Eranga Viraj’s shieldtail snake

About the Eranga Viraj’s shieldtail snake

Rhinophis erangaviraji, also known commonly as Eranga Viraj's shieldtail snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it was discovered in the Rakwana area of Matara District.

The preferred natural habitats of R. erangaviraji are forest and grassland, at altitudes of 900–1,300 m (3,000–4,300 ft), but it has also been found in disturbed areas such as tea plantations and home gardens. The species R. erangaviraji is easily distinguished from other shieldtails in Sri Lanka through colour variations. The head is black, with yellow irregular spots. The eyes are black. The body is black dorsally, with some yellow irregular patches. The ventral surface is cream-colored, with a stripe running along the vent region. The tail shield is black with small spines on it, which help to gather sand particles. Juveniles are similar to adults, but with a darker head and a paler body.

The largest paratype specimen has a snout-to-vent length of 29 cm (11 in). R. erangaviraji is terrestrial and fossorial, burrowing as deep as 1 m (3.3 ft) in loose soil. Mating of R. erangaviraji may occur... Wikipedia →