Dendrelaphis sinharajensis

Dendrelaphis sinharajensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Suborder:Serpentes
Family:Colubridae
Genus:Dendrelaphis
Species: D. sinharajensis
Binomial name
Dendrelaphis sinharajensis
Wickramasinghe, 2016

Dendrelaphis sinharajensis is a species of arboreal snake endemic to Sri Lanka. Recommended vernacular names include: Sinharaja tree snake (English), Sinharaja haldanda (Sinhala; සිංහරාජ හාල්දණ්ඩා) and Sinharaja komberi muken (Tamil).[1]

Description

Prominent black and white cross bars are present throughout the body. Black bars are paired and make the margins for the white bars. Parietal strip present. Dorsal color bright red on nape and becomes fade to tail. Midbody scale rows 13. Ventrals 174. Subcaudals 139.

Distribution

Strictly restricted to higher canopies of Sinharaja rain forest and its vicinity lowland wet zone.

Ecology

Diurnal and predominantly arboreal, hard to encounter as it's a canopy dwelling snake.

References

  1. Wickramasinghe, L.J. Mendis (2016). "A new canopy-dwelling species of Dendrelaphis (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Sinharaja, World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka". Zootaxa. 4162 (3): 504. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4162.3.5. ISSN 1175-5334.
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