Reptiles of Periyar Tiger Reserve Kerala

5 Pages·1997·3.8 MB·

by  V J Zacharias

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
575
(22) O. arnensis (Shaw): Two specimens was not seen in Phulwari ki Nal.
wereobservedunderstonesfromtwo differentsites.
ELAPIDAE
Family:
(23)AAmphiesma stolata (Linn ): Very (32) Bungarus caeruleus (Schneider):
common. mating pair was observed on 2nd
Common.
July, 1994, on a foot-path.
(33) Naja naja (Linn.): Locally called
Macropisthodon plumbicolor
(24)
(Schneider): Very common. Hatchlings appear ‘Nagin’, ‘Gogaji \ ‘Kala Hamp’ (samp) (‘s’ is
in rainy season. It is very common in forest pronounced as ‘h’ by natives). It is a sacred and
protected snake in the area. Nomadic kalbelias
nurseries and lives beneathpoly-bags containing
used to display it in cities and rural areas to earn
seedlings.
a living.
(25) Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider):
Family: VIPERIDAE
Very common, locally called ‘Hindu’ by bhils,
(34) Vipera russelli (Shaw): Uncommon.
and ‘Diwad’ by kathodies. During fish catching
(35) Echis carinatus (Schneider): Very
operation with specially made bamboo baskets,
common, locallycalled ‘Kankariwala’. Itprefers
this species of snake is also trapped along
open rocky areas.
with fishes by tribals. It is present in almost
Summary: 35 species ofreptiles containing
all the wells, nullahs, ponds, dams etc. of the
30 genera belonging to 17 families have been
area.
recorded from Phulwari Ki Nal Wildlife
(26) Elaphe Helena (Daudin): Common.
Sanctuary. After taking measurements, animals
(27) Ptyasmucosus (Linn.): Uncommon.
were released at the same site at whichtheywere
(28) Dendrelaphis tristis (Daudin):
captured.
Common. During summer it is seen on medium
sized Acacia leucophloea trees. Frequent in Acknowledgements
areas having vegetation in crown contect or
crown overlapping stages. One was seen I thank Dr. R.C. Sharma, Z.S.I. Jodhpur,
hibernating in a hole near a wooden post on the for identification of many of the snakes and
verandah ofa house. lizards. I am very grateful to Dr. A.K. Sanyal,
(29) Psammophis leithi Gunther: One Scientist, Z.S.I. Calcutta, for identification of
specimen was collected from a bush. ticks.
(30) Ahaetulla nasutus (Lacepeda):
Collected one from Dharawan Reserve Forest. January 7, 1996 SATISH KUMAR SHARMA
(31) Boiga trigonata (Schneider): Range Forest Officer,
&
Common. B. forstenii (Dum. Bibr.) though Aravalli Afforestation Project,
recorded inthe Mt. Abu areabyMcCann (1946) Jhadhol (F,j, Dist. Udaipur (Raj.), 313 702.
References
Me Cann, C. (1946): Rain comesto Abu hills.J. Bombay snake Ahaetulla nasutus at “Phulwari Ki Nal”
nat. Hist. Soc. 43: 641-657. Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan. J. Bombay nat.
Sharma, S.K. (1995): Presence of common green whip Hist. Soc. 92(1): 127.
REPTILES OF PERIYAR TIGER RESERVE, KERALA
22.
Forty-five species ofreptilesincludingtwo (in 5 families) have been recorded in Periyar
species oftestudines, (intwo families) 13 species Tiger Reserve. Seven species of lizard and 26
oflizards (in 4 families) and 30 species ofsnakes species of snakes have been collected, of which
6
1
576 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST SOCIETY, Vol 94 (1997)
Table
1
REPTILIA OF PER1YAR TIGER RESERVE
Scientific Name Common Name Status Habitat Distribution in India
Order TESTUDINES
Family Emydidae (Fresh water)
1. Melanochelys trijuga Terrapin Common Lake ThroughoutIndian subcontinent
(Schweigger)
Family Testudinidae (Land)
MD
2. Indotestudoforstenii Travancore Tortoise Uncommon Western Ghats
&
(Schlegel Muller)
SQUAMATA
Order
Sub order SAURIA(Lacertilia)
Family Gekkonidae
3. Cnemaspis indica (Gray) DwarfForest Gecko Common MD Western Ghats
4. C. kandiana (Kelaart) 99 99 SE India, Sri Lanka
5. Hemidactylus brooki Gray Spotted House Gecko Common MD Throughout Indian Subcontinent
—
6. H.frenatus Schlegel Southern House Gecko Uncommon 99
Family Agamidae
7 Calotes versicolor(Daudin) Garden Lizard Common MD 99
.
8 C.elliotti Gunther Spotted Tree Lizard Uncommon E/SE Western Ghats
.
9. C. rouxi Dum. & Bibr. Forest Calotes Rare SE Western Ghats
MD
10. C. calotes (Linnaeus) Green Callotes Uncommon 99
Draco dussumieri Dum. & Flying Lizard Common MD/SE S.W. Ghat Eastern India
1 .
