Keelback Snake

Description:

Variable colouring but typically various shades of grey, brown or olive with irregular, broken cross-bands or flecks of darker brown and flecks of paler creamy colour. Belly surfaces cream or pale rusty colour with dark scale edges. Feature is each scale has a distinct raised longitudinal ridge or ‘keel’, giving the whole snake an appearance of parallel ridges down length of body. Assumably confused with the highly venomous Rough-scaled Snake (Tropidechis carinatus) which lacks a loreal scale and whose keeling of the scales is less defined. Midbody scales at 15 (rarely 17) rows. On average the length is around 60cm but 80cm specimens have been recorded.

Habitat:

Common in moist localities within wet and dry forest environments. Persists along riparian margins and associated drainage lines well into farmland and suburban localities. Found throughout moist suburbs or areas where creeks and drainage lines, both natural and unnatural, persist. Often found in high numbers in suitable localities especially in the vicinity of marsh or dam habitats