Blossom Krait
Rhabdophis ceylonensis
Silhouette: V. Deepak · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusRhabdophis
- SpeciesRhabdophis ceylonensis (Blossom Krait)
About the Blossom Krait
Rhabdophis ceylonensis is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka. The species is commonly known as the Sri Lanka blossom krait, the Sri Lanka keelback, and මල් කරවලා (mal karawala) or නිහලුවා (nihaluwa) in Sinhala. It is a moderately venomous snake.
Rhabdophis ceylonensis is a poorly-known snake from wet forests and some parts of intermediate forests in the lowlands and midhills of Sri Lanka. R. ceylonensis has dorsal scales in 19 rows at midbody. The ventrals number 131-141, the anal scale is divided, and the subcaudals number 40-54.
R. ceylonensis is a slow-moving snake. When threatened, it raises the anterior part of its body, which it inflates to expose the red skin between the dorsal scales on its neck. Its diet consists of frogs, while hatchlings are known to eat orthopterans.
R. ceylonensis is oviparous. About 7 eggs are produced at a time, measuring 19-22 × 9.5-13.2mm (about.75 x.5 inch). They hatch in March to produce young measuring about 102 mm (4.0 in) including tail. R. ceylonensis has a head distinct from the neck. The eye is large, with a round pupil. Its dorsal side is olive... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Blossom Krait in Sinharaja Forest Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Green Vine Snake
Ahaetulla nasuta
Boulenger's Keelback
Fowlea asperrimus
Stripe-Tailed Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis caudolineolatus
Ceylon Wolf Snake
Lycodon carinatus
Schokar's bronzeback
Dendrelaphis schokari
Beddome's Cat Snake
Boiga beddomei
Dhaman
Ptyas mucosa
Duméril's Kukri Snake
Oligodon sublineatus
Barnes' Cat Snake
Boiga barnesii
Sri Lanka Cat Snake
Boiga ceylonensis
Split Keelback
Atretium schistosum
Templeton's Kukri Snake
Oligodon calamarius
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blossom Krait in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Blossom Krait sighting in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blossom Krait in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?
January has the highest sighting rate for Blossom Krait in Sinharaja Forest Reserve in our monthly data.