List of reptiles of Kerala

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

Order: Crocodilia (crocodilians)

Suborder: Eusuchia

Family: Crocodylidae (crocodiles)

Genus: Crocodylus

Crocodylus porosus (saltwater crocodile / കായൽ മുതല)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Crocodylus palustris (mugger crocodile / മഗ്ഗർ മുതല)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Order: Testudines (turtles)

Suborder: Cryptodira

Family: Geoemydidae (pond, river and wood turtles)

Genus: Melanochelys

Melanochelys trijuga (Indian black turtle / കാരാമ)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Vijayachelys

Vijayachelys silvatica (Cochin forest cane turtle / ചൂരലാമ)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view

Family: Cheloniidae (sea turtles)

Genus: Chelonia

Chelonia mydas (green sea turtle / പച്ചക്കടലാമ)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Hatchling

Genus: Eretmochelys

Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill sea turtle / ചുണ്ടൻ കടലാമ)

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  Dorsal view
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  Ventral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Lepidochelys

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

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  Lateral view
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  Nesting
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  Hatchling

Family: Dermochelyidae (leatherback turtles)

Genus: Dermochelys

Dermochelys coriacea (leatherback sea turtle / തോൽപ്പുറകൻ കടലാമ)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Crawling
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  Hatchling
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  Oesophagus showing spines to retain prey

Family: Testudinidae (tortoises)

Genus: Geochelone

Geochelone elegans (Indian star tortoise / ഇന്ത്യൻ നക്ഷത്ര ആമ)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Indotestudo

Indotestudo travancorica (Travancore tortoise / കാട്ടാമ)

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  Lateral view

Family: Trionychidae (softshell turtles)

Genus: Nilssonia

Nilssonia leithii (Leith's softshell turtle)

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  Head

Genus: Lissemys

Lissemys punctata (Indian flapshell turtle / വെള്ളാമ)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view

Genus: Pelochelys

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

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view

Genus: Chitra

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

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  Lateral view
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  Skeleton

Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)

Suborder: Iguania

Family: Agamidae (lizards)

Genus: Calotes

Calotesdd calotes (common green forest lizard / പച്ചയോന്ത്)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Calotes grandisquamis (large-scaled forest lizard / കാട്ടുപച്ചയോന്ത്)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Head

Calotes nemoricola (Nilgiri forest lizard / നീലഗിരി ഓന്ത്)

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  Lateral view

Calotes versicolor (oriental garden lizard / ഓറിയന്റൽ ഗാർഡൻ ലിസാർഡ്)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Male in breeding season

Genus: Monilesaurus

Monilesaurus ellioti (Elliot's forest lizard / മുള്ളോന്ത്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Head
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  Female

Monilesaurus rouxii (Roux's forest lizard)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Draco

Draco dussumieri (southern flying lizard / പറയോന്ത്)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Otocryptis

Otocryptis beddomei (Indian kangaroo lizard / കങ്കാരു ഓന്ത്)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Psammophilus

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

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Breeding color

Psammophilus dorsalis (peninsular rock agama / പാറയോന്ത്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Female

Genus: Salea

Salea anamallayana (Anaimalai spiny lizard / ആനമലയോന്ത്)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head

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

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Sitana

Sitana ponticeriana (fan-throated lizard / ചങ്കനോന്ത്)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Ventral view
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  Breeding colors

Family: Chamaeleonidae (chameleons)

Genus: Chamaeleo

Chamaeleo zeylanicus (Indian chameleon / മരയോന്ത്)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Family: Gekkonidae (geckoes)

Genus: Cnemaspis

Cnemaspis beddomei (Beddome's day gecko)

Cnemaspis gracilis (slender day gecko/ പൊന്നൻമരപ്പല്ലി)

Cnemaspis indica (Indian day gecko / ഇന്ത്യൻ മരപ്പല്ലി)

Cnemaspis kottiyoorensis (Kottiyoor day gecko)

Cnemaspis littoralis (coastal day gecko)

