List of reptiles of Kerala

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This is a list of reptile species found in the Kerala, India.

Order: Crocodilia (crocodilians) edit

Suborder: Eusuchia edit

Family: Crocodylidae (crocodiles) edit

Genus: Crocodylus edit

Crocodylus porosus (saltwater crocodile / കായൽ മുതല) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Crocodylus palustris (mugger crocodile / മഗ്ഗർ മുതല) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Order: Testudines (turtles) edit

Suborder: Cryptodira edit

Family: Geoemydidae (pond, river and wood turtles) edit

Genus: Melanochelys edit

Melanochelys trijuga (Indian black turtle / കാരാമ) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Lateral view

Genus: Vijayachelys edit

Vijayachelys silvatica (Cochin forest cane turtle / ചൂരലാമ) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Front view

Family: Cheloniidae (sea turtles) edit

Genus: Chelonia edit

Chelonia mydas (green sea turtle / പച്ചക്കടലാമ) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Front view
Hatchling

Genus: Eretmochelys edit

Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill sea turtle / ചുണ്ടൻ കടലാമ) edit

Dorsal view
Ventral view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Lepidochelys edit

Lepidochelys olivacea (olive ridley sea turtle / ഒലീവ് റിഡ്‌ലി കടലാമ) edit

Lateral view
Nesting
Hatchling

Family: Dermochelyidae (leatherback turtles) edit

Genus: Dermochelys edit

Dermochelys coriacea (leatherback sea turtle / തോൽപ്പുറകൻ കടലാമ) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Crawling
Hatchling
Oesophagus showing spines to retain prey

Family: Testudinidae (tortoises) edit

Genus: Geochelone edit

Geochelone elegans (Indian star tortoise / ഇന്ത്യൻ നക്ഷത്ര ആമ) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Lateral view

Genus: Indotestudo edit

Indotestudo travancorica (Travancore tortoise / കാട്ടാമ) edit

Lateral view

Family: Trionychidae (softshell turtles) edit

Genus: Nilssonia edit

Nilssonia leithii (Leith's softshell turtle) edit

Head

Genus: Lissemys edit

Lissemys punctata (Indian flapshell turtle / വെള്ളാമ) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Front view

Genus: Pelochelys edit

Pelochelys cantorii (Cantor's giant softshell turtle / ഭീമനാമ) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Front view

Genus: Chitra edit

Chitra indica (Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle / ചിത്രയാമ) edit

Lateral view
Skeleton

Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles) edit

Suborder: Iguania edit

Family: Agamidae (lizards) edit

Genus: Calotes edit

Calotesdd calotes (common green forest lizard / പച്ചയോന്ത്) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Calotes grandisquamis (large-scaled forest lizard / കാട്ടുപച്ചയോന്ത്) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Head
Head

Calotes nemoricola (Nilgiri forest lizard / നീലഗിരി ഓന്ത്) edit

Lateral view

Calotes versicolor (oriental garden lizard / ഓറിയന്റൽ ഗാർഡൻ ലിസാർഡ്) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Head
Male in breeding season

Genus: Monilesaurus edit

Monilesaurus ellioti (Elliot's forest lizard / മുള്ളോന്ത്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head
Head
Female

Monilesaurus rouxii (Roux's forest lizard) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Draco edit

Draco dussumieri (southern flying lizard / പറയോന്ത്) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Otocryptis edit

Otocryptis beddomei (Indian kangaroo lizard / കങ്കാരു ഓന്ത്) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view

Genus: Psammophilus edit

Psammophilus blanfordanus (Blanford's rock agama / കൂനൻ പാറയോന്ത്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head
Breeding color

Psammophilus dorsalis (peninsular rock agama / പാറയോന്ത്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Front view
Female

Genus: Salea edit

Salea anamallayana (Anaimalai spiny lizard / ആനമലയോന്ത്) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Head

Salea horsfieldii (Horsfield's spiny lizard / നീലഗിരി മലയോന്ത്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Sitana edit

