNAKES IN SRI LANKA

UDAYA DE SILVAUdaya de Silva 1

SNAKES OF SRI LAKNA

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CLASSIFICATION

EARTH SNAKES CONSTRICTORS COLUBRIDES ELAPIDS VIPERS

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CLASSIFICATION

EARTH SNAKES CONSTRICTORS COLUBRIDES ELAPIDS VIPERS

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PARTS OF A SNAKE

HEAD

TAIL

BODYUdaya de Silva 7

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BODY

VIPERS ELAPIDSUdaya de Silva 10

TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDSUdaya de Silva 14

SCALES

HEAD SCALES

BODY SCALESSUBCAUDALS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDS

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BODY SCALESVERTEBRALS

COSTALS

COSTALS

VENTRALSUdaya de Silva 17

VERTEBTALS

COLUBRIDESUdaya de Silva

ELAPIDS18

SUBCAUDALS ELAPIDS COLUBRIDES

UNISERIALUdaya de Silva

BISERIAL19

SUBCAUDALS COLUBRIDES ELAPIDS

DOUBLEUdaya de Silva

SINGLE20

BODY MARKINGS

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POISONOUS SNAKES IN SRI LANKASEA SNAKES VIPERS Russells viper Saw scaled viper Hump nosed viper Green pit viper ELAPIDS Cobra Krait

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OTHER COMMON SNAKES IN SRI LANKA

Rat snake Cat snake ( Boiga ) Ceylon Wolf Snake Blossom krait Green whip snake Earth snakes Slender coral snake Fresh water snakeUdaya de Silva 23

EARTH SNAKES Blind snakes Difficult to differentiate anterior and posterior ends

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PYTHONLarge snakes constrictors Characteristic irregular brown quadrate marking along the body

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COBRA Naja najaLarge elapids Characteristic marking on the head Vertdebrals are not enlarged

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COBRA Naja naja

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KRAIT ( Bangarus )

Typical elapids Brown/Black body with white bands

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SRI LANKAN KRAIT ( Bangarus ceylonicus )Relatively small : 2-3 feet White bands encircles whole body

Can be confused with Ceylon Wolf SnakeUdaya de Silva 29

COMMON KRAIT ( Bangarus caeruleus ) Larger than Sri lanken Krait : 4-5 feet White bands in pairs only on the dorsum of the body Belly is white

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CEYLON WOLF SNAKE

Can be confused with Sri Lankan KraitUdaya de Silva 33

CEYLON WOLF SNAKE

Typical colubride White bands on black body Subcaudals are single

Can be confused with Sri Lankan KraitUdaya de Silva 34

RUSSELLS VIPER ( Vipera russelli )

Largest viper : 5-6 feets There are 03 raws of characteristic beautiful regular oval marks Inverted V shape mark on the head

Can be confused with Small pythonUdaya de Silva 35

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SAW SCALED VIPER( Echis carinatus )

Small viper : 2-3 feet Sandy brown in colour Serrated costal scalesCharacteristic Bird foot/Cross marking on the head

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SAW SCALED VIPER( Echis carinatus )

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SAW SCALED VIPER

( Echis carinatus ) Small viper : 2-3 feet Sandy brown in colourSerrated costal scales

Characteristic Bird foot/Cross marking on the head

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Hump nosed viper ( Hypnale hypnale )

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Hump nosed viper ( Hypnale hypnale )

Typical ViperHead scales are large ( Exception ) Brown mottled appearance Humped nose

Can be confused with Cat snakesUdaya de SilvaUdaya de Silva 2006

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CAT SNAKETypical colubride Head oval but narrow neck

( Boiga )

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VIPERS

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RAT SNAKE Large colubride : 6 feet Edges of scales are well defined

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GREEN PIT VIPER (Trimeresurus trigonocephalus )

Typical viperLarge : 4-5 feet

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GREEN PIT VIPER (Trimeresurus trigonocephalus )

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SEA SNAKES Tail is flat in sides like in a fish

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BODY

VIPERS ELAPIDSUdaya de Silva 50

TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDSUdaya de Silva 54

SCALES

HEAD SCALES

BODY SCALESSUBCAUDALS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDS

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BODY SCALESVERTEBRALS

COSTALS

COSTALS

VENTRALSUdaya de Silva 57

VERTEBTALS

COLUBRIDESUdaya de Silva

ELAPIDS58

SUBCAUDALS

UNISERIALUdaya de Silva

BISERIAL59

SUBCAUDALS

DOUBLEUdaya de Silva

SINGLE60

BODY MARKINGS

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SNAKES OF SRI LAKNA

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THANK YOUUdaya de Silva 65