Dendrelaphis wickrorum

Dendrelaphis wickrorum, commonly known as Wickramasinghes' bronze-back, is a species of arboreal snake endemic to Sri Lanka.[1][2]

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[1]

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] It was formerly considered to be Dendrelaphis bifrenalis.[3]

Taxonomy

The species is sympatric with other bronzeback species: D. sinharajensis, D. schokari and D. caudolineolatus in the wet zone.[1] It was formerly confused with Dendrelaphis bifrenalis, but the dry-zone populations of Dendrelaphis bifrenalis are the real ones, and the wet-zone populations are Dendrelaphis wickrorum.

Description

The largest specimen in the type series is a female measuring 110 cm (43.3 in) in total length, whereas the males are shorter, up to 79 cm (31.1 in). 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. Danushka, A. Dineth; et al. (2020). "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. 9 (1): 83–102. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. Dendrelaphis wickrorum at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 1 September 2020.
  3. "A Sri Lankan herp mystery solved: The snake species that was two". Mongabay Environmental News. 2020-06-18. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
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