කට කලු කටුස්සා/Black-cheek Lizard/Dark-lipped Lizard(Calotes nigrilabris)

An endemic lizard confine to submontane and montane areas of elevation 1000m and above. It is common in Horton plains national park. Hakgala, Nuwaraeliya and Peak wilderness. Black-cheek Lizard is an arboreal species and during the day time it feeds on insects, millipedes and also sometime on other smaller agamides like juvenile Rhino-horn Lizard and Pygmy Lizard (Somaweera R. & Somaweera N., 2009). As also seen in above picture, in Horton Plan National Park it is usually observed staying on Rhodondron arboreum zeylanicum [මහ රත් මල්] and Gorse[Ulex europaeus] flowers, which attract insects.  Anslem de Silva  noted that during the night they descend from trees and sleeping is done on grass blades (de Silva A., 2007)

de Silva A., 2007 - The diversity of Horton plains national park (with specieal reference to its herpetofauna)

Common Rough-side/දලව මැඩිල්ලා[Dalavamadilla] (Aspidura trachyprocta)

Common Rough-side is a non-venomous, nocturnal and subfossorial snake known from mid hills to higher hills (750 - 2100m a.s.l). It feeds mainly on earth worms and grubs. Common in Horton plains national park.

Sand Lizard/Fan-throat Lizard (Sitana ponticeriana)

Sand Lizard is a ground dwelling reptile inhabiting sand dunes and open scrublands in the coastal areas around the island. But it is much common in arid North, Northwestern and southern parts. It feeds mainly on insects such as ants, termites, beetles etc.  It is capable of running on its hind legs with considerable speed with its tail raised. Sand Lizard active mainly during early hours of the day and again in the evening. During heated hours of noon it is less active and stay in shady areas or in natural burrows. 

Note: Sitana species inhabiting dry coastal areas of the southeastern Sri Lanka is now considered as a separate endemic species identified as Sitana bahiri while its northern congener Sitana devakai confine to the drier coastal areas of north and northwestern parts of the island.Therefor this individual lizard photographed at Bundala Nationa Park can be considered as a Sitana bahiri.

බහිර්ගේ තැලි කටුස්සා/Bahir's Fan-Throated Lizard (Sitana bahiri)

Bahir's Fan-Throated Lizard is highly territorial lizard and before combat and prior to mating, male extend and stretch it's throat-fans very quickly. Also swivel its head and open its dark blue color mouth in a threat pose to its male opponents. It feeds on insects such as dragonflies, caterpillars and butterflies as well as tiny crabs.

References:
Amarasinghe, A.A.T., Ineich I., Karunarathna D.M.S.S., Madhava W., Botejue S. & Campbell P.D., 2015 Two new species of the genus Sitana Cuvier, 1829 (Reptilia: Agamidae) from Sri Lanka, including a taxonomic revision of the Indian Sitana species, Zootaxa 3915(1): 67-98

Whistling Lizard/Forest Lizard(Calotes liolepis)

An endemic lizard distributed in South-Western wet lowlands, sub-montane areas and few isolated places of dry lowlands (Such as Nilgala,Ritigala, Monaragala, Yala etc.). It is highly arboreal species and inhabits shaded areas of forests, well wooded home gardens and plantations. Whistling lizard has an unusual habit of uttering a high pitched whistling sound when alarmed. Hence its vernacular name.  It feeds mainly on insects.  

ගැරඩියා/කහ ගැරඩියා/Garadiya/Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa)

Rat snake is the second largest snake in the country with some specimens observed with 3000mm long while many exceed 2400mm in length (de Silva, Anslem & Jinasena Jayantha 2009). It is a widely distributed snake from sea level to higher hills including some off-shore islands in Jaffna peninsula (Somaweera R., 2006) while common in the low country and foot hills.  It is mostly living in anthropogenic habitats like home gardens, plantations and paddy fields since its main food frogs, toads and rats are abundant in such places. Other than that it feeds on lizards, birds, snakes, palm squirrels, bats etc.  Rat snake is active during the day time and it is mainly a terrestrial snake though usually climbs trees and roofs in search of its prey.  It is a non-venomous snake though may bite savagely when cornered. Its usual defense habit is raise its fore body and hissing like a cobra while sometime also produces a deep long groaning sound.  Rat snake ‘dances’ with two snakes raise their heads from the ground and bodies coiled around each other are often observed as shown in above picture too. It was earlier believed that it is a courtship dance of a male and a female but it is a combat dance by the males (de Silva, P.H.D.H, 1980) . Female rat snake lays 5-10 eggs in a termite mound and stays with the eggs coil herself around them.

