List of reptiles of Sri Lanka

Reptiles are tetrapod animals from the class Reptilia comprising today's turtles, crocodilians, snakes, amphisbaenians, lizards, tuatara, and their extinct relatives. Reptiles are tetrapod vertebrates, creatures that either have four limbs or, like snakes, are descended from four-limbed ancestors. Unlike amphibians, reptiles do not have an aquatic larval stage. Most reptiles are oviparous, although several species of squamates are viviparous, as were some extinct aquatic clades[1] — the fetus develops within the mother, contained in a placenta rather than an eggshell. As amniotes, reptile eggs are surrounded by membranes for protection and transport, which adapt them to reproduction on dry land.

Reptile

The reptilian diversity in Sri Lanka is somewhat higher than other vertebrates such as mammals and fish. All extant reptilian species are well documented through series of researches throughout the each decade by many local and foreign scientists and naturalists. Sri Lankan herpetologist, Anslem de Silva largely studied the biology and ecology of Sri Lanka snakes, where documented 96 species of land and sea snakes from Sri Lanka.[2] Out of them only 5 of the land snakes are considered potentially deadly and life threatening to humans. 50 snakes are endemic to Sri Lanka.[3]

Lizard diversity in the island has been documented and studied by many local scientists and researchers such as Imesh Nuwan Bandara,[4] Kalana Maduwage, Anjana Silva,[5] Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda, and Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi.[6] According to them, 97 lizards are known from Sri Lanka, with 17 new discovered in 2006.

Apart from them, Sri Lanka is home to 2 species of crocodiles,[7] and 9 species of chelonians.[8]

This is a list of reptiles found in Sri Lanka.

Order: Squamata - Scaled reptiles

Suborder: Serpentes - Snakes

Family: Acrochordidae - Wart snakes

Name Binomial Status
Wart Snake Acrochordus granulatus Least concern

Family: Boidae - Boas

Common name Binomial Status
Sand Boa Gongylophis conicus

Family: Pythonidae - Pythons

Common name Binomial Status
Indian Rock Python Python molurus Near threatened (Largest snake in Sri Lanka)

Family: Colubridae - Colubers

Common name Binomial Status
Green Vine Snake Ahaetulla nasuta
Brown Vine Snake Ahaetulla pulverulenta
Buff-striped Keelback Amphiesma stolatum
Banded Racer Argyrogena fasciolata
Boie's Rough-sided Snake Aspidura brachyorrhos
Black-spined Snake Aspidura ceylonensis
Cope's Rough-sided Snake Aspidura copei
Gunther's Rough-sided Snake Aspidura guentheri
Deraniyagala's Rough-sided Snake Aspidura deraniyagalae
Drummond-Hay's Rough-sided Snake Aspidura drummondhayi
Common Rough-sided Snake Aspidura trachyprocta
Olive Keelback Water Snake Atretium schistosum
Sri Lanka Blossom Krait Balanophis ceylonensis
Barnes' Cat Snake Boiga barnesii
Beddome's Cat Snake Boiga beddomei
Sri Lanka Cat Snake Boiga ceylonensis
Forsten's Cat Snake Boiga forsteni
Common Cat Snake Boiga trigonata
Dog-faced Water Snake Cerberus rynchops
Sri Lanka Wolf Snake Cercaspis carinatus
Ornate Flying Snake Chrysopelea ornata
Sri Lanka Flying Snake Chrysopelea taprobanica
Trinket Snake Coelognathus helena
Stripe-tailed Bronzeback Tree Snake Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Common Bronzeback Tree Snake Dendrelaphis tristis
Boulenger's Bronzeback Tree Snake Dendrelaphis bifrenalis
Oliver's Bronzeback Tree Snake Dendrelaphis oliveri
Schokar's Bronzeback Tree Snake Dendrelaphis schokari
Gunther's Bridal Snake Dryocalamus gracilis
Common Bridal Snake Dryocalamus nympha
Glossy Marsh Snake Gerarda prevostiana
Lesser Stripe-necked Snake Liopeltis calamaria
Common Wolf Snake Lycodon aulicus
Flowered Wolf Snake Lycodon osmanhilli
Barred Wolf Snake Lycodon striatus
Green Keelback Snake Macropisthodon plumbicolor
Templeton's Kukri Snake Oligodon calamarius
Banded Kukri Snake Oligodon arnensis
Streaked Kukri Snake Oligodon sublineatus
Variegated Kukri Snake Oligodon taeniolatus
Indian Rat Snake Ptyas mucosa
Spotted Black-headed Snake Sibynophis subpunctatus
Sri Lanka Checkered Keelback Snake Xenochrophis asperrimus
Checkered Keelback Snake Xenochrophis piscator

