Naja sagittifera Wall, 1913

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 : 312

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.7329673
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039487D5-FFE8-FFAE-5E80-FC86FE94FAA4
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Naja sagittifera Wall, 1913
status

Treatment

( Figs. 8C & D View FIGURE 8 , 12C View FIGURE 12 )

Material studied: An adult, CIARI uncatalogued, from Sippighat ( Fig. 4H View FIGURE 4 ), South Andaman; ANFD uncatalogued, a juvenile from Mayabunder, Middle Andaman.

Morphology: Dorsal scales granular and smooth, in 27:21:15 rows; ventrals 178–182; subcaudals 60–63, divided; anal single; supralabials 7 (3&4 entering orbit); infralabials 8 (1–5) in contact with genials; preocular 1; postoculars 2; loreal absent; temporals 2+3. A distinct, monocle mark present on the hood. Juveniles dark black with 34–40 white cross-bars while adults turn grey with the markings and bands turning black.

Distribution: An endemic species. Two adults were recorded from Bambooflat and Wandoor in South Andaman amidst human habitation. One adult in the cycle of ecdysis was observed in a household at Kadamtala, Middle Andaman. A juvenile was seen on the road to the summit of Mount Harriet, in South Andaman at night in October. It was observed feeding on road-killed frogs.

Status: Rare.