Aspidura guentheri

Aspidura guentheri

Günther's rough-sided snake

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SPECIES
Aspidura guentheri

Aspidura guentheri, commonly known as Günther's rough-sided snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is the smallest member of the genus Aspidura.

Animal name origin

The specific name, guentheri, is in honor of German-born British herpetologist Albert Günther.

Appearance

The head of A. guentheri is indistinct from the neck, and the body is cylindrical. The dorsum is brown, mottled with dark brown. The forehead is dark, and a pale neck band is present. Running down the back are three rows of dark spots, one vertebral row and two lateral rows. The venter is light brown.

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A. guentheri has the following scalation. The dorsal scales are in 17 rows at midbody. One preocular is present. There are two postoculars, only the upper in contact with the parietal. The ventrals number 101-116, and the subcaudals 19-26 (M.A. Smith 1943).

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Distribution

Geography

A. guentheri is a burrowing snake restricted to the lowlands of Sri Lanka. Localities recorded include Ratnapura, Deniyaya, Yapitikanda, Kandilpana, Kosgama, Kalutara, and Balangoda at elevations of 100–500 m (330–1,640 ft).

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet of A. guentheri comprises mainly earthworms.

Mating Habits

A. guentheri is oviparous. Clutches of one to three eggs are laid.

References

1. Aspidura guentheri Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspidura_guentheri

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