Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Serpentes Scientific name Enhydris dussumieri Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Family Colubridae Higher classification Enhydris | |
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Similar Snake, Enhydris, Siebold's water sna, Reptile, Colubridae | ||
Dieurostus dussumierii, commonly known as Dussumier's water snake, is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged, colubrid snake, endemic to Kerala, in southwestern India. It is also found in Bangladesh.
Contents
Etymology
Both the specific name, dussumierii, and the common name, Dussumier's water snake, are in honor of
Jean-Jacques Dussumier, a French merchant, ship owner, and collector of zoological specimens.
Morphology
Diagnosis (genus). Dieurostus is distinguished from all other homalopsids with 25 or 27 rows of smooth scales, nasal scales in contact, and posterior labials horizontally divided, by its divided internasal, upper labials 1–3 contacting the loreal, five lower labials contacting the chin shields (doriae has upper labials 2–5 or 2–6 contacting the loreal), and its striped pattern (sieboldii has a blotched-banded dorsal pattern, the internasal may contact the loreal, and it has three lower labials contacting the chin shields) [after KUMAR et al. 2012].
Geographic range
Dieurostus dussumierii is endemic to coastal plains of southwestern India (in Kerala) and also found in Bangladesh.
Habits
This is a thoroughly aquatic snake, and is more evident during the rains. This species has been sighted in inundated rice paddies, flooded crop fields and is very much at home in lakes and swamps. On land its movements are rather clumsy and laboured. It feeds mostly on fishes and takes refuge in crab-holes on mud banks and other such safe retreats near water bodies.