Wildlifeof Nepal
Split Keelback
Colubrid Snakes
Photo: (c) Ronith Urs, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Atretium schistosum
Basic stats
Habitat
In water or among the surrounding vegetation; up to about 1,000m
Range
Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal
Clutch size
10–32 eggs, laid January to April
Size
Females 70–75cm; males 50–60cm; longest 87cm
The split keelback, or olive keelback, is a common and harmless water snake of South Asia, found in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. It is the only species in its genus. It is small and robust, with a thin head, a short snout and slit-like nostrils set rather high. It is olive-green above and yellow to orange below, sometimes tinged pink or purplish on the flanks, and the dorsal scales are keeled and rough (Wikipedia, general species account).
Females are 70 to 75cm long and males 50 to 60cm, and the longest measured was 87cm. It occurs up to about 1,000m. It lives in water or among surrounding vegetation, is diurnal, and is also seen at night. The soft white eggs, 30 to 35mm long, are laid in clutches of 10 to 32 between January and April.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Split Keelback live in?
- In water or among the surrounding vegetation; up to about 1,000m
- Where is the Split Keelback found?
- Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal
- How many eggs does the Split Keelback lay?
- 10–32 eggs, laid January to April
- How big is the Split Keelback?
- Females 70–75cm; males 50–60cm; longest 87cm