Reptiles of Kerala

Domain: Eukaryota • Regnum: Animalia • Phylum: Chordata • Subphylum: Vertebrata • Infraphylum: Gnathostomata • Cladus: Osteichthyes • Superclassis: Tetrapoda • Cladus: Amniota • Cladus: Reptilia Laurenti, 1768

This is a gallery list of reptiles species found in Kerala, India.

Order: Crocodilia (Crocodilians)

Suborder: Eusuchia

Family: Crocodylidae (Crocodiles)

Genus: Crocodylus

Crocodylus porosus (Saltwater crocodile)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Crocodylus palustris (Mugger crocodile)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Order: Testudines (Turtles)

Suborder: Cryptodira

Family: Geoemydidae (Pond, river and wood turtles)

Genus: Melanochelys

Melanochelys trijuga (Indian black turtle)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Vijayachelys

Vijayachelys silvatica (Cochin forest cane turtle)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view

Family: Cheloniidae (Sea turtles)

Genus: Chelonia

Chelonia mydas (Green sea turtle)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Hatchling

Genus: Eretmochelys

Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill sea turtle)

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  Dorsal view
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  Ventral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Lepidochelys

Lepidochelys olivacea (Olive ridley sea turtle)

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  Lateral view
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  Nesting
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  Hatchling

Family: Dermochelyidae (Leatherback turtles)

Genus: Dermochelys

Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback sea turtle)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Crawling
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  Hatchling
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  Oesophagus showing spines to retain prey

Family: Testudinidae (Tortoises)

Genus: Geochelone

Geochelone elegans (Indian star tortoise)

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Genus: Indotestudo

Indotestudo travancorica (Travancore tortoise)

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  Lateral view

Family: Trionychidae (Softshell turtles)

Genus: Nilssonia

Nilssonia leithii (Leith's softshell turtle)

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  Head

Genus: Lissemys

Lissemys punctata (Indian flapshell turtle)

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  Front view

Genus: Pelochelys

Pelochelys cantorii (Cantor's giant softshell turtle)

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  Front view

Genus: Chitra

Chitra indica (Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle)

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  Lateral view
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  Skeleton

Order: Squamata (Scaled reptiles)

Suborder: Iguania

Family: Agamidae (Lizards)

Genus: Calotes

Calotes calotes (Common green forest lizard)

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  Illustration
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  Head

Calotes ellioti (Elliot's forest lizard)

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  Head
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  Head
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  Female

Calotes grandisquamis (Large-scaled forest lizard)

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  Illustration
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  Head
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  Head

Calotes nemoricola (Nilgiri forest lizard)

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Calotes rouxii (Roux's forest lizard)

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  Head

Calotes versicolor (Oriental garden lizard)

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  Head
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  Male in breeding season

Genus: Draco

Draco dussumieri (Southern flying lizard)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Otocryptis

Otocryptis beddomei (Indian kangaroo lizard)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Psammophilus

Psammophilus blanfordanus (Blanford's rock agama)

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  Head
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  Breeding color

Psammophilus dorsalis (Peninsular rock agama)

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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Female

Genus: Salea

Salea anamallayana (Anaimalai spiny lizard)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Salea horsfieldii (Horsfield's spiny lizard)

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  Head

Genus: Sitana

Sitana ponticeriana (Fan-throated lizard)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Ventral view
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  Breeding colors

Family: Chamaeleonidae (Chameleons)

Genus: Chamaeleo

Chamaeleo zeylanicus (Indian chameleon)

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  Head

Family: Gekkonidae (Geckoes)

Genus: Cnemaspis

Cnemaspis littoralis (Coastal day gecko)

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  Lateral view

Genus: Geckoella

Geckoella collegalensis (Kollegal ground gecko)

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  Lateral view

Genus: Gehyra

Gehyra mutilata (Four-clawed gecko)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Hemidactylus

Hemidactylus brookii (Brooke's house gecko)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Hemidactylus frenatus (Common house gecko)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus maculatus (Spotted leaf-toed gecko)

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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus prashadi (Bombay leaf-toed gecko)

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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus reticulatus (Reticulate leaf-toed gecko)

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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus triedrus (Termite hill gecko)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view

Family: Lacertidae (Lacertas)

Genus: Ophisops

Ophisops beddomei (Beddome's snake-eye/lacerta)

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  Dorsal view

Ophisops leschenaultii (Leschenault's snake-eye/lacerta)

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  Head

Family: Scincidae (Skinks)

Genus: Chalcides

Chalcides pentadactylus (Five-fingered skink)

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  Illustration
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  Illustration

Genus: Eutropis

Eutropis carinata (Golden skink)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Eutropis macularia (Bronze grass skink)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Kaestlea/Scincella

Kaestlea travancorica (Travancore ground skink)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Lygosoma

Lygosoma punctata (White-spotted supple skink)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Ristella

Ristella rurkii (Rurk’s cat skink)

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  Claw pattern

Ristella travancorica (Travancore cat skink)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Sphenomorphus

Sphenomorphus dussumieri (Dussumier's forest skink)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view

Family: Varanidae (Monitor lizards)

Genus: Varanus

Varanus bengalensis (Bengal/Indian monitor)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Head
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  Head (juvenile)

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Acrochordidae (File snakes)

Genus: Acrochordus

Acrochordus granulatus (Marine file snake)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view

Family: Colubridae (Colubrid snakes)

Genus: Ahaetulla

Ahaetulla dispar (Gunther's vine snake)

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  Head

Ahaetulla nasuta (Green vine snake)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Ahaetulla perroteti (Western Ghats bronzeback)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Ahaetulla pulverulenta (Brown vine snake)

