Harman Patil (Editor)

Dieurostus dussumieri

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Kingdom
  
Subphylum
  
Vertebrata

Suborder
  
Serpentes

Scientific name
  
Enhydris dussumieri

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Chordata

Order
  
Family
  
Colubridae

Higher classification
  
Enhydris

Dieurostus dussumieri wwwreptariumczcontentphotord08Dieurostusdu

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.

References

Dieurostus dussumieri Wikipedia