IDENTIFICATION OF VENOMOUS SNAKES IN SRI LANKA

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SNAKES OF SRI LAKNA

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CLASSIFICATION

EARTH SNAKES CONSTRICTORS COLUBRIDES ELAPIDS VIPERS

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CLASSIFICATION

EARTH SNAKES CONSTRICTORS COLUBRIDES ELAPIDS VIPERS

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PARTS OF A SNAKE

HEAD

TAIL

BODY
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BODY

VIPERS ELAPIDS
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TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDS
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SCALES

HEAD SCALES

BODY SCALES
SUBCAUDALS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDS

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BODY SCALES
VERTEBRALS

COSTALS

COSTALS

VENTRALS
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VERTEBTALS

COLUBRIDES
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ELAPIDS
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SUBCAUDALS ELAPIDS COLUBRIDES

UNISERIAL
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BISERIAL
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SUBCAUDALS COLUBRIDES ELAPIDS

DOUBLE
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SINGLE
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BODY MARKINGS

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POISONOUS SNAKES IN SRI LANKA

SEA SNAKES VIPERS Russells viper Saw scaled viper Hump nosed viper Green pit viper ELAPIDS Cobra Krait

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OTHER COMMON SNAKES IN SRI LANKA

Rat snake Cat snake ( Boiga ) Ceylon Wolf Snake Blossom krait Green whip snake Earth snakes Slender coral snake Fresh water snake
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EARTH SNAKES Blind snakes Difficult to differentiate anterior and posterior ends

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PYTHON
Large snakes constrictors Characteristic irregular brown quadrate marking along the body

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COBRA Naja naja

Large elapids Characteristic marking on the head Vertdebrals are not enlarged

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COBRA Naja naja

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KRAIT ( Bangarus )

Typical elapids Brown/Black body with white bands

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SRI LANKAN KRAIT ( Bangarus ceylonicus )

Relatively small : 2-3 feet White bands encircles whole body

Can be confused with Ceylon Wolf Snake

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COMMON KRAIT ( Bangarus caeruleus ) Larger than Sri lanken Krait : 4-5 feet White bands in pairs only on the dorsum of the body Belly is white

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CEYLON WOLF SNAKE

Can be confused with Sri Lankan Krait

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CEYLON WOLF SNAKE

Typical colubride White bands on black body Subcaudals are single

Can be confused with Sri Lankan Krait

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RUSSELLS VIPER ( Vipera russelli )

Largest viper : 5-6 feets There are 03 raws of characteristic beautiful regular oval marks Inverted V shape mark on the head

Can be confused with Small python

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SAW SCALED VIPER

( Echis carinatus )

Small viper : 2-3 feet Sandy brown in colour Serrated costal scales
Characteristic Bird foot/Cross marking on the head

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SAW SCALED VIPER

( Echis carinatus )

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SAW SCALED VIPER

( Echis carinatus ) Small viper : 2-3 feet Sandy brown in colour

Serrated costal scales

Characteristic Bird foot/Cross marking on the head

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Hump nosed viper ( Hypnale hypnale )

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Hump nosed viper ( Hypnale hypnale )

Typical Viper
Head scales are large ( Exception ) Brown mottled appearance Humped nose

Can be confused with Cat snakes

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CAT SNAKE
Typical colubride Head oval but narrow neck

( Boiga )

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VIPERS

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RAT SNAKE Large colubride : 6 feet Edges of scales are well defined

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GREEN PIT VIPER (Trimeresurus trigonocephalus )

Typical viper
Large : 4-5 feet

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GREEN PIT VIPER (Trimeresurus trigonocephalus )

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SEA SNAKES Tail is flat in sides like in a fish

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BODY

VIPERS ELAPIDS
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TAIL

ELAPIDS

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TAIL

ELAPIDS

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VIPERS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDS
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SCALES

HEAD SCALES

BODY SCALES
SUBCAUDALS

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VIPERS

ELAPIDS

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BODY SCALES
VERTEBRALS

COSTALS

COSTALS

VENTRALS
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VERTEBTALS

COLUBRIDES
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ELAPIDS
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SUBCAUDALS

UNISERIAL
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BISERIAL
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SUBCAUDALS

DOUBLE
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SINGLE
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BODY MARKINGS

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SNAKES OF SRI LAKNA

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THANK YOU
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