Dendrelaphis wickrorum

Dendrelaphis wickrorum, commonly as Wickramasinghes' bronzeback, is a species of arboreal snake endemic to Sri Lanka.[1]

Dendrelaphis wickrorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Dendrelaphis
Species:
D. wickrorum
Binomial name
Dendrelaphis wickrorum
Danushka et al, 2020

Etymology

The specific name wickrorum is in honor of prominent herpetologist L.J. Mendis Wickramasinghe and his wife Nethu Wickramasinghe for their remarkable contributions to the field of herpetology in Sri Lanka.[1]

Taxonomy

The species is sympatric with other bronzeback species: D. sinharajensis, D. schokari and D. caudolineolatus in the wet zone.[1]

Description

Eyes are slightly larger than more common bronzeback species, Dendrelaphis bifrenalis. A temporal stripe stopping just beyond the neck and a ventrolateral stripe continuing up to the tail. It has a divided nasal. Dorsally olive green and ventrally brownish yellow snake. There is a yellow colour longitudinal ventro-lateral line starts from anterior body continues until tail. Head dark olive green dorsally. A black stripe runs from posterior nasal across eye until the neck.[1]

Distribution

The snake is found from forest areas of Pundaluoya, Kuda-Waskaduwa, Pinwatta-Panadura and Labugama.[1]

Ecology

Diurnal and predominantly arboreal that hunts in sub-canopy and the understory.[1]


References
  1. "A new species of Dendrelaphis Boulenger, 1890 (Reptilia: Colubridae) from the wet zone of Sri Lanka with a redescription of Dendrelaphis bifrenalis (Boulenger, 1890)" (PDF). Taprobanica. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
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