Merrem’s Hump-nosed Pit Viper/පොලොන්තෙලිස්සා/කුණකටුව/ගැට පොලගා[Polon Thelissa/Kunakatuwa/Gata Polaga] (Hypnale hypnale)

Common venomous terrestrial snake found in anthropological habitats and plantations (Especially tea, coconut and rubber plantations) from coastal areas up to about 600m of the central hills. More abundant in the south-western wet zone than in the northern and eastern dry lands. However it appears to be absent in undisturbed forests in Sri Lanka.  It is a nocturnal snake and during the day time rest under stones, logs and among leaf litter sometime with its head keep at an angle of 45 degrees to its body resembling a dry leaf. When  disturbed it flattened its body, forms it into ‘S’ shaped loops, often vibrates the tail and lashed out. Rapid tongue protrusion has been observed too.  It preys on skinks, shrews, geckos, frogs and rodents. Instances of feeding on reptile eggs and snakes are also observed. Merrem’s Hump-nosed Viper is responsible for the highest incidents of snake bites in Sri Lanka (~27%) with occasional fatalities though its venom is considered as moderate.

කබර රදනකයා(Kabara Radanakaya)/ඉරි කරවලා(Iri karawala)/Shaw’s Wolf Snake/ (Lycodon striatus)

Shaw’s Wolf Snake is a small (100-400mm) terrestrial and nocturnal snake distributed mostly in wet zone though occurs rarely also in intermediate and dry zone areas. It is a non venomous and inoffensive snake, which balls itself and hides its head underneath these coils (See right bottom picture) when disturbed.  It preys mainly on geckos and skinks during the night and stay under decaying logs, loose soil, earth cracks and leaf litter during the day time. Parental care of eggs is observed among these snakes and it lays 2-3 eggs.

Common Lanka Skink (Lankascincus fallax)

Rather common skink widely distributed throughout the country from sea level to about 1050 m altitude in all climatic zones. It can be found among leaf litters or under logs and stones during the night and become active in the morning and evening. It is said that Common Lanka Skink forages in morning around 7.30 and in the evening around 5- 6 Pm on insects (Das, I. & De Silva, A., 2005). Throat color of male varies from blackish to reddish during the breeding season and always has some white spots on the throat. This skink can be easily distinguished from other member of the genus Lankascincus by having fused frontoparietals instead of distinct divided frontoparietals of others.

පිඹුරා[Pimbura]/Indian Rock Python (Python molurus molurus)

Indian Rock Python is the largest snake in Sri Lanka (with average length of an adult about 3 meters while 4.6m being the longest record (de Silva Anslem, 2009)) inhabiting varies ecosystems from tropical rain forests to coastal scrub lands throughout the country.  It has been also recorded from an off-shore island near Trincomalee and from the Horton plains (Somaweera R., 2006). It is mostly active during the night though diurnal activities are also recorded especially during rainy season. Even though it is terrestrial snake arboreal and aquatic habits have been also observed. Indian Rock Python feeds on warm-blooded animals from rodents to adult deer and also monitor lizards and even frogs. There are records of Rock Python preying on leopards and occasional human too. The female python deposit 10-50 eggs inside a rock cave or large tree hole and incubates by coiling around them. It is threatened by skin-trade and also consuming of flesh for medicinal purposes. Rock Python is a non-venomous snake though its bite can cause severe wounds. 

නයා/නාගයා[Naya/Nagaya]/Spectacled Cobra/Indian Cobra(Naja naja)

Cobra is a highly venomous snake that is accountable for large number of human mortalities annually. It is diurnal and terrestrial in habits though some nocturnal activities are also known. However it may climb trees in search of prey and also can swim well.  It inhabits forests, plantations, paddy fields etc. most of the time close to human habitations. It feeds basically on rodents and varies other small animals (Rats, lizards, other snakes, frogs, birds and their eggs, etc). It is also cannibalistic. In Sri Lanka Cobra is common in all over the island except in higher hills. It has neurotoxic venom.

Common Skink (Eutropis carinata lankae)

Common Skink  is a common lizard found in home gardens, plantations and open areas from lowlands to about 1000m a.s.l. It is the largest Eutropis species of the Sri Lanka. It is diurnal and terrestrial in habits and feeds on grasshoppers, beetles, earth worms and sometime even on small frogs and reptiles. It can be usually seen basking on rocks and walls sometime as pairs. 

හැළ කිඹුලා[Hala Kimbula]/Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)

Mugger crocodile is a freshwater crocodile inhabiting tanks, rivers, villus, reservoirs and also sometime in saltpans of dry lowlands.  Mugger Juveniles feeds on insects and small vertebrates such as fish and frogs while adults hunt mammals as large as deer as well as small mammals, water birds, fish, turtles, snakes etc. It is said that when capturing fishes it remains with its jaws open until one swims by and then seize with a snap (Deraniyagala P.E.P. 1939). Occasionally it attacks humans. It aestivate in the jungle during the drought until rainy season comes. It is estimated that total population of Mugger in Sri Lanka is perhaps around 1200 individuals (Das Indraneil and de Silva Anslem 2005)

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

කිරි ඉබ්බා/අළු ඉබ්බා/දිය කුකුලා[Kiri Ibba/Alu Ibba/Diya kukula]/Flapshell Turtle (Lissemys punctata)

Kiri Ibba is a common turtle from lowlands to mid hills up to about 1200m. It inhabits paddy fields, rivers, salt marshes, tanks, ponds and even canals in some urban areas. It feeds on frogs, fish, crabs, snails, worms, insects and water plants. Flapshell turtle also scavenges on dead animals. One of the major threats to it in Sri Lanka is killing large numbers for food.

