Oligodon taeniolatus (Jerdon, 1853) Russell’s Kukri Snake	Diagnostic characters:
	Head slightly or not broader than neck; round pupil; tail short with pointed tip; scales smooth in 15 rows; 7 supra labials; 3, 4 touching the eye; 1 anterior temporal; ventrals feebly angulated laterally; markings o the head and back variable; head brown with black edged; pale brown with a series of thin black bands; four dark brown strips from head to tail. SVL: 400mm.
	Habit and Habitat:
	Terrestrial and burrower; active by day and night; also frequently seen at dusk; found in forest near human habitation.
	Diet:
	Feeds on reptile and amphibian eggs; young takes insects, grubs and spiders.
	Legal Protection:
	WL (P) A, 1972-Schedule IV.
	Conservation status and Threats:
	Not accessed. Rare. No serious threat observed.
	Distribution: Madhya Pradesh: Jabalpur and Hoshangabad. Elsewhere in India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and hills and plains of peninsular and northern India, western Himalayas. Elsewhere outside: Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka