Captain's wood snake

Captain's wood snake, also known commonly as Captain's xylophis, is a species of snake in the family Pareidae. The species is endemic to India.

Geographic range

The holotype of X. captaini is from Kanam, Kottayam district, in the state of Kerala and was found in 2000. Captain's wood snake has been recorded at low altitudes on the western side of the southern part of the Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of X. captaini is forest at altitudes from sea level to, but it has also been found in disturbed areas such as plantations.

Description

A small species of snake, X. captaini does not exceed in total length.

Behavior

X. captaini is nocturnal, and burrows in leaf litter, humus, and soil to a depth of. The species is non-venomous.

Diet

X. captaini preys predominantly on earthworms.

Reproduction

X. captaini is oviparous.

Etymology

The specific name, captaini, and the common names, Captain's wood snake and Captain's xylophis, are in honor of Indian herpetologist Ashok Captain for his work on Indian snakes.