Bibr. (Disjunct)
Family Scincidae Common MD Throughout subcontinent
\2.Mabuya carinata (Schneider) Common Skink Common MD/SE Western Ghats
— —
13.M beddomii (Jerdon) Uncommon Western Ghats, Sri Lanka
—
14.M macularia (Blyth) Uncoomon SE Throughout Indian subcontinent
Family Varanidae
15. Varanus bengalensis Monitor Lizard Common MD/SE Indian subcontinent
(Schneider)
Suborder SERPENTES (Ophidia)
Family Typhlopidae
Rhamphotyphlops
1 . braminus (Daudin) Common Worm-Snake Common MD Throughout Indian subcontinent
FamilyUropeltidae
17. Uropeltis elliotti (Gray) Elliot’s Uropelt Common SE/MD Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats.
18. U. ocellatus (Beddome) Anaimalai Uropelt Common E/SE Western Ghats
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 577
Table contd
1 ( .)
REPTILIA OF PERIYAR TIGER RESERVE
Scientific Name Common Name Status Habitat Distribution in India
— — — —
19 Plectiurusperroteti Dum.
.
&
Bibr.
Family Boidae
MD
20.Python molurus (Linnaeus) Indian Python Uncommon Throughout subcontinent
Family Colubridae
2 Elaphe helena (Daudin) Common Trinket Snake Uncommon MD Throughout subcontinent
1 .
22. Colubermucosus (Linn.) Rat Snake Uncommon MD/SE Throughout subcontinent
23.Oligodon amensis (Shaw) Common Kukri Snake Uncommon MD/SE Throughout subcontinent
—
24. 0. taeniolatus (Jerdon) Russel’s Kukri Snake Uncommon Western Ghats
25.Dendrelaphis tristis Common Indian —
Bronzeback Uncommon MD/SE
—
26. Chrysopelea omata (Shaw) Golden tree snake Uncommon MD/SE
—
27.Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus) Common WolfSnake Uncommon Throughout subcontinent
2%.Amphiesma stolata (Linne) Bufifstriped Keelback Common MD/SE 99
—
29.A. beddomiei Beddome’s Keelback Rare Western Ghats
30.A. monticola (Jerdon) Yellow Collared — —
Forest Keelback 99
3 .Macropisthodonplumbicolor Green Keelback Uncommon MD Throughout India
1
(Cantor)
32.Xenochrophispiscator Checkered Keelback Common Lake/ Throughout India, S.E. Asia.
(Schneider) Marsh
—
33 Xylophis stenorhynchus Striped Small-headed Uncommon South India
.
(Gunther) Snake
MD
34.Boiga dightoni (Boulenger) Dighton’s Cat Snake Uncommon S. Western Ghats
35.B. ceylonensis (Gunther) Ceylon Cat Snake Uncommon MD/SE Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats,
South Western Ghats
36.Ahaetullaperroteti Bronze-headed Whip Uncommon SE/MD Western Ghats
&
(Dum. Bibr.)
— — —
37.A. dispar (Gunther) 99
Family: Elapidae
MD
38.Bungarus caeruleus Common Krait Uncommon Throughout India
(Schneider)
39.Najanaja (Linn.) Indian Cobra Common E/MD Throughout Indian
subcontinent
40. Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor) King Cobra Rare E/SE S.W. Ghats, Sri Lanka,
S.E. Asia (Disjunct)
578 JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol 94 (1997)
,
Table contd
1 ( .)
REPTILIA OF PERIYAR TIGER RESERVE
Scientific Name Common Name Status Habitat Distribution in India
Family: Viperidae
41 . Vipera russeUi (Shaw) Russel’s Viper Uncommon MD/SE Throughout Indian subcontinent
42 Hypnale hypnale (Merrem) Humpnosed Pit Viper Uncommon MD/SE Western Ghats
.
43. Trimeresurus macrolepis
Beddome Largescaled Pit Viper Rare E/SE S. Western Ghats
44. T. malabaricus (Jerdon) Malabar Pit ^rper Rare E/SE Western Ghats
45. T. gramineus (Shaw) Bamboo Pitviper Uncommon E/SE S. Western Ghats
Abbreviations:
—
E Evergreen
—
MD
Moist Deciduous
—
SE Semi Evergreen
13 species ofsnakes are endemic to the Western Thoughit is calledaplateau, it consists ofa chain
m
Ghats. These include 4 species of pit vipers; of hills, separated by valleys, sometimes 300
viz. Trimeresurus macrolepis, T. malabaricus, deep. On the eastern and northern sides, along
m
gramineus and Hypnale hypnale. The King the Crestline at about 2000 elevation, runs the
T.
