Trimeresurus andersoni 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 : 313

Trimeresurus andersoni Theobald 1868

( Fig. 9B & C , 12D )

Material studied: Four adults, ANFD uncatalogued, 1 adult from Chidiyatapu, South Andaman ; CIARI uncatalogued, 2 adults from Sippighat , South Andaman, CSPT /S-70, an adult from Andaman Islands ( Fig. 5D ) .

Morphology: Dorsal scales feebly keeled, in 21:21–23:15–19 rows; ventrals 175–185; subcaudals 55–77, divided; anal single; preoculars 2; postoculars 2–3; cephalic scales 10–12. Females tend to be of a lighter shade of creamy yellow to light brown; males are normally a bit darker with coffee brown to darker shades with or without intermittent black or brown banded pattern. Venter plain or alternatively banded with dark brown and white.

Distribution: Endemic to the Andaman Islands and Car Nicobar. Several individuals were encountered in a variety of habitats ranging from evergreen forests, secondary forests, littoral forests to human habitation across an elevation range of sea-level to 340 m asl. Recorded from South, Middle, North and Little Andaman, Rutland, Alexandra, Tarmugli, Kyd, Long, Havelock, Interview and Hobday Islands. One of the adult females recorded during this study from human habitation in Wandoor, South Andaman measured 1200 mm in total length and happens to be one of the longest ever recorded.

Remarks: Smith (1943: 522) reports an adult female measuring 1270 mm in total length, which is probably the longest one to have ever been recorded.

Status: Common and endemic.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Specimens studied: (A) Ophiophagus hannah (CIARI uncat.), (B) Laticauda laticaudata (ANFD uncat.), (C) Laticauda colubrina(CSPT/S-36), (D) Trimeresurusandersoni (CSPT/S-70), (E) drawingof theholotype ofHebius nicobariensis by Sclater (1891)

FIGURE 9. (A) Laticauda colubrina (South Andaman), (B & C) male and female Trimeresurus andersoni (South Andaman), (D) Eryx conicus (South Andaman), (E) the snake that appears to be Hebius nicobariensis (Havelock: photo: Binu)

FIGURE 12. Locality records of (A): Boiga andamanensis and B. cyannea (B) Ptyas mucosa, Gonyosoma oxycephalum and Coelognathus flavolineatus (C) Naja sagittifera, Ophiophagus hannah, Bungarus andamanensis; (D) Laticauda laticaudata, Laticauda colubrina and Trimeresurus andersoni