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  Lateral view

Cnemaspis monticola (mountain day gecko)

Cnemaspis nairi (Ponmudi day gecko)

Cnemaspis nilagirica (Nilgiri day gecko)

Cnemaspis ornata (ornate day gecko)

Cnemaspis sisparensis (Sispara day gecko)

Cnemaspis wynadensis (Wyanad day gecko)

Genus: Geckoella

Geckoella collegalensis (Kollegal ground gecko)

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  Lateral view

Genus: Gehyra

Gehyra mutilata (four-clawed gecko)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Hemidactylus

Hemidactylus anamallensis (Anaimalai gecko)

Hemidactylus brookii (Brooke's house gecko)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus leschenaultii (Leschenault's leaf-toed gecko)

Hemidactylus maculatus (spotted leaf-toed gecko)

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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus prashadi (Bombay leaf-toed gecko)

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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus reticulatus (reticulate leaf-toed gecko)

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  Dorsal view

Hemidactylus triedrus (termite hill gecko)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view

Family: Lacertidae (lacertas)

Genus: Ophisops

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

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  Dorsal view

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

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Family: Scincidae (skinks)

Genus: Chalcides

Chalcides pentadactylus (five-fingered skink)

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  Illustration
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  Illustration

Genus: Dasia

Dasia subcaeruleum (Boulenger's tree skink)

Genus: Eutropis

Eutropis beddomii (Beddome's skink)

Eutropis bibronii (Bibron's seashore skink)

Eutropis carinata (golden skink / അരണ)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Eutropis clivicola (mountain/Inger's skink)

Eutropis macularia (bronze grass skink)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Kaestlea/Scincella

Kaestlea beddomii (Beddome's ground skink)

Kaestlea bilineata (two-lined ground skink)

Kaestlea laterimaculata (side-spotted ground skink)

Kaestlea palnica (Palni ground skink)

Kaestlea travancorica (Travancore ground skink)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Riopa

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

Genus: Lygosoma

Lygosoma punctata (white-spotted supple skink / പാമ്പരണ)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Ristella

Ristella beddomii (Beddome's cat skink)

Ristella guentheri (Günther's cat skink)

Ristella rurkii (Rurk's cat skink)

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  Claw pattern

Ristella travancorica (Travancore cat skink)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Sphenomorphus

Sphenomorphus dussumieri (Dussumier's forest skink / കാട്ടരണ)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view

Family: Varanidae (monitor lizards)

Genus: Varanus

Varanus bengalensis (Bengal/Indian monitor / ഉടുമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Front view
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  Head
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  Head (juvenile)

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Acrochordidae (file snakes)

Genus: Acrochordus

Acrochordus granulatus (marine file snake / കായൽ പാമ്പ്)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view

Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)

Genus: Ahaetulla

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

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Ahaetulla nasuta (green vine snake / പച്ചിലപാമ്പ്‌)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Ahaetulla perroteti (Western Ghats bronzeback / ചോലപ്പച്ചോലൻ‍)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Ahaetulla pulverulenta (brown vine snake / തവിട്ടോലപ്പാമ്പ്)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Argyrogena

Argyrogena fasciolata (banded racer / വള്ളിച്ചേര)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Boiga

Boiga beddomei (Beddome's cat snake)

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  Head

Boiga ceylonensis (Sri Lanka cat snake / കാട്ടുവലയൻ പാമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Boiga dightoni (Pirmad cat snake / പീരുമേടൻ പാമ്പ്)

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

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view

Boiga nuchalis (collared cat snake / വളയൻ പൂച്ചക്കണ്ണിപ്പാമ്പ്)

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  Lateral view

Boiga trigonata (common cat snake / പൂച്ചക്കണ്ണൻ)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Front view

Genus: Chrysopelea

Chrysopelea ornata (golden tree snake / നാഗത്താൻപാമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Coelognathus

Coelognathus helena (trinket snake / കാട്ടുപാമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Genus: Dendrelaphis

