 was photographed in the Ubeshwar wildlife area of Udaipur, Rajasthan.jpg)
Laudankia Vine Snake (Ahaetulla laudankia)
was photographed in the Ubeshwar wildlife area of Udaipur, Rajasthan
¨
Laudankia Vine Snake
(Ahaetulla laudankia) was photographed in the Ubeshwar wildlife area of
Udaipur, Rajasthan.
¨
The sighting was recorded
by wildlife photographer Rohit Dwivedi with guidance from Sharad Agrawal and
Deepal Kalra.
¨
Ahaetulla laudankia was
scientifically described in 2019.
¨
The species is endemic to
India.
¨
It belongs to the vine
snake group.
¨
The snake has a slender,
elongated body adapted for arboreal (tree-dwelling) life.
¨
It has a chestnut-brown
body with fine black speckles and pale white patches on the lower part of the
head.
¨
Its length generally
ranges from 80 cm to 1.5 metres.
¨
It is a diurnal species,
meaning it is active during the daytime.
¨
The species inhabits dry
deciduous forests, scrublands, and hill slopes.
¨
It is arboreal, spending
most of its time on trees and shrubs.
¨
It is mildly venomous and
rear-fanged, using its venom mainly to subdue small prey.
¨
This is the first
recorded sighting of the species in the Udaipur region in nearly 30 years.
¨ The previous known record
from Udaipur was made by Dr. Satish Sharma, a retired Rajasthan Forest Service
officer and wildlife expert.
¨ The Ubeshwar area is part
of the Aravalli landscape, which is known for its rich biodiversity.
¨ Rear-fanged snakes deliver venom through enlarged teeth located at the back of the mouth.
¨ Diurnal animals are those that remain active during daylight hours.
