Wildlifeof India
Captain's Wood Snake
Colubrid Snakes
Photo: (c) renjus box, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY (May be cropped or resized)
Xylophis captaini
Basic stats
Diet
Mainly earthworms
Habitat
Forest from sea level to 300m; burrows in leaf litter, humus and soil to 10cm
Range
Low altitudes of the western side of the southern Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap
Size
Up to 20cm total length
Captain's wood snake is a small, non-venomous snake of the family Pareidae, endemic to India. It has been recorded at low altitudes on the western side of the southern Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap. Its preferred habitat is forest from sea level to 300 m, though it has also been found in disturbed areas such as plantations. It does not exceed 20 cm in total length (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is nocturnal and burrows in leaf litter, humus and soil to a depth of about 10 cm. It preys mainly on earthworms and lays eggs. The Reptile Database lists Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Quick answers
- What does the Captain's Wood Snake eat?
- Mainly earthworms
- What habitat does the Captain's Wood Snake live in?
- Forest from sea level to 300m; burrows in leaf litter, humus and soil to 10cm
- Where is the Captain's Wood Snake found?
- Low altitudes of the western side of the southern Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap
- How big is the Captain's Wood Snake?
- Up to 20cm total length