Sitana ponticeriana (fan-throated lizard / ചങ്കനോന്ത്) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Ventral view
Breeding colors

Family: Chamaeleonidae (chameleons) edit

Genus: Chamaeleo edit

Chamaeleo zeylanicus (Indian chameleon / മരയോന്ത്) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Family: Gekkonidae (geckoes) edit

Genus: Cnemaspis edit

Cnemaspis beddomei (Beddome's day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis gracilis (slender day gecko/ പൊന്നൻമരപ്പല്ലി) edit

Cnemaspis indica (Indian day gecko / ഇന്ത്യൻ മരപ്പല്ലി) edit

Cnemaspis kottiyoorensis (Kottiyoor day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis littoralis (coastal day gecko) edit

Lateral view

Cnemaspis monticola (mountain day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis nairi (Ponmudi day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis nilagirica (Nilgiri day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis ornata (ornate day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis sisparensis (Sispara day gecko) edit

Cnemaspis wynadensis (Wyanad day gecko) edit

Genus: Geckoella edit

Geckoella collegalensis (Kollegal ground gecko) edit

Lateral view

Genus: Gehyra edit

Gehyra mutilata (four-clawed gecko) edit

Lateral view
Head

Genus: Hemidactylus edit

Hemidactylus anamallensis (Anaimalai gecko) edit

Hemidactylus brookii (Brooke's house gecko) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Head

Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Dorsal view

Hemidactylus leschenaultii (Leschenault's leaf-toed gecko) edit

Hemidactylus maculatus (spotted leaf-toed gecko) edit

Dorsal view

Hemidactylus prashadi (Bombay leaf-toed gecko) edit

Dorsal view

Hemidactylus reticulatus (reticulate leaf-toed gecko) edit

Dorsal view

Hemidactylus triedrus (termite hill gecko) edit

Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Dorsal view

Family: Lacertidae (lacertas) edit

Genus: Ophisops edit

Ophisops beddomei (Beddome's snake-eye/lacerta) edit

Dorsal view

Ophisops leschenaultii (Leschenault's snake-eye/lacerta) edit

Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Family: Scincidae (skinks) edit

Genus: Chalcides edit

Chalcides pentadactylus (five-fingered skink) edit

Illustration
Illustration

Genus: Dasia edit

Dasia subcaeruleum (Boulenger's tree skink) edit

Genus: Eutropis edit

Eutropis beddomii (Beddome's skink) edit

Eutropis bibronii (Bibron's seashore skink) edit

Eutropis carinata (golden skink / അരണ) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view

Eutropis clivicola (mountain/Inger's skink) edit

Eutropis macularia (bronze grass skink) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Kaestlea/Scincella edit

Kaestlea beddomii (Beddome's ground skink) edit

Kaestlea bilineata (two-lined ground skink) edit

Kaestlea laterimaculata (side-spotted ground skink) edit

Kaestlea palnica (Palni ground skink) edit

Kaestlea travancorica (Travancore ground skink) edit

Dorsal view

Genus: Riopa edit

Riopa albopunctata (white-spotted supple skink / വെൺപൊട്ടൻ പാമ്പരണ) edit

Genus: Lygosoma edit

Lygosoma punctata (white-spotted supple skink / പാമ്പരണ) edit

Dorsal view

Genus: Ristella edit

Ristella beddomii (Beddome's cat skink) edit

Ristella guentheri (Günther's cat skink) edit

Ristella rurkii (Rurk's cat skink) edit

Claw pattern

Ristella travancorica (Travancore cat skink) edit

Dorsal view
Head

Genus: Sphenomorphus edit

Sphenomorphus dussumieri (Dussumier's forest skink / കാട്ടരണ) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view

Family: Varanidae (monitor lizards) edit

Genus: Varanus edit

Varanus bengalensis (Bengal/Indian monitor / ഉടുമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Front view
Head
Head (juvenile)

