Sunday 24 July 2011
Black Racer
पट्टेरी पोवळा
हा साप विषारी असून प्रामुख्याने पश्चिम घाटात आढळतो. महाराष्ट्रात आंबोली, कोयना, कास, पाचगणी, खंडाळा, भीमाशंकर येथे आढळतो. त्याला हिंदीत कालाधारी मूंगा तर इंग्रजीत स्ट्रीप्ड कोरल स्नेक असे म्हटले जाते. त्याचे शास्त्रीय नाव कॅ लीओपीस निग्रेन्स आहे. त्याची लांबी जास्तीत जास्त तीन फूट नऊ इंच असते. पर्वतीय प्रदेशात त्याची लांबी अधिक असते. हा साप दिनचर तसेच निशाचर असून छोटे सरडे, इतर साप हे त्याचे भक्ष्य असते. पावसाळ्यात मादी तीन ते सहा अंडी देते. या सापाचे शरीर लांब, सडपातळ, व दंडगोलाकार असून छोटे काळे डोळे, शेपूट आखूड, लाल व पांढरे खवले, गडम, काळा जांभळट रंग , पाठीवर तीन ते पाच उभ्या काळ्या रेषा, डोळ्यांमध्ये एक फिक्कट काळा आडवा पट्टा ही याची वैशिष्ट्ये असतात. पोटाकडचा भाग चकचकीत व लाल असून त्यावर पांढरे आडवे पट्टे, रेषा असतात. हे कासचे पठार पावसाळ्यात फुलणाऱ्या विविध प्रजातीच्या फुलांसाठी प्रसिद्ध आहे.
Black Racer, a photo by cotinis on Flickr.
हा साप विषारी असून प्रामुख्याने पश्चिम घाटात आढळतो. महाराष्ट्रात आंबोली, कोयना, कास, पाचगणी, खंडाळा, भीमाशंकर येथे आढळतो. त्याला हिंदीत कालाधारी मूंगा तर इंग्रजीत स्ट्रीप्ड कोरल स्नेक असे म्हटले जाते. त्याचे शास्त्रीय नाव कॅ लीओपीस निग्रेन्स आहे. त्याची लांबी जास्तीत जास्त तीन फूट नऊ इंच असते. पर्वतीय प्रदेशात त्याची लांबी अधिक असते. हा साप दिनचर तसेच निशाचर असून छोटे सरडे, इतर साप हे त्याचे भक्ष्य असते. पावसाळ्यात मादी तीन ते सहा अंडी देते. या सापाचे शरीर लांब, सडपातळ, व दंडगोलाकार असून छोटे काळे डोळे, शेपूट आखूड, लाल व पांढरे खवले, गडम, काळा जांभळट रंग , पाठीवर तीन ते पाच उभ्या काळ्या रेषा, डोळ्यांमध्ये एक फिक्कट काळा आडवा पट्टा ही याची वैशिष्ट्ये असतात. पोटाकडचा भाग चकचकीत व लाल असून त्यावर पांढरे आडवे पट्टे, रेषा असतात. हे कासचे पठार पावसाळ्यात फुलणाऱ्या विविध प्रजातीच्या फुलांसाठी प्रसिद्ध आहे.
Black Racer, a photo by cotinis on Flickr.
चापडा
चापडा
हा फिकट हिरव्या रंगाचा असतो आणि त्याच्या पाठीवर पुसट काळसर, तपकीरी नक्षी असते.त्याचं डोकं हे त्रिकोणी आकाराचं असून याची लांबी साधारण तीन फुटांपर्यंत असते.
लहान पिल्लांमधे ही नक्षी जास्त गडद असते आणि त्यांचा काही विशिष्ट आकार ठरलेला नसतो.
हा साप विषारी असून, सरडे, पाली आणि झाडांवरले पक्षी हे त्याचं आवडतं खाद्य आहे .
हा फिकट हिरव्या रंगाचा असतो आणि त्याच्या पाठीवर पुसट काळसर, तपकीरी नक्षी असते.त्याचं डोकं हे त्रिकोणी आकाराचं असून याची लांबी साधारण तीन फुटांपर्यंत असते.
लहान पिल्लांमधे ही नक्षी जास्त गडद असते आणि त्यांचा काही विशिष्ट आकार ठरलेला नसतो.
हा साप विषारी असून, सरडे, पाली आणि झाडांवरले पक्षी हे त्याचं आवडतं खाद्य आहे .
