Wildlifeof India
Craspedocephalus macrolepis
Vipers
Photo: Gladwin John · CC BY-SA 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Craspedocephalus macrolepis
Basic stats
Habitat
Rainforest and tea, coffee and cardamom plantations, 1,200–2,695m
Range
Mountains of the southern Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Size
Total length up to 68cm
The large-scaled pit viper is a venomous pit viper endemic to the southern Western Ghats, found in the mountains south of the Palakkad Gap in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Adults may reach a total length of 68 cm. It is bright green above, with blackish skin between the scales in places, and a yellow or white stripe on each side along the first scale row (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is a high-elevation specialist, not normally recorded below 1,200 m, with precise records from Nelliyampathy, Munnar, Anaimalai, the Palni Hills, Meghamalai, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Agasthyamalai and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. It is a slow-moving, nocturnal snake that prefers rainforest and is also found in plantations. It uses its prehensile tail to hold onto branches and ambushes prey, relying on camouflage.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Craspedocephalus macrolepis live in?
- Rainforest and tea, coffee and cardamom plantations, 1,200–2,695m
- Where is the Craspedocephalus macrolepis found?
- Mountains of the southern Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
- How big is the Craspedocephalus macrolepis?
- Total length up to 68cm