Suborder: Serpentes edit

Family: Acrochordidae (file snakes) edit

Genus: Acrochordus edit

Acrochordus granulatus (marine file snake / കായൽ പാമ്പ്) edit

Illustration
Lateral view

Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes) edit

Genus: Ahaetulla edit

Ahaetulla dispar (Gunther's vine snake / മലമ്പച്ചോലൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Ahaetulla nasuta (green vine snake / പച്ചിലപാമ്പ്‌) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Ahaetulla perroteti (Western Ghats bronzeback / ചോലപ്പച്ചോലൻ‍) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Ahaetulla pulverulenta (brown vine snake / തവിട്ടോലപ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Argyrogena edit

Argyrogena fasciolata (banded racer / വള്ളിച്ചേര) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Boiga edit

Boiga beddomei (Beddome's cat snake) edit

Head

Boiga ceylonensis (Sri Lanka cat snake / കാട്ടുവലയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Boiga dightoni (Pirmad cat snake / പീരുമേടൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Boiga forsteni (Forsten's cat snake / കരികുരിയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Lateral view

Boiga nuchalis (collared cat snake / വളയൻ പൂച്ചക്കണ്ണിപ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Lateral view

Boiga trigonata (common cat snake / പൂച്ചക്കണ്ണൻ) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Front view

Genus: Chrysopelea edit

Chrysopelea ornata (golden tree snake / നാഗത്താൻപാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Coelognathus edit

Coelognathus helena (trinket snake / കാട്ടുപാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Dendrelaphis edit

Dendrelaphis ashoki (Ashok's bronzeback / വരയൻ വില്ലൂന്നി) edit

Dendrelaphis chairecaeos/chairecacos (southern bronzeback / നൽവരയൻകൊംബെരി പാമ്പ്) edit

Head

Dendrelaphis girii (Giri's bronzeback / കാട്ടുകൊംബെരി പാമ്പ്) edit

Lateral view
Head

Dendrelaphis grandoculis (large-eyed bronzeback / മലകൊംബെരി പാമ്പ്) edit

Lateral view
Head

Dendrelaphis tristis (common bronzeback / വില്ലൂന്നി) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Head
Front view

Genus: Liopeltis edit

Liopeltis calamaria (calamaria reed snake / ചെന്നിവരയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Genus: Lycodon edit

Lycodon aulicus (Indian wolf snake / വെള്ളിവരയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Lateral view
Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Melanistic form

Lycodon nympha (bridal snake) edit

Dorsal view

Lycodon striatus (barred wolf snake / വരവരയൻ പാമ്പ്)^{[citation needed]} edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Lycodon travancoricus (Travancore wolf snake / തിരുവിതാംകൂർ വെള്ളിവരയൻ‍) edit

Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Head

Genus: Oligodon edit

Oligodon affinis (western kukri / മലഞ്ചുരുട്ട)^{[citation needed]} edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Head

Oligodon arnensis (banded kukri / വരയൻ ചുരുട്ട) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Head

Oligodon brevicauda (shorthead kukri / കുട്ടിവാലൻ ചുരുട്ട)^{[citation needed]} edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Head

Oligodon taeniolatus (streaked kukri) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Head

Oligodon travancoricus (Travancore kukri / തെക്കൻ ചുരുട്ട)^{[citation needed]} edit

Oligodon venustus (Jerdon's kukri / ഒരച്ചുരുട്ട)^{[citation needed]} edit

Genus: Ptyas edit

Ptyas mucosa (Indian rat snake / ചേര) edit

Illustration
Lateral view
Courtship
Head

Genus: Rhabdops edit

Rhabdops olivaceus (olive forest snake / മോന്തയുന്തി പാമ്പ്)^{[citation needed]} edit

Genus: Sibynophis edit

Sibynophis subpunctatus (Duméril's black-headed snake / എഴുത്താണി ചുരുട്ട)^{[citation needed]} edit

Dorsal view

Family: Erycidae/Erycinae (sand boas) edit

Genus: Eryx edit

Eryx conicus (Russell's boa / ഇരുതലൻ മണ്ണൂലി) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Eryx johnii (Indian sand boa / വലിയ മണ്ണൂലി) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Eryx whitakeri (Whitaker's sand boa) edit

Dorsal view
Head

Family: Elapidae (elapid snakes) edit

Genus: Bungarus edit

Bungarus caeruleus (common krait / വെള്ളിക്കെട്ടൻ) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view

Genus: Calliophis edit

Calliophis beddomei (Beddome's coral snake) edit

Calliophis bibroni (Bibron's coral snake / എഴുത്താണി വളയൻ) edit

Lateral view
Head

Calliophis melanurus (Indian coral snake / എഴുത്താണി മൂർഖൻ)^{[citation needed]} edit

Calliophis nigrescens (black coral snake / ഇരുളൻ പവിഴപ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Ventral view

Genus: Hydrophis edit

Hydrophis curtus (short sea snake) edit

Hydrophis cyanocinctus (annulated sea snake / നീലവരയൻ) edit

Illustration

Hydrophis ornatus (ornate reef sea snake / ചിറ്റുളിപ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Hydrophis platurus (yellow-bellied sea snake / മഞ്ഞക്കറുപ്പൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view

Hydrophis schistosus (hook-nosed sea snake / വലകടിയൻ കടൽപാമ്പ്) edit

Illustration

Genus: Naja edit

Naja naja (Indian cobra / ഇന്ത്യൻ മൂർഖൻ) edit

Head
Head

Genus: Ophiophagus edit

Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra / രാജവെമ്പാല) edit

Illustration
Head

Family: Gerrhopilidae (worm snakes) edit

Genus: Gerrhopilus/Typhlops edit

Gerrhopilus beddomii (Beddome's worm snake) edit

Gerrhopilus thurstoni (Thurston's worm snake / അമ്മിഞ്ഞിക്കുടിയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Gerrhopilus tindalli (Tindall's worm snake) edit

Family: Homalopsidae (mud snakes) edit

Genus: Cerberus edit

Cerberus rynchops (dog-faced water snake / ആറ്റുവായ്പ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view

Genus: Dieurostus edit

Dieurostus dussumierii (Dussumier's water snake / ചെളിക്കൂട) edit

Lateral view

Genus: Gerarda edit

Gerarda prevostiana (Gerard's water snake / പച്ചാറ്റുവായ്പ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Family: Natricidae/Natricinae (Keelbacks) edit

Genus: Atretium edit

Atretium schistosum (split keelback / പച്ചനീർമണ്ഡലി) edit

Dorsal view
Head

Genus: Amphiesma edit

Amphiesma stolatum (buff striped keelback / തെയ്യാൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Head
Head
Eggs

Genus: Hebius edit

Hebius beddomei (Nilgiri keelback) edit

Head
Head

Amphiesma monticola (hill keelback / കാട്ടുനീർക്കോലി) edit

Dorsal view
Head
Head

Genus: Rhabdophis edit

Rhabdophis plumbicolor (green keelback / പച്ചനാഗം) edit

Illustration
Lateral view (adult)
Dorsal view (juvenile)
Lateral view (juvenile)
Head

Genus: Fowlea edit

Fowlea piscator (checkered keelback / നീർക്കോലി) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Family: Pythonidae (pythons) edit

Genus: Python edit

Python molurus (Indian python / മലമ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head
Eggs

Family: Typhlopidae (blind snakes) edit

Genus: Grypotyphlops edit

Grypotyphlops acutus (beak-nosed blind snake) edit

Genus: Indotyphlops edit

Indotyphlops braminus (brahminy blind snake) edit

Family: Uropeltidae (shieldtails) edit

Genus: Teretrurus edit

Teretrurus rhodogaster (Wall's shield tail) edit

Genus: Melanophidium edit

Melanophidium bilineatum (two-lined black shieldtail) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view