Thursday 14 July 2011
Saw Scaled Viper
Saw Scaled Viper
(Echis Carinatus)
- Description: Saw scaled viper is a very venomous snake and is common throughout India. Body is short, Adults length measured between 300 - 500 mm (12 - 20 inc). Scales are strongly keeled and are rough in appearance. Head is broader then neck; scaled on upper surface of head are small and strongly keeled. Large eye has vertical pupil. Tail is very short and thin. Back has light, dark brown, brick-red, gray or sand-colored with zigzag patterns. Top of the head has usually distinct, arrow-head mark. Underside is white speckled with brown. Several different color forms exist. This snake is called Saw scaled Viper because it rubs sides of it's body together, producing a rasping sound. It is very ill-tempered snake and will attack any intruder. It's venom is highly hemotoxic and quite potent. Many deaths are attributed to this species. Found in a variety of environments, it is common is rural settlements, cultivated fields, arid regions, barns and rock walls. It is also found in deserts. This snake is very well camouflaged and due to the size, it is barely noticed by anyone.
Scalation of Saw-scaled viper
- Reproduction: Male combat observed. Female bared 4-8 living young between April - August. Female may produce two clutches a year. In Maharashtra (ratnagiri Dist. ) over 2000 Saw-scaled vipers were recorded in one week (July). The same area was visited in December and not a single snake could be found. Hibernation or aestivation in laterite crevices may account for this dramatic disappearance.
- Distribution: Saw-scaled vipers are found throughout India except West Bengal and the Northeast. Also found in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Found upto 1500mtr. (4920ft).
- Look-alikes: Common Cat Snake, Sand Boas, Russell's Kukri Snake, Sind Awl-headed Snake.
- Images of look-alike snakes:
http://wildlifeintroduction.blogspot.com/2009/02/saw-scaled-viper.html
Common Cat Snake
Russell's Kukri Snake
Scientific Name: Bungarus caeruleus
Nick Name:
Size: Average 90 centimeters, maximum 1.5 meters.
Nature: It is active at night and relatively passive during the day.
Distribution: Most of India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: sea level up to 1700 m. uncommon in Bengal, Assam and Orissa, where the Banded Krait is found; Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Habitat: Open fields, human settlements, and dense jungle. The krait has a tendency to seek shelter in sleeping bags, boots, and tents.
Feeds on: rats and mice and are found in rat holes and termite mounds. They also prey on lizards and smaller snakes. They will devour their young being cannibalistic in nature.
Side Line:
Nick Name:
Size: Average 90 centimeters, maximum 1.5 meters.
Appearance: Jet Black or bluish-black, usually with white narrow white thin crossbands (around about 40) and a narrow head. Body armored with Smooth and glossy scales. Actually, the body colour varies from a dark steely blue-black in a specimen which has freshly shed its skin to a pale faded bluish grey in one just about to shed. The young and some adults may have white spots along the first third of the backbone in place of the cross lines. This variation as well as uniform black variants appear in certain geographic races. The underside is white.
Type of Venom: Its venom is a powerful neurotoxin that causes respiratory failure.
Clinically it contains pre-synaptic neurotoxins. These neurotoxins generally affect the nerve endings near the synaptic gap of the brain. There is little or absolutely no pain in the bitten area and victims die complaining of severe abdominal cramps, after 6-8 hours after the bite.
Distribution: Most of India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: sea level up to 1700 m. uncommon in Bengal, Assam and Orissa, where the Banded Krait is found; Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Feeds on: rats and mice and are found in rat holes and termite mounds. They also prey on lizards and smaller snakes. They will devour their young being cannibalistic in nature.
Side Line:
- Kraits are found only in Asia.
- This snake is of special concern to man. It is deadly--about 15 times more deadly than the common cobra. The native people often step on kraits while walking through their habitats.
- The Common Krait is the best known of the 6 Krait species found in India and one of the big Four dangerous snakes.
- Besides the Common and Banded Krait, the other krait are rare and confined to the eastern Himalayas and Assam.
- The males are quite sex conscious and aggressive in territories. 1 bite from the common krait can kill 60 people
http://snakes.110mb.com/Krait.html
Indian Russell's Viper
FANG FACTS
| Local Name : | Koriwala |
| Scientific Name : | Vipera russelli |
| Family : | Viperidae |
| Genus : | Daboia |
| Length : | 1 m to 1.5 m |
| Length of the Snout-vent : | 1025 mm to 1080 mm |
| Tail Length : | 212 mm to 225 mm |
Physical Characteristics
Russell's Viper grows to a length of 1 to 1.5 m. Its head is long and triangular, with large, prominent nostrils on each side of the snout. The fangs of the snake are large, while its tail is quite small. The length of the snout-vent is 1025 to 1080 mm, while that of the tail is 212 to 225 mm. The color of the Russells Viper of India may be dark brown, brownish-yellow or brownish-gray, with black or brown oval spots edged with black/white. The young vipers are clear orange to brownish-orange in color. There are rows of oval spots along both the sides of the body and the tail is striped.
