Eryx whitakeri

Eryx whitakeri, also commonly known as Whitaker's sand boa or Whitaker's boa, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the subfamily Erycinae of the family Boidae. The species is endemic to India. No subspecies are recognized.^[3]

Eryx whitakeri
Lateral and dorsal headviews of adult Eryx whitakeri
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Genus:	Eryx
Species:	E. whitakeri
Binomial name
Eryx whitakeri Das, 1991
Synonyms[2]
Eryx whitakeri Das, 1991 Gongylophis whitakeri — Tokar, 1995 Eryx whitakeri — McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré, 1999

Etymology

The specific name whitakeri, as well as both of the above common names, are in honor of American-born Indian herpetologist Romulus Whitaker.^[4]

Geographic range

A juvenile Whitaker's sand boa in Pilerne, Goa (top view)

An adult Whitaker's sand boa in Pilerne, Goa

E. whitakeri is found in southwestern coastal India in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and southern Maharashtra.^[2]

The type locality given is "Mangalore, Karnataka State, India".^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of E. whitakeri are sea beaches and scrub forests.^[5]

Description

E. whitakeri may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 79 cm (31 in).^[5]

Diet

E. whitaker preys upon small mice.^[5]

Reproduction

E. whitakeri is viviparous.^[6]