About Boiga nuchalis (Günther, 1875)
Boiga nuchalis is a small to medium-sized snake with a moderately long tail, reaching a maximum total length of about 1.2 meters. When viewed from above, its somewhat ovoid head is distinct from the neck, and it has a rounded snout. It has large eyes with vertically elliptical pupils. Its dorsal coloration is deep rusty brown, marked with numerous prominent reddish brown cross bars. Its underside is creamy yellow, densely covered with fine brown spots. Its dorsal scales are smooth with single apical pits. The vertebral scale series is strongly enlarged, while ventral scales are laterally angulate. The standard dorsal scale count for this species is 21 (23) - 21 (23) - 15. This species occupies wet hill forest tracts, and is primarily found along the Western Ghats, from the Agasthyamalai, High Wavy Mountains, Anaimalai, Nilgiris, Waynad, Coorg, and Malnad region, through Goa and on to the Sahyadri range. It has recently also been recorded in the southern parts of the Eastern Ghats, in Tamil Nadu state, at Sirumalai, Shevaroys, Kolli Hills, Melagiri and BR Hills. It prefers low to mid-elevation hills between 300 and 1200 m above sea level, and occurs in tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forests. Like other cat snake species, it feeds especially on Calotes lizards, but will also eat tree frogs and geckos.