Melanophidium punctatum (Beddome's black shieldtail) edit

Illustration

Melanophidium wynaudense (Indian black earth snake) edit

Genus: Platyplectrurus edit

Platyplectrurus madurensis (Travancore Hills thorntail) edit

Platyplectrurus trilineatus (lined thorntail) edit

Genus: Plectrurus edit

Plectrurus aureus (Kerala burrowing snake) edit

Plectrurus guentheri (Günther's burrowing snake) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view

Plectrurus perrotetii (Nilgiri burrowing snake) edit

Dorsal view

Genus: Rhinophis edit

Rhinophis fergusonianus (Cardamom Hills earth snake) edit

Illustration

Rhinophis sanguineus (red-bellied shieldtail) edit

Illustration

Rhinophis travancoricus (Travancore shieldtail) edit

Genus: Teretrurus edit

Teretrurus sanguineus (purple-red earth snake) edit

Genus: Uropeltis edit

Uropeltis arcticeps (Thirunelveli earth snake) edit

Uropeltis beddomii (Beddome's earth snake) edit

Uropeltis ceylanica (Kerala shieldtail) edit

Illustration
Illustration

Uropeltis ellioti (Elliot's earth snake) edit

Uropeltis grandis (violet shieldtail) edit

Uropeltis liura (Günther's earth snake) edit

Illustration

Uropeltis macrorhyncha (Anaimalai earth snake) edit

Uropeltis maculata (spotted earth snake) edit

Uropeltis myhendrae (Boulenger's earth snake) edit

Uropeltis nitida (southern earth snake) edit

Uropeltis ocellata (Nilgiri shieldtail) edit

Uropeltis petersi (Peter's shieldtail) edit

Uropeltis pulneyensis (Palni shieldtail / പഴനിപ്പാമ്പ്) edit

Illustration

Uropeltis rubrolineata (red-lined shieldtail / കുങ്കുമവരയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Uropeltis rubromaculata/rubromaculatus (red-spotted shieldtail / കുങ്കുമപ്പൊട്ടൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Lateral view

Uropeltis woodmasoni (Wood-Mason's earth snake / കരടിയിരുതലയൻ പാമ്പ്) edit

Family: Viperidae (vipers) edit

Genus: Daboia edit

Daboia russelii (Russell's viper / അണലി) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Head

Genus: Echis edit

Echis carinatus (saw-scaled viper / ചുരുട്ടമണ്ഡലി) edit

Illustration
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view

Genus: Hypnale edit

Hypnale hypnale (hump-nosed viper / മുഴമൂക്കൻ കുഴിമണ്ഡലി) edit

Lateral view
Dorsal view
Dorsal view
Head

Genus: Trimeresurus edit

Trimeresurus gramineus (bamboo pit viper / മുളമണ്ഡലി) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Front view
Head

Trimeresurus macrolepis (large-scaled pit viper / ചട്ടിത്തലയൻ കുഴിമണ്ഡലി) edit

Lateral view
Lateral view
Front view
Head

Trimeresurus malabaricus (Malabar pit viper / ചോലമണ്ഡലി) edit

Dorsal view
Lateral view
Lateral view
Front view
Head

Trimeresurus strigatus (horseshoe pit viper / ലാടമണ്ഡലി) edit

Family: Xenodermatidae (narrow-headed snakes) edit

Genus: Xylophis edit

Xylophis captaini (Captain's wood snake / കുഞ്ഞിത്തലയൻ പാമ്പ്)^{[citation needed]} edit

Xylophis perroteti (Perrotet's mountain snake) edit

Lateral view
Head

Xylophis stenorhynchus (Günther's mountain snake / ഒരക്കുള്ളൻ പാമ്പ്)^{[citation needed]} edit

See also edit

References edit

Palot, M. J. (2015). "A checklist of reptiles of Kerala, India". Journal of Threatened Taxa. 7 (13): 8010–8022
Indian snake checklist
Daniel, J. C.(2002). The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. Bombay Natural History Society and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-566099-4

External links edit

Media related to Reptiles of Kerala at Wikimedia Commons

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