Cobra Ophiophagus Hannah also occurs in state boundary. The elevation drops to about
m
Periyar. 200 on the eastern side of the Crestline. The
According to the literature, a richfauna of Periyar plateau is drained by Mullayar and
reptiles occurred in Kerala (Boulenger 1892, Periyar rivers whichjoin together at Mullakudy,
1894, 1896, Ferguson 1895, 1903, Wall 1906,' formingthe Mullaperiyarriver. Periyar Lake was
Smith 1931-43, 1949, Hutton 1948, Whitaker formed by the construction of a dam across this
1978, Daniel 1983, Murthy 1981, 1990). Butvery river, in 1895. It has an area ofabout 26 sq. km.
little is known abouttheirpresent status. Reptiles Periyar has a humid climate with
in Kerala are threatened with poaching, wanton temperature varying from 15° - 31°C and an
killing and habitat destruction. average rainfall of2500 m. July has the heaviest
Periyar Tiger Reserve, a portion of the rainfall. November to January are cool, and
erstwhile Cardamom HillReserve, is situated on March and April are the hottest months.
the Western Ghats inthe Idukki district ofKerala Thefollowingtypes ofvegetation havebeen
N
between 9° 16' and 9° 40' lat. and from 76° 55' identified inthe reserve viz. the tropical evergreen
to 77° 25' long. It is bordered on the north by forest (305 sq. km), tropical semievergreen forest
Peermedu Taluk of the Idukki dist., in the west (275 sq. km), moistdeciduousforests (100 sq. km),
and southbyKottayam and Pathanamthitta dist., grasslands (12 sq. km), eucalyptus plantation (55
and in the northeast, east and southeast by sq. km), and reeds (5 sq. km). Savannah type
Madurai and Thirunelveli dist. of Tamil Nadu. vegetation occurs in several areas. The high hills
It has an area of 777 km. Altitude ranges from are covered with grasses.
700-2019 m and several peaks rise above 1600 Reptiles were collected from January-
5%
m. Theterrain is undulating. The Periyar Plateau December 1992-94, preserved in formaline,
has about 50 km width on the Western Ghats. and brought to the laboratory for identification.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 579
Two species oftestudines, Varanus, rat snake and ofbirds like the shikra Accipiter badius, while
King cobra were not collected. We also received Mabuya is preyed up on by the jungle cat Felis
dead snakes from local people, including tribals chaus and Varanus by the tiger.
and firewood collectors.
Forty-five species ofreptiles in 11 families Serpentes
were recorded in Periyar Tiger Reserve Thirtyspecies ofsnakes havebeenrecorded
(Table 1). from Periyar during this study. Of these 13
Testudines (Turtles and Tortoises) species are endemic to the Western Ghats. The
This group is representedby 2 species, the King cobra is rare in the Reserve.
pond terrapin Melanochelys trijuga and the
Travancore tortoise Indotestudo forstenii. The Acknowledgements
terrapin is often seenbasking on logs or rocks in
the lake. I am grateful to Mr. C. Radhakrishnan,
Deputy Director, Zoological Survey of India for
Lizards his help and to Mr. T.M. Manoharan, Chief
Thirteen species of lizards have been Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) for
recorded from Periyar. These include species - encouragement.
such as Cnemaspis indica, Calotes elliotti, C.
rouxi andMabuya beddomii which are endemic October 11, 1996 V.J. ZACHARIAS
tothe Western Ghats, andtheflying lizardDraco Dept, ofZoology
dussumieri an Indo-Malayan element in St. Joseph's College, Devagiri,
,
southern Western Ghats. Calotes is a majorprey Calicut-673 008, Kerala.
References
Boulenger, G.A. (1892): DescriptionofanewEarth Snake Pt. 1. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 48: 454-460.
from Travancore, Rhinophis travancoricus. Murthy, T.S.N. (1981): Reptiles ofthe Silent Valley and
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 7: 318. the New Amarambalam area Kerala. Snake 13:
Boulenger, G.A. (1894): Descriptionofanew snakefound 452.
in Travancore by Mr. Dighton PirmaadJ. Bombay Murthy, T.S.N. (1990): A Field Guide to the Lizards of
nat. Hist. Soc. 8: 528. the Western Ghats. Rec. Zool. Surv. India,
Boulenger, G.A. (1896): Descriptionofanewearthsnake Occasional paper 114.
from Travancore Rhinophis fergusonianus Smith, M.A. (1931-43): The FaunaofBritishIndia, Ceylon
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 10: 236. and Burma. Reptiles and Amphibia. Vols. I, II, III,
Daniel, J.C. (1983): TheBookofIndianReptiles, Bombay Taylor and Francis, London.
Natural History Society, Bombay. Smith, M.A. (1949): Anewspeciesof PitViperfrom South
Ferguson, H.S. (1895): ListofsnakestakeninTravancore India Trimeresurus huttoni. J. Bombay nat. Hist.
from 188^-95. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 10: 68- Soc. 48(3): 596.
77. Wall, F. (1905): Notes on Snakes collected in Cannanore
Ferguson, H.S. (1902): Travancore Snake.J. Bombaynat. from 5th November 1903 to 5th August 1904.
Hist. Soc. 14: 386-387. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 16: 292-312.
—
Hutton, A.F. (1948): Notes on the Snakes and Mammals Whitaker, R. (1978): Common Indian Snakes AField
oftheHighWavymountains. MaduraDistrictIndia, Guide, Macmillan Co. India Ltd, Mad.as.