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  Illustration
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  Head

Genus: Argyrogena

Argyrogena fasciolata (Banded racer)

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  Head

Genus: Boiga

Boiga beddomei (Beddome's cat snake)

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  Head

Boiga ceylonensis (Sri Lanka cat snake)

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  Head

Boiga forsteni (Forsten's cat snake)

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Boiga nuchalis (Collared cat snake)

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Boiga trigonata (Common cat snake)

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  Illustration
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  Front view

Genus: Chrysopelea

Chrysopelea ornata (Golden tree snake)

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  Head

Genus: Coelognathus

Coelognathus helena (Trinket snake)

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  Head

Genus: Dendrelaphis

Dendrelaphis chairecaeos/chairecacos (Southern bronzeback)

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  Head

Dendrelaphis girii (Giri's bronzeback)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Dendrelaphis grandoculis (Large-eyed bronzeback)

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  Head

Dendrelaphis tristis (Common bronzeback)

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  Head
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  Front view

Genus: Dryocalamus

Dryocalamus nympha (Bridal snake)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Lycodon

Lycodon aulicus (Indian wolf snake)

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  Lateral view
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Melanistic form

Lycodon striatus (Barred wolf snake)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Lycodon travancoricus (Travancore wolf snake)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Ventral view
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  Head

Genus: Oligodon

Oligodon affinis (Western kukri)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Oligodon arnensis (Banded kukri)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Oligodon brevicauda (Shorthead kukri)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Oligodon taeniolatus (Streaked kukri)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Ptyas

Ptyas mucosa (Indian rat snake)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Courtship
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  Head

Genus: Sibynophis

Sibynophis subpunctatus (Duméril's black-headed snake)

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  Dorsal view

Family: Erycidae/Erycinae (Sand boas)

Genus: Eryx

Eryx conicus (Russell's boa)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Eryx johnii (Indian sand boa)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Eryx whitakeri (Whitaker's sand boa)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Family: Elapidae (Elapid snakes)

Genus: Bungarus

Bungarus caeruleus (Common krait)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Genus: Calliophis

Calliophis bibroni (Bibron's coral snake)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Calliophis nigrescens (Black coral snake)

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  Ventral view

Genus: Hydrophis

Hydrophis cyanocinctus (Annulated sea snake)

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  Illustration

Hydrophis ornatus (Cochin-banded sea snake)

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Hydrophis platurus (Yellow-bellied sea snake)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Hydrophis schistosus (Hook-nosed sea snake)

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  Illustration

Genus: Naja

Naja naja (Indian cobra)

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  Head
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  Head

Genus: Ophiophagus

Ophiophagus hannah (King cobra)

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  Head
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  Head

Family: Homalopsidae (Mud snakes)

Genus: Cerberus

Cerberus rynchops (Dog-faced water snake)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Dieurostus

Dieurostus dussumierii (Dussumier's water snake)

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  Lateral view

Family: Natricidae/Natricinae (Keelbacks)

Genus: Atretium

Atretium schistosum (Split keelback)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Amphiesma

Amphiesma stolatum (Buff striped keelback)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Head
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  Head
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  Eggs

Genus: Hebius

Hebius beddomei (Beddome’s keelback)

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  Head
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  Head

Hebius monticola (Hill keelback)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head
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  Head

Genus: Macropisthodon

Macropisthodon plumbicolor (Green keelback)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view (adult)
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  Dorsal view (juvenile)
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  Lateral view (juvenile)
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  Head

Genus: Xenochrophis

Xenochrophis piscator (Checkered keelback)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Family: Pythonidae (Pythons)

Genus: Python

Python molurus (Indian python)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Eggs

Family: Typhlopidae (Blind snakes)

Genus: Indotyphlops

Indotyphlops braminus (Brahminy blind snake)

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Family: Uropeltidae (Shieldtails)

Genus: Melanophidium

Melanophidium bilineatum (Two-lined black shieldtail)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Melanophidium punctatum (Beddome's black shieldtail)

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  Illustration

Genus: Plectrurus

Plectrurus guentheri (Günther's burrowing snake)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Plectrurus perrotetii (Nilgiri burrowing snake)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Rhinophis

Rhinophis fergusonianus (Cardamom Hills earth snake)

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  Illustration

Rhinophis sanguineus (Red-bellied shieldtail)

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  Illustration

Genus: Uropeltis

Uropeltis ceylanica (Kerala shieldtail)

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  Illustration
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  Illustration

Uropeltis liura (Günther's earth snake)

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  Illustration

Uropeltis pulneyensis (Palni shieldtail)

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  Illustration

Uropeltis rubromaculata/rubromaculatus (Red-spotted shieldtail)

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  Lateral view

Family: Viperidae (Vipers)

Genus: Daboia

Daboia russelii (Russell's viper)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Echis

Echis carinatus (Saw-scaled viper)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Hypnale

Hypnale hypnale (Hump-nosed viper)

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  Lateral view
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Trimeresurus

Trimeresurus gramineus (Bamboo pit viper)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Head

Trimeresurus macrolepis (Large-scaled pit viper)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Head

Trimeresurus malabaricus (Malabar pit viper)

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  Head

Family: Xenodermatidae (Narrow-headed snakes)

Genus: Xylophis

Xylophis perroteti (Perrotet's mountain snake)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

References

• A checklist of reptiles of Kerala, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 7(13): 8010–8022 by Palot, M.J. (2015)
• Indian snake checklist archive copy at the Wayback Machine
• Daniel, J.C.(2002) The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. Bombay Natural History Society and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-566099-4

External links

• Reptile database
• Herpetology in South Asia