Lycodon hypsirhinoides ( Theobald, 1868 )

Chandramouli, S. R., 2022, Snake fauna of the Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal-A review of species richness taxonomy, distribution, natural history and conservation status, Zootaxa 5209 (3), pp. 301-331 : 307

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.3.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BAB92ED9-AB04-49FE-9453-882CAB65D177
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7329639
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039487D5-FFE5-FFA3-5E80-FBDFFE49F90F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Lycodon hypsirhinoides ( Theobald, 1868 )
status

Treatment

Lycodon hypsirhinoides ( Theobald, 1868)

( Fig. 6E & F View FIGURE 6 , 11C View FIGURE 11 )

Material studied: Three adults; ZSI 8145 (Holotype) from Andamans ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 ); ANFD uncatalogued, an adult from Mayabunder , Middle Andaman ; CIARI uncatalogued, a juvenile specimen from Sippighat, South Andaman ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 , inset) .

Morphology: Young ones have a distinct white reticulated pattern, which gradually fades as the individuals grow and the adults turn uniform patternless brown. Head distinctly broader than the neck, dorsal scales smooth, in 17:17:15 rows; ventrals 192–201; preventrals 1–2; subcaudals 66–72, divided; preocular 1; postoculars 2; anal divided; supralabials 9 (3–5 entering orbit); infralabials 10 (1–6 in contact with genials); temporals 2–3+3; loreal 1.

Distribution: A nocturnal, endemic species occurring throughout the Andaman archipelago. Several individuals were encountered during this study from South Andaman, Middle Andaman, North Andaman, Little Andaman, Tarmugli, Paget, Interview, Long, Havelock, Rutland and Alexandra Islands. It is often seen amidst human habitation and has been recorded from evergreen, secondary and littoral forests in microhabitats such as leaf-litter, under logs, below tree barks and buildings.

Remarks: Endemic to the Andaman archipelago.

Status: Common.