The belly of Russels Viper is pinkish-brown or whitish in color with black spots, which start becoming darker towards the tail. The top portion of the head has three separate semi triangular spots, which form a triangle with the vertex between the eyes. There is also a dark band running diagonally from the eye to the corner of the mouth. The dorsum is light yellowish brown to sandy brown in color and has chestnut blotches. At the base of the head is a pair of dark spots and the snout is adorned with a light V-shaped canthal mark. Characteristics
Russell's Viper is responsible for the more deaths due to snakebite than any other venomous snake. It is highly irritable and when threatened, coils tightly, hisses, and strikes with a lightning speed. Its hemotoxic venom is a very potent coagulant, which damages tissue as well as blood cells.
Natural Habitat
The habitat of the Russels Viper stretches from Indian farmlands to dense rain forests. It is usually found near human settlements.
Geographical Range
Russells Viper can be found in India, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Borneo, Malaysian Peninsula, Java and Sumatra
Sheesh Nag, Kala Nag
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Species and sub species:
Genus Naja is represented in Pakistan by two species and one subspecies:
- Spectacled or Indian Cobra (Naja naja naja)
- Central Asian/Oxus or Brown Cobra (Naja naja oxiana)
Subspecies: - Black Pakistan Cobra (Naja naja karachiensis)
Description and Biology:
Two subspecies of cobras are found in Pakistan, the Indian or Spectacled cobra (Naja naja naja) and the Central Asian/Oxus or Brown cobra (Naja naja oxiana). Both these subspecies of cobra are about the same size. Average length is 1.9 meters, with a maximum length of 2.4 meters. N.n.naja has a spectacled marking on back of the neck (also visible from front on rare specimens). The hood appearance varies greatly. The body coloration is yellow to dark brown and black for both sexes. Males are generally heavier, shorter than females, but tails longer. N.n. oxiana is similar in appearence, but lacks the spectacle marking as in N.n.naja.
Two subspecies of cobras are found in Pakistan, the Indian or Spectacled cobra (Naja naja naja) and the Central Asian/Oxus or Brown cobra (Naja naja oxiana). Both these subspecies of cobra are about the same size. Average length is 1.9 meters, with a maximum length of 2.4 meters. N.n.naja has a spectacled marking on back of the neck (also visible from front on rare specimens). The hood appearance varies greatly. The body coloration is yellow to dark brown and black for both sexes. Males are generally heavier, shorter than females, but tails longer. N.n. oxiana is similar in appearence, but lacks the spectacle marking as in N.n.naja.
General characteristics:
The Indian or Spectacled cobra (N.n.naja) is a medium-sized, heavy snake; head not distinct from neck which is dilatable in life into a broad hood; loreal scale absent; single fang on each side, followed by 1—3 small solid teeth; scales smooth shiny, in 21—23 at midbody; ventrals 182—196, subcaudals 53—67. Single pair of prefrontals, absence of loreal scale and smooth dorsals.
The Indian or Spectacled cobra (N.n.naja) is a medium-sized, heavy snake; head not distinct from neck which is dilatable in life into a broad hood; loreal scale absent; single fang on each side, followed by 1—3 small solid teeth; scales smooth shiny, in 21—23 at midbody; ventrals 182—196, subcaudals 53—67. Single pair of prefrontals, absence of loreal scale and smooth dorsals.
Color very variable, from jet black, dark olive or dark brown dorsum. Ventrum pale gray to yellowish, with heavy slate gray or dark brown clouding. A spectacle mark on hood dorsum, and a ventral large ocellus, consisting of an outer yellow ring with central dark eye, mesially interrupted by ventrals, some are dark clouded. Variegated specimens with light-edged light brown scales are met with in Punjab, while jet black are very rare. Juvenile has speckled or uniform dorsal pattern. Snout-vent length 1658 mm, tail 269 mm.
 Black Pakistan Cobra (Naja naja karachiensis), anterior view Photo Credit: David A. Northcott/CORBIS |
The Central Asian/Oxus or Brown cobra has ventrals 191-210, subcaudals 62-71; single maxillary tooth (fang) on each side; juvenile pattern conspicuously banded, bands around the body.
Light yellowish to light brown, with or without a hoodmark. Some ventrals underhood dark. Ventrum clouded with black. Snout-vent length 1370-1512 mm, tail 228-236 mm..
Light yellowish to light brown, with or without a hoodmark. Some ventrals underhood dark. Ventrum clouded with black. Snout-vent length 1370-1512 mm, tail 228-236 mm..