තලගොයා[Thalagoya]/Land Monitor(Varanus bengalensis)

Land monitor is widely distributed throughout the country from sea level to mid hills up to about 500m a.s.l. It is diurnal and usually active after having got it body temperature up by basking in the morning. It spends the night in tree holes, crevices and even in the ceilings of the houses. Juveniles mainly feed on insects while adults prey on frogs, small mammals (rats, squirrels), snails, insects, grubs, crabs, eggs, etc. Its flesh is a delicacy among indigenous Vedda people. Also other jungle villagers hunt these lizards for its flesh which is believed to be easy to digest and hence good for pregnant women and invalids. Fighting among males during breeding season take place in ‘bipedal fashion’ can be occurred and it is believed that they probably breed all the year round and lays 10-30 eggs in a burrow in the ground, in termite mounds or inside decaying logs.

ගල් ඉබ්බා[Gal ibba]/Black Turtle (Melanochelys trijuga)

Two subspecies occurs in the island

1)        Melanochelys trijuga parkeri (Parker’s Black Turtle) – Larger than Spotted Black turtle with more dark shell and uniform olive brown head (or sometime spotted with orange).  It is restricted to Northern areas of the country.

2)        Melanochelys trijuga thermalis (Spotted Black Turtle) – Head spotted with red orange or pink. Widespread in lowland wet and dry zones up to elevation of about 4200ft a.s.l.

Both subspecies are omnivorous and act as a scavenger.  It inhabits still water bodies with aquatic vegetations and spend many hours basking during the day time and forages at night.

Rough – horn Lizard (Ceratophora aspera)

Endemic and endangered lizard lives in lowland and submontane Dipterocarp forests of the wet zone. Rough – horn Lizard  is a ground dwelling and slow moving lizard which inhabits leaflitter of the shaded forests, usually as pairs. 

Spotted House Gecko (Hemidactylus parvimaculatus)

A common house gecko distributed throughout the country excluding higher altitudes.  It can be distinguished from other species of the genus by 3 longitudinal rows of irregular dark brown spots which are smaller than eye and broken brown lateral band extending from snout to ear.  Dorsal surface of the body got tubercles. It prey on insects and also rice and such man-made foods. Cannibalism has been observed among them and territorial fighting are also common where aggregation of more individuals are occurred such as lampposts where insects are abundant during the night. However it is usually found as pairs or sometime as small groups. 

පඳුරු හාල්දණ්ඩා[Paduru Haaldanda]/Boulenger’s Bronze-back (Dendrelaphis bifrenalis)

Diurnal and non-venomous snake recorded from  wet and intermediate zones of lowlands to mid hills. However there are references of finding it from Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Trincomalee of northern dry zone*. Arboreal and feeds on frogs, geckos, skinks and agamid lizards. Sometimes descends to the ground and it is said that when moving on the ground it has a habit of keeping its head and part of fore body erect(Snakes of Sri Lanka A coloured atlas – Anslem de silva & jayantha Jinasena - 2009). This picture of Boulenger’s bronze-back devouring probably a Spotted tree frog was taken in a shrub jungle of Ambagaspitiya of Gampaha district.

* Though Anslem de Silva (Snakes of Sri Lanka A coloured atlas – Anslem de silva & jayantha Jinasena - 2009) has given Wall (1921) as the reference for its distribution in Mulativu and Vavuniya there is not such a mentioning in Frank Wall’s Snakes of Ceylon(1921) page 218 where distribution of Dendrelaphis bifrenalis only includes Punagalla, Yatiyantota, Balangoda and Galle. 

ඇහැටුල්ලා[Ahatulla]/ Green vine snake (Ahaetulla nasuta)

Mildly venomous snake of gardens, forests, scrublands, cultivation etc. from lowlands to about 1000 m a.s.l of the hill country.  Arboreal and diurnal. It preys on lizards, frogs, small mammals, and birds. There are records of even tadpoles, fishes and other snakes in its diet (Sri Lankawe Sarpayan – Ruchira Somaweera 2006) 

Kabaragoya/Water Monitor (Varanus salvator)

Common lizard of wet lands such as mangroves, tanks, paddy fields, canals and also streams in forests of all climatic zones from coasts to mid hills.  But Deraniyagala mentioned that Water monitor is absent in areas subject to drought that are frequented by wild boar which prey upon it (A Colored atlas of some vertebrates from Ceylon – Tetrapod reptilia Vol 2 -1953). He also indicated that it is unknown from south-east part of the country from Hambegamuwa to Tissamaharama. However recent researches on distribution of this lizard suggested that it is present in that area excluding Yala National Park [Probably due to the high abundance of crocodiles] but very rare (Lizards of Sri Lanka – Ruchira Somaweera 2009). It is mainly a scavenger and feed on carrions, fishes, crabs, eggs of water birds, turtles and crocodiles, birds, small mammals, snakes etc.