Dryocalamus gracilis

Scarce Bridle Snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Dryocalamus
Species:	D. gracilis
Binomial name
Dryocalamus gracilis (Günther, 1864)

Scarce Bridle Snake (Dryocalamus gracilis) is a species of snake found in South India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. In India, this species is known from the Anaimalai and Cuddapah Hills and Berhampur (Berhampore), Orissa (Sharma 2003). De Silva (1990) only states Jaffna as the known distribution of this species in Sri Lanka. Lastly, this species is known from False Island, off the Arakan coast of Myanmar. This species inhabits moist and dry forests. In Sri Lanka, its known habitat has been described as "monsoon scrub jungle". However, only two specimens have been reported in the last 120 years, the distribution may therefore have changed significantly since the original distribution was recorded. This species is also listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Scarce Bridle snake is so named because its slender body resembles the bridle used to control horses.

Threat

Habitat loss and degradation pose a threat to this species, as much of its habitat is threatened by agricultural and urban expansion. However, it is not known what impact these threats are having on the species, due to the lack of current records available for this species. There are no conservation measures in place for this species. Further research into the distribution, population, habitat status, and threats to this species should be carried out, and population monitoring is still to be done.

References

• Günther, A. 1864 The Reptiles of British India. London (Taylor & Francis), xxvii + 452 pp.

External links

• Dryocalamus gracilis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
• http://www.strangeark.com/ebooks/IndiaHerps.pdf