Common Rough-sided Snake

The common rough-sided snake is a small burrowing colubrid endemic to Sri Lanka. It is commonly encountered from the mid hills to the montane limits of the central hills, at elevations of 750 to 2,100 m, with localities recorded including Nuwara Eliya, Hakgala, Horton Plains, Ambewela and Pattipola. The head is indistinct from the neck and the body is cylindrical. The back ranges from blackish brown to light reddish brown, with lateral stripes and 2 to 3 rows of dark spots (Wikipedia, general species account).

The belly varies from heavily blotched with black to light yellow with a red tint. It is found in piles of humus, leaf litter and rotten timber, including within agricultural land, and lays 4 to 12 eggs at a time. Nationally Endangered (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).