 Central Asian/Oxus Cobra (N.n.oxiana) Photo Credit: F.Tillack |
Biology:
This cobra is diurnal; mostly active during evening and early morning. It may enter human dwellings when hunting. It restlessly moves from place to place in search of prey, which mainly consists of mice, rats, poultry, frogs and snakes. Normaly, it is not considered aggressive, particularly shy of human beings and will avoid confrontation. Habitually it avoids confrontation with man, at a chance en-counter, first priority is to escape undetected. On sensing danger it lifts anterior part of its body to have a good look at its surroundings. If not provoked, it lets fall it's body and slips quietly away. However, if provoked, it hisses loudly and sways its hood to advertise its presence, and displays the hood markings to impress its adversary. It fixes its eyes to the source or annoyance, keenly following its movements. However, all the time at the lookout to have a chance to avoid conrontation and slip away. The swaying of hood with dorsal spectacle mark and ventral yellow ocellus, coupled with loud hiss, arc measures to just look as fearsome and as big as possible, to impress the enemy. Cobra attacks viciously and furiously, striking with full strength and biting savagely, chewing the bitten pan. When bitting, it hold on and chews savagely. May strike repeatedly. This snake can be exceptionally quick-moving and agile. The fangs and venom glands of both subspecies are large. The venom is highly toxic. Snake bite symptoms begin approximately 8 minutes after bite. Victims experiences anxiety, the pulse quickens, grows weak and irregular. The victim soon falls into deep coma.
This cobra is diurnal; mostly active during evening and early morning. It may enter human dwellings when hunting. It restlessly moves from place to place in search of prey, which mainly consists of mice, rats, poultry, frogs and snakes. Normaly, it is not considered aggressive, particularly shy of human beings and will avoid confrontation. Habitually it avoids confrontation with man, at a chance en-counter, first priority is to escape undetected. On sensing danger it lifts anterior part of its body to have a good look at its surroundings. If not provoked, it lets fall it's body and slips quietly away. However, if provoked, it hisses loudly and sways its hood to advertise its presence, and displays the hood markings to impress its adversary. It fixes its eyes to the source or annoyance, keenly following its movements. However, all the time at the lookout to have a chance to avoid conrontation and slip away. The swaying of hood with dorsal spectacle mark and ventral yellow ocellus, coupled with loud hiss, arc measures to just look as fearsome and as big as possible, to impress the enemy. Cobra attacks viciously and furiously, striking with full strength and biting savagely, chewing the bitten pan. When bitting, it hold on and chews savagely. May strike repeatedly. This snake can be exceptionally quick-moving and agile. The fangs and venom glands of both subspecies are large. The venom is highly toxic. Snake bite symptoms begin approximately 8 minutes after bite. Victims experiences anxiety, the pulse quickens, grows weak and irregular. The victim soon falls into deep coma.
Pairings are known to be for life, breeding activity is observed from April to July, 12 to 30 eggs are laid in rat holes or crevices, female stays close until hatching.
Both the species feeds on rodents, birds, snakes, lizards, often enters inhabited houses attracted by rodents.
Habitat, Distribution and Status:
Cobra frequents different habitats: grasslands, vegetation along tilled fields, along water courses, semidesert forests, barns, ruins with grassy growths and around villages. It is plentiful in paddy growing areas, where it is attracted bv mice and poultry into living houses. It climbs into the branches of trees in search of nesting birds. Often it become resident in rat holes after consuming its occupant.
Cobra frequents different habitats: grasslands, vegetation along tilled fields, along water courses, semidesert forests, barns, ruins with grassy growths and around villages. It is plentiful in paddy growing areas, where it is attracted bv mice and poultry into living houses. It climbs into the branches of trees in search of nesting birds. Often it become resident in rat holes after consuming its occupant.
N.n.naja is found in eastern Pakistan as far west as Karachi. It has been reported from sea level to 4000m in the Himalayas. It may be found in flat grasslands, among scattered trees, near rice fields and other cultivated areas, near settlements. Usually not found in deserts or rainforests. This cobra species is found in Punjab, Baluchistan and Sind where it is quiet common.
N.n.oxiana is rare in Pakistan and is found in Northern Pakistan at areas of elevations as high as 2,100 meters. It Inhabits dry wasteland, living in holes and crevices. In mountain areas lives in caverns and crevices and holes in rock. In Pakistan it extends throughout NWFP, northeastern Baluchistan to northwestern Punjab and Kashmir.
Subspecies N.n.karachiensis has been reported from Southern Pakistan.
Deforestation, reclamation and overgrazing are the main threats to the cobras in Pakistan. Every year thousands of cobras are killed in Pakistan for their skins. Snake charmers capture cobras to stage fights with mongoose in rural and urban areas. Cobras are locally used by aurevedic practitioners in their recipes. Due to constant human interference and indiscriminate killing of cobras, there is rapid depletion in populations of cobras throughout Pakistan.
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| Naja naja (  )Naja oxiana (o) |
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