Wildlifeof Nepal
Checkered Keelback
Colubrid Snakes
Photo: (c) Chayant Gonsalves, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Fowlea piscator
Basic stats
Diet
Mainly fish, amphibians and arthropods; occasionally rodents and amphibian eggs
Range
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Southeast Asia to China and Indonesia
Clutch size
Usually 30–70 eggs; as few as 4 or as many as 100
Incubation period
60–70 days
Size
Snout to vent up to 1.75m
The checkered keelback, or Asiatic water snake, is a common species of the water snake subfamily, endemic to Asia. Adults may reach a snout-to-vent length of 1.75m. The dorsal scales are in 19 rows, strongly keeled except the outer rows, and two oblique black streaks, one below and one behind the eye, are nearly constant. It may lose its tail as an escape mechanism (Wikipedia, general species account).
It feeds mainly on fish, amphibians and arthropods, occasionally on rodents and amphibian eggs. Clutches are usually 30 to 70 eggs, though as few as four or as many as a hundred have been recorded, and the female guards the eggs until they hatch in 60 to 70 days. Each hatchling is about 11cm long. Its range includes Nepal.
Quick answers
- What does the Checkered Keelback eat?
- Mainly fish, amphibians and arthropods; occasionally rodents and amphibian eggs
- Where is the Checkered Keelback found?
- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Southeast Asia to China and Indonesia
- How many eggs does the Checkered Keelback lay?
- Usually 30–70 eggs; as few as 4 or as many as 100
- How long are the eggs of the Checkered Keelback incubated?
- 60–70 days
- How big is the Checkered Keelback?
- Snout to vent up to 1.75m