Redescription of Oligodon arnensis, Shaw, 1802 (Reptilia: Colubridae) collected from Birbhum, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Oligodon arnensis, Shaw, 1802 commonly known as kukri snake, a semi- fossorial snake species is taken for study as it is a most challenging group of snake. A morphometric study on several aspects like the number of supra-labials , infra-labials, ventrals, dorsals, distance between eye to nostril, eye diameter, number of bands, shape of banding etc. are reported. A significant correlation is present in between snout-vent length and tail length and in between eye diameter and distance from eye to nostril a possible explanation of large eye size related to habitat is given in the study.