Family: Cylindrophiidae - Pipe snakes

Common name Binomial Status
Sri Lanka Pipe Snake Cylindrophis maculatus

Family: Elapidae - Elapids

Common name Binomial Status
Common Krait Bungarus caeruleus
Sri Lanka Krait Bungarus ceylonicus
Indian Coral Snake Calliophis melanurus
Blood-bellied Coral Snake Calliophis haematoetron
Indian Cobra Naja naja

Subfamily: Hydrophiinae - Sea snakes

Common name Binomial Status
Hook-nosed Snake Enhydrina schistosa
Annulated Sea Snake Hydrophis cyanocinctus
Yellow Sea Snake Hydrophis spiralis
Ornate Reef Sea Snake Hydrophis ornatus
Collared Sea Snake Hydrophis stricticollis
Persian Gulf Sea Snake Hydrophis lapemoides
Plain Sea Snake Hydrophis inornatus
Peter's Sea Snake Hydrophis bituberculatus
Russell's Sea Snake Hydrophis obscurus
Striped Sea Snake Hydrophis fasciatus
Slender Sea Snake Hydrophis gracilis
Spine-bellied Sea Snake Lapemis hardwickii
Shaw's Sea Snake Lapemis curtus
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake Pelamis platura
Jerdon's Sea Snake Kerilia jerdoni
Banded Sea Snake Laticauda colubrina
Viperine Sea Snake Thalassophina viperina

Family: Typhlopidae - Blind snakes

Common name Binomial Status
Brahminy Blind Snake Ramphotyphlops braminus
Sri Lanka Blind Snake Typhlops ceylonicus
Lanka Blind Snake Typhlops lankaensis
Pied Blind Snake Typhlops leucomelas
Malcolm's Blind Snake Typhlops malcolmi
Jan's Blind Snake Typhlops mirus
Taylor's Blind Snake Typhlops tenebrarum
Veddha's Blind Snake Typhlops veddae
Violet Blind Snake Typhlops violaceus

Family: Uropeltidae - Shield-tailed snakes

Common name Binomial Status
Madurai Shieldtail Platyplectrurus madurensis
Large Shieldtail Pseudotyphlops philippinus
Blyth's Shieldtail Rhinophis blythi
Orange Shieldtail Rhinophis dorsimaculatus
Drummond-Hay's Shieldtail Rhinophis drummondhayi
Eranga Viraj's Shieldtail Rhinophis erangaviraji
Hemprich's Shieldtail Rhinophis homolepis
Striped Shieldtail Rhinophis lineatus
Schneider's Shieldtail Rhinophis oxyrhynchus
Cuvier's Shieldtail Rhinophis philippinus
Willey's Shieldtail Rhinophis porrectus
Müller's Shieldtail Rhinophis punctatus
Deraniyagala's Shieldtal Rhinophis tricolorata
Zig-zag Shieldtail Rhinophis zigzag
Gray's Earth Snake Uropeltis melanogaster
Phillip's Earth Snake Uropeltis phillipsi
Southern Earth Snake Uropeltis ruhunae