Dendrelaphis ashoki (Ashok's bronzeback / വരയൻ വില്ലൂന്നി)

Dendrelaphis chairecaeos/chairecacos (southern bronzeback / നൽവരയൻകൊംബെരി പാമ്പ്)

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  Head

Dendrelaphis girii (Giri's bronzeback / കാട്ടുകൊംബെരി പാമ്പ്)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Dendrelaphis grandoculis (large-eyed bronzeback / മലകൊംബെരി പാമ്പ്)

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  Lateral view
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  Head

Dendrelaphis tristis (common bronzeback / വില്ലൂന്നി)

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  Lateral view
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Front view

Genus: Liopeltis

Liopeltis calamaria (calamaria reed snake / ചെന്നിവരയൻ പാമ്പ്)

Genus: Lycodon

Lycodon aulicus (Indian wolf snake / വെള്ളിവരയൻ പാമ്പ്)

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  Lateral view
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Melanistic form

Lycodon nympha (bridal snake)

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  Dorsal view

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

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Lycodon travancoricus (Travancore wolf snake / തിരുവിതാംകൂർ വെള്ളിവരയൻ‍)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Ventral view
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  Head

Genus: Oligodon

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

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Oligodon arnensis (banded kukri / വരയൻ ചുരുട്ട)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

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

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Oligodon taeniolatus (streaked kukri)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Head

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

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

Genus: Ptyas

Ptyas mucosa (Indian rat snake / ചേര)

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  Illustration
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  Lateral view
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  Courtship
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  Head

Genus: Rhabdops

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

Genus: Sibynophis

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

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  Dorsal view

Family: Erycidae/Erycinae (sand boas)

Genus: Eryx

Eryx conicus (Russell's boa / ഇരുതലൻ മണ്ണൂലി)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Eryx johnii (Indian sand boa / വലിയ മണ്ണൂലി)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Eryx whitakeri (Whitaker's sand boa)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Family: Elapidae (elapid snakes)

Genus: Bungarus

Bungarus caeruleus (common krait / വെള്ളിക്കെട്ടൻ)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Genus: Calliophis

Calliophis beddomei (Beddome's coral snake)

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

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  Lateral view
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  Head

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

Calliophis nigrescens (black coral snake / ഇരുളൻ പവിഴപ്പാമ്പ്)

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  Ventral view

Genus: Hydrophis

Hydrophis curtus (short sea snake)

Hydrophis cyanocinctus (annulated sea snake / നീലവരയൻ)

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  Illustration

Hydrophis ornatus (ornate reef sea snake / ചിറ്റുളിപ്പാമ്പ്)

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

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

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

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  Illustration

Genus: Naja

Naja naja (Indian cobra / ഇന്ത്യൻ മൂർഖൻ)

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  Head
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  Head

Genus: Ophiophagus

Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra / രാജവെമ്പാല)

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  Illustration
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  Head

Family: Gerrhopilidae (worm snakes)

Genus: Gerrhopilus/Typhlops

Gerrhopilus beddomii (Beddome's worm snake)

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

Gerrhopilus tindalli (Tindall's worm snake)

Family: Homalopsidae (mud snakes)

Genus: Cerberus

Cerberus rynchops (dog-faced water snake / ആറ്റുവായ്പ്പാമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view

Genus: Dieurostus

Dieurostus dussumierii (Dussumier's water snake / ചെളിക്കൂട)

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  Lateral view

Genus: Gerarda

Gerarda prevostiana (Gerard's water snake / പച്ചാറ്റുവായ്പ്പാമ്പ്)

Family: Natricidae/Natricinae (Keelbacks)

Genus: Atretium

Atretium schistosum (split keelback / പച്ചനീർമണ്ഡലി)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head

Genus: Amphiesma

Amphiesma stolatum (buff striped keelback / തെയ്യാൻ പാമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Dorsal view
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  Head
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  Head
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  Eggs

Genus: Hebius

Hebius beddomei (Nilgiri keelback)

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  Head
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  Head

