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Characteristics: A small snake with a thick body and large head. It is easily confused with its close relative the Merrem's Hump-Nosed Viper (Hypnale hypnale) and specimens were misidentified for over a century until the two species were differentiated by Wall in 1908. This snake has a light brown colouration with dark brown or black spots.

Behaviour: Sluggish by day and active by night. It is a very lively creature by night and flees if it encounters a human. However it will boldly strike out if cornered and molested.

Food: Feeds mainly on lizards and lizard eggs. It may also consume frogs and small snakes if given the opportunity.

Breeding: Little known about its reproductive habits. It is viviparous and the brood size is usually under 5.

Growth: Little known. The smallest specimen of this species measured 158mm. The smallest known gravid female was 240mm long while the longest known specimen so far recorded measured 387mm.

Venom: Venom quite potent could prove fatal if the dose of venom delivered is high. Therefore medical assistance should be sought with immediate effect if bitten.

Identification: The row of small scales that separate the Frontal-Supraocular system from the Preocular system while distinguish it from other Sri Lankan snakes. Its more pronounced nasal hump and Postocular shield which is divided into three scales will distinguish it from H.hypnale.

Lepidosis:

• Rostro-Nasal System: This combined system forms a raised hump on which the nostrils are located laterally in the centre of the Nasal shield. The Intranasals are separated by a smaller scale and the entire system is more prominent than that of H.hypnale.
• Supraocular: Long, broad and slightly smaller than the Frontal.
• Parietals: Highly prominent and the largest shield on the head.
• Frontal: Broad and larger than the Supraoculars.
• Prefrontals: Separated from the Frontal-Supraocular system by a row of smaller scales. The amount of small scales are more numerous than H.hypnale.
• Loreal: Small and divided.
• Preoculars: Divided into three or four shields.
• Postoculars: Divided into three shields of which the top two are small and the lowest is the largest, touching the fourth pair of Supralabials.
• Temporals: Large and touch the fourth and fifth Supralabial pairs.
• Supralabials: Seven pairs of which the fourth pair is the largest. None touch the eye.
• Mental: Triangular with little lateral curvature.
• Infralabials: Three pairs of which the first is elongated and sharply curved inwards.
• Sublinguals: Divided Anterior pair highly prominent while the Posterior pair is obscure.
• Ventrals: Rounded 116 to 133 (males) 121 to 138 (females)
• Anal: Entire
• Subcaudals: Divided 29 to 39 (males) 27 to 34 (females)
• Costals: Vertebrals and Ultimate row marginally enlarged.

Dentition: (Data Pending)

Distribution: Endemic to Sri Lanka

Fairly common in the central hills. Specimens have been recorded from Kandy, Hakgalla, Madulkele and Ambewela. So far only few specimen has been recorded from the low country.

References:

WALL, Frank: Snakes of Ceylon (1921)