Family: Viperidae - Vipers and Pit vipers

Common name Binomial Status
Russell's Viper Daboia russelii
Saw-scaled Viper Echis carinatus
Hump-nosed Pit Viper Hypnale hypnale
Highland Hump-nosed Pit Viper Hypnale nepa
Lowland Hump-nosed Pit Viper Hypnale zara
Amal's Hump-nosed Pit Viper Hypnale sp. Amal Not given species validity yet.
Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper Trimeresurus trigonocephalus

Suborder: Lacertilia - Lizards

Family: Agamidae - Agamid Lizards

Common name Binomial Status
Common Green Forest Lizard Calotes calotes
Painted-lipped Lizard Calotes ceylonensis
Crestless Lizard Calotes liocephalus
Whistling Lizard Calotes liolepis
Black-lipped Lizard Calotes nigrilabris
Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor
Morningside Lizard Calotes desilvai
Rough-horned Lizard Ceratophora aspera
Erdelen's Horned Lizard Ceratophora erdeleni
Karu's Horned Lizard Ceratophora karu
Rhino Horned Lizard Ceratophora stoddartii
Leaf-nosed Lizard Ceratophora tennentii
Pygmy Lizard Cophotis ceylanica
Knuckles Pygmy Lizard Cophotis dumbara critically endangered
Hump-nosed Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus
Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard Otocryptis wiegmanni
Black-spotted Kangaroo Lizard Otocryptis nigristigma
Bahir's Fan-throated Lizard Sitana bahiri
Devaka's Fan-throated Lizard Sitana devakai
Fan-throated Lizard Sitana ponticeriana

Family: Chamaeleonidae - Chameleons

Common name Binomial Status
Indian Chameleon Chamaeleo zeylanicus

Family: Gekkonidae - Geckoes

Common name Binomial Status
Sri Lanka Golden Gecko Calodactylodes illingworthorum
Alwis's Day Gecko Cnemaspis alwisi
Amith's Day Gecko Cnemaspis amith
Cnemaspis clivicola
Gemunu's Day Gecko Cnemaspis gemunu
Cnemaspis kallima
Kandyan Day Gecko Cnemaspis kandiana
Kumarasinghe's Day Gecko Cnemaspis kumarasinghei
Latha's Day Gecko Cnemaspis latha
Menike's Day Gecko Cnemaspis menikay
Molligoda's Day Gecko Cnemaspis molligodai
Cnemaspis pava
Phillip's Day Gecko Cnemaspis phillipsi
Deraniyagala's Day Gecko Cnemaspis podihuna
Cnemaspis pulchra
Cnemaspis punctata
Ranwella's day gecko Cnemaspis ranwellai
Retigala Day Gecko Cnemaspis retigalensis
Samanala Day Gecko Cnemaspis samanalensis
Rocky Day Gecko Cnemaspis scalpensis
Forest Day Gecko Cnemaspis silvula
Rough-bellied Day Gecko Cnemaspis tropidogaster
Upendra's Day Gecko Cnemaspis upendrai
Slender-headed Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtodactylus cracens
Taylor's Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtodactylus edwardtaylori
Bridled Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtodactylus fraenatus
Ramboda Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtodactylus ramboda
Knuckles Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtodactylus soba
Sinharaja Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtodactylus subsolanus
Spotted Ground Gecko Geckoella triedrus
Blotched Ground Gecko Geckoella yakhuna
Four-clawed Gecko Gehyra mutilata
Brooke's House Gecko Hemidactylus brookii
Kandyan Gecko Hemidactylus depressus
Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus
Spotted Rock Gecko Hemidactylus hunae
Termite Hill Gecko Hemidactylus lankae
Bark Gecko Hemidactylus leschenaultii
Hemidactylus parvimaculatus
Flat-tailed Gecko Hemidactylus platyurus
Scaly Gecko Hemidactylus scabriceps
Indopacific Tree Gecko Hemiphyllodactylus typus
Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris

Family: Lacertidae - Wall Lizards

Common name Binomial Status
Leschenault's Snake-eyed Lizard Ophisops leschenaultii
Lesser Snake-eyed Lizard Ophisops minor

Family: Scincidae - Skinks

Family: Scincidae

Common name Binomial Status
Four-toed Skink Chalcidoseps thwaitesii
Haly's Tree Skink Dasia haliana Endangered
Deignan's Lanka Skink Lankascincus deignani
Deraniyagala's Lanka Skink Lankascincus deraniyagalae
Lankascincus dorsicatenatus
Common Supple Skink Lankascincus fallax
Gan's Lanka Skink Lankascincus gansi
Greer's Lanka Skink Lankascincus greeri
Munindradasa's Lanka Skink Lankascincus munindradasai
Adams Peak Lanka Skink Lankascincus sripadensis
Smooth Lanka Skink Lankascincus taprobanense Near threatened
Taylor's Lanka Skink Lankascincus taylori
Spotted Supple Skink Lygosoma punctata
Sri Lanka Supple Skink Lygosoma singha Data deficient
Beddome's Skink Eutropis beddomii
Bibron's Skink Eutropis bibroni
Keeled Indian Mabuya Eutropis carinata
Taylor's Striped Mabuya Eutropis floweri
Bronze Mabuya Eutropis macularia
Sri Lanka Bronze Mabuya Eutropis madaraszi
Tammanna Skink Eutropis tammanna
Smith's Snake Skink Nessia bipes
Three-toed Snake Skink Nessia burtonii
Deraniyagala's Snake Skink Nessia deraniyagalai
Two-toed Snake Skink Nessia didactyla
Shark-headed Snake Skink Nessia hickanala
Layard's Snake Skink Nessia layardi
Toeless Snake Skink Nessia monodactyla
Sarasins' Snake Skink Nessia sarasinorum
Dussumier's LItter Skink Sphenomorphus dussumieri
Sphenomorphus megalops
Sphenomorphus striatopunctatum

Family: Varanidae - Monitor Lizards

Common name Binomial Status
Bengal Monitor Varanus bengalensis Least concern
Water Monitor Varanus salvator Least concern

Order: Crocodilia - Crocodiles

Family: Crocodylidae - True crocodiles

Common name Binomial Status
Mugger Crocodile Crocodylus palustris Vulnerable
Saltwater Crocodile Crocodylus porosus Least concern

Order: Testudines - Turtles

Family: Bataguridae - Asian Terrapins

Common name Binomial Status
Indian Black Turtle Melanochelys trijuga Near threatened

Family: Cheloniidae - Sea turtles

Common name Binomial Status
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Caretta caretta Endangered
Green Turtle Chelonia mydas Endangered
Hawskbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata Critically endangered
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea Vulnerable

Family: Dermochelyidae - Leatherback turtles

Common name Binomial Status
Leatherback Sea Turtle Dermochelys coriacea Vulnerable

Family: Emydidae - American hard-shelled turtles

Common name Trinomial Status
Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans Near threatened

Family: Testudinidae - Tortoises

Common name Binomial Status
Indian Star Tortoise Geochelone elegans Least concern

Family: Trionychidae - Softshells

Common name Binomial Status
Flapshell Turtle Lissemys punctata Least concern

References

  1. ↑ Sander, P. Martin. (2012). "Reproduction in early amniotes". Science. 337 (6096): 806–808. doi:10.1126/science.1224301.
  2. ↑ "Snakes in Sri Lanka". Amazing lanka. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "poisonous snakes in Sri Lanka". poisonous snakes in Sri Lanka blog. 28 November 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "Endemic Agamid Lizards of Sri Lanka". Sri Lanka Endemics. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Hemipeneal Morphology of Sri Lankan Dragon Lizards" (PDF). Ceylon Journal of Science. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi". Google Scholar. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Crocodiles in Sri Lanka". Amazing lanka. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Turtles and Tortoises of Sri Lanka". Amazing Lanka. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/14/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.