Amphiesma monticola (hill keelback / കാട്ടുനീർക്കോലി)

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  Dorsal view
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  Head
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  Head

Genus: Rhabdophis

Rhabdophis plumbicolor (green keelback / പച്ചനാഗം)

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

Genus: Fowlea

Fowlea piscator (checkered keelback / നീർക്കോലി)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head

Family: Pythonidae (pythons)

Genus: Python

Python molurus (Indian python / മലമ്പാമ്പ്)

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  Dorsal view
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  Lateral view
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  Head
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  Eggs

Family: Typhlopidae (blind snakes)

Genus: Grypotyphlops

Grypotyphlops acutus (beak-nosed blind snake)

Genus: Indotyphlops

Indotyphlops braminus (brahminy blind snake)

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Family: Uropeltidae (shieldtails)

Genus: Teretrurus

Teretrurus rhodogaster (Wall's shield tail)

Genus: Melanophidium

Melanophidium bilineatum (two-lined black shieldtail)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Melanophidium punctatum (Beddome's black shieldtail)

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  Illustration

Melanophidium wynaudense (Indian black earth snake)

Genus: Platyplectrurus

Platyplectrurus madurensis (Travancore Hills thorntail)

Platyplectrurus trilineatus (lined thorntail)

Genus: Plectrurus

Plectrurus aureus (Kerala burrowing snake)

Plectrurus guentheri (Günther's burrowing snake)

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  Illustration
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  Dorsal view

Plectrurus perrotetii (Nilgiri burrowing snake)

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  Dorsal view

Genus: Rhinophis

Rhinophis fergusonianus (Cardamom Hills earth snake)

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  Illustration

Rhinophis sanguineus (red-bellied shieldtail)

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  Illustration

Rhinophis travancoricus (Travancore shieldtail)

Genus: Teretrurus

Teretrurus sanguineus (purple-red earth snake)

Genus: Uropeltis

Uropeltis arcticeps (Thirunelveli earth snake)

Uropeltis beddomii (Beddome's earth snake)

Uropeltis ceylanica (Kerala shieldtail)

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  Illustration
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  Illustration

Uropeltis ellioti (Elliot's earth snake)

Uropeltis grandis (violet shieldtail)

Uropeltis liura (Günther's earth snake)

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  Illustration

Uropeltis macrorhyncha (Anaimalai earth snake)

Uropeltis maculata (spotted earth snake)

Uropeltis myhendrae (Boulenger's earth snake)

Uropeltis nitida (southern earth snake)

Uropeltis ocellata (Nilgiri shieldtail)

Uropeltis petersi (Peter's shieldtail)

Uropeltis pulneyensis (Palni shieldtail / പഴനിപ്പാമ്പ്)

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Uropeltis rubrolineata (red-lined shieldtail / കുങ്കുമവരയൻ പാമ്പ്)

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

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

Family: Viperidae (vipers)

Genus: Daboia

Daboia russelii (Russell's viper / അണലി)

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Genus: Echis

Echis carinatus (saw-scaled viper / ചുരുട്ടമണ്ഡലി)

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Genus: Hypnale

Hypnale hypnale (hump-nosed viper / മുഴമൂക്കൻ കുഴിമണ്ഡലി)

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Genus: Trimeresurus

Trimeresurus gramineus (bamboo pit viper / മുളമണ്ഡലി)

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

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Trimeresurus malabaricus (Malabar pit viper / ചോലമണ്ഡലി)

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Trimeresurus strigatus (horseshoe pit viper / ലാടമണ്ഡലി)

Family: Xenodermatidae (narrow-headed snakes)

Genus: Xylophis

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

Xylophis perroteti (Perrotet's mountain snake)

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

See also

• Wildlife of Kerala
• List of Odonata of Kerala
• List of butterflies of Kerala
• List of amphibians of Kerala
• List of birds of Kerala
• List of mammals of Kerala

References

• 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

• Reptile database
• Herpetology in South Asia

Media related to Reptiles of Kerala at Wikimedia Commons