"Got one snake from Ramapuram area of Kottayam District. Kerala. The altitude is around 56.7 metres from MSL. I got it from an abandoned paddy field at about 3.30pm in the afternoon.The sky was cloudy.Temparature was around 40 degrees. The snake came to the open from a paddy field which is covered with a rich growth of creepers and small perennial plants.
Description: color :Brown dorsally and white ventrally.The flanks have a reddish tinge.
Length : 53.5 cms including the tail.
Tail length : 16.5 cms
Eyes : Large and bulging.Black with round pupils. Two white distinct stripes on the pre ocular as well as on the post ocular shields.
Ventrals : 153 in no.
Anal : Divided
Sub caudals : 89 in no. Paired
Dorsal scales : 19 in no.
Supra Labiala : 8 in no.
Dorsal scales are rough in texture.There are three or four prominent ridges on each side of the body towards the rear end.Body slender.Indistinct flower like brick red markings can be seen on the dorsal side on careful examination.Markings are regular located through the spinals.
No Fangs.
Unfortunately no good photographs are available.Just two unclear poly chromatic mobile shots are the only images to be posted.
Inference : I think the specimen is Amphiesma monticola. Not sure with the identification. Want to get it confirmed by experts."
The moth came to the light by around 8.30 in the night.
Got one snake from Ramapuram area of Kottayam District. Kerala. The altitude is around 56.7 metres from MSL. I got it from an abandoned paddy field at about 3.30pm in the afternoon.The sky was cloudy.Temparature was around 40 degrees. The snake came to the open from a paddy field which is covered with a rich growth of creepers and small perennial plants.
Description: color :Brown dorsally and white ventrally.The flanks have a reddish tinge.
Length : 53.5 cms including the tail.
Tail length : 16.5 cms
Eyes : Large and bulging.Black with round pupils. Two white distinct stripes on the pre ocular as well as on the post ocular shields.
Ventrals : 153 in no.
Anal : Divided
Sub caudals : 89 in no. Paired
Dorsal scales : 19 in no.
Supra Labiala : 8 in no.
Dorsal scales are rough in texture.There are three or four prominent ridges on each side of the body towards the rear end.Body slender.Indistinct flower like brick red markings can be seen on the dorsal side on careful examination.Markings are regular located through the spinals.
No Fangs.
Unfortunately no good photographs are available.Just two unclear poly chromatic mobile shots are the only images to be posted.
Inference : I think the specimen is Amphiesma monticola. Not sure with the identification. Want to get it confirmed by experts.
"
I saw a dead specimen of Atlas moth in the front yard of a deserted house at Pampady,Kottayam.The wing span is 24 cms.
About 50 cms in length.Glossy scales.Two dark lateral streaks extending throughout the body.Belly slightly purple in color.Slightly thicker than the thumb of an average adult.
We saw a bushy plant with Red dicotyledonous seeds yesterday in a holy grove near chengottukavu.The seed cover was split open but was still in position.THE cover was grey in color and very thick
We saw a very large Ant lion while we were trekking through the forests of Brahmagiri,Thirunelli,Wayanad,Kerala.It was about one third size of our first finger.
While digging a soil bed to plant plantain I came across a very thin worm pale rose in color.It was about 2ft long.No eyes or segmentations were visible.It was very slow moving.
I found the snake from the decaying stump of a coconut tree.And it is very common there at the Pampady region of Kottayam District of Kerala,India around the year.The locals call it 'KARIKILA THAPPI'[one which rummages under the dry leaves].Unfortunately I couldnot get a photo of it.But I brought a live specimen to a scientist Dr.Muhammad Jaffer Palot of Zoological Survey of India Kozhikkode.Then he identified it as Xylophis stenorhynchus.But now he says it may be X.captaini.Anyway Iam happy to make any arrangements for you to study it further. My Email address is unni.snake@yahoo.com
