Wallophis

Wallophis brachyura, known commonly as the Indian smooth snake or suvaro saap, is a species of rare harmless snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to India.

Wallophis
Indian smooth snake at Amravati, Maharashtra
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Wallophis Werner, 1929
Species:	W. brachyura
Binomial name
Wallophis brachyura (Günther, 1866)
Synonyms[2]
Zamenis brachyurus Günther, 1866 Coronella brachyura — Boulenger, 1890

Geographic range

W. brachyura is found in isolated localities in the state of Maharashtra in western peninsular India.^[3]

Habitat

The preferred habitat of W. brachyura is dry plains.^[3]

Description

The following description is based on Malcolm Smith (1943):

Nostril large, between two nasals; internasals 0.3 to 0.5 as long as the prefrontals; frontal nearly as broad as long, in contact with a large preocular; loreal longer than high; 2 postoculars; temporals 2+2; 8 supralabials, 4th and 5th touching the eye; anterior genials larger than the posterior, the latter separated by two or three series of small scales. Scales in 23:23:19 rows; ventrals large, rounded; tail rather short. Ventrals 200–224; Caudals 46–53; Anals 1.

Hemipenis extending to the 13th caudal plate, not forked. The distal half is calyculate, the cups being large and with scalloped edges; the proximal half is spinose, two or three spines at the base being much larger than the others (bad specimen).

Olive-brown above, with indistinct light variegations on the anterior half of the body and head; lower parts whitish. Total length: males 515 mm (20.3 in), tail 75 mm (3.0 in); females 460 mm (18 in), tail 55 mm (2.2 in).

Range. Northern India. Poona district and Visapur, near Bombay; S.E. Berar.

A rare snake.

Diet

The diet of W. brachyura is unknown.^[3]

Reproduction

The manner of reproduction of W. brachyura is unknown.^[3]