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{{Short description|Species of snake}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Nilgiri keelback
| image = Amphiesma beddomei head.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Srinivasulu, C. |author2=Srinivasulu, B. |author3=Vijayakumar, S.P. |author4=Jose, J. |author5=Kulkarni, N.U. |date=2016 |title=''Hebius beddomei'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T172628A96270673 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T172628A96270673.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Sahyadriophis
| species = beddomei
| authority = ([[Albert Günther|Günther]], 1864)
| synonyms =
* ''Tropidonotus beddomii'' <br/>{{small|Günther, 1864}}
* ''Natrix beddomei'' <br/>{{small|— [[Malcolm Arthur Smith|M.A. Smith]], 1943}}
* ''Amphiesma beddomei'' <br/>{{small|— [[:fr:Indraneil Das|Das]], 1996}}
* ''Hebius beddomei'' <br/>{{small|— [[Peng Guo (herpetologist)|Guo]] et al., 2014}}
| synonyms_ref =<ref name=RDB>{{NRDB species|genus=Hebius|species=beddomei|accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref>
}}

The '''Nilgiri keelback''' ('''''Sahyadriophis beddomei'''''), also known [[Common name|commonly]] as '''Beddome's keelback''', is a [[species]] of snake found in the [[Western Ghats]] in [[India]].<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> The species is named after [[Richard Henry Beddome]], 1830–1911, British army officer and [[naturalist]].<ref>[[Richard Allen "Bo" Crombet-Beolens|Beolens B]], [[Michael Watkins (zoologist)|Watkins M]], [[Michael Grayson|Grayson M]] (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. ( (''Amphiesma beddomei'') p. 21).</ref> It was first discovered near the [[Nilgiris (mountains)|Nilgiris]] but is now known more widely from the [[Western Ghats]]. This snake is [[Terrestrial animal|terrestrial]] and feeds on [[toad]]s.

==Description==
:''See [[snake scales]] for the terminology used''
The eye of ''S. beddomei'' is moderate in size, its diameter in the adult equaling its distance from the nostril. The rostral is just visible from above. The suture between the internasals is as long as that between the prefrontals. The frontal is larger than its distance from the end of the snout, a little shorter than the parietals. The loreal is as long as deep or deeper than long. There is one preocular, and there are three (rarely two) postoculars. The temporals are arranged 1+1 or 1+2. The upper labials number 8 or 9, third, fourth and fifth, or fourth, fifth, and sixth entering the eye. There are 5 lower labials in contact with the anterior chin shields. The anterior chin shields are shorter than the posterior chin shields.

The dorsal scales are in 19 rows at midbody, rather strongly keeled, the outer row however, perfectly smooth. The ventrals number 131-150. The anal scale is divided. The subcaudals number 65-75.

''S. beddomei'' is brown [[Dorsum (anatomy)|dorsally]], with a series of yellow spots, each between two black spots or short transverse bands, along each side of the back. The upper labials are yellowish with black sutures. There is a yellow, black-edged, oblique streak from the eye to the corner of the mouth. A yellow band across the nape, behind the parietals, becomes indistinct with age. The belly is white, closely dotted with brown on the sides.

The longest specimen measured by [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]] had a total length of {{convert|51|-|66|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}}, which included a tail {{convert|13|-|19|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} long.<ref>[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger GA]] (1893). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Colubridæ Aglyphæ, Part.''. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I -XXVIII. (''Tropidonotus beddomii'', pp. 252-253).</ref>

<gallery>
File:Bedomme's keelback.JPG|Beddome's keelback feeding on ''[[Duttaphrynus melanostictus]]''
File:Young Amphiesma beddomei.jpg|The young have a white patch on the nape
File:Amphiesma beddomei.jpg|An adult, without white patch on nape
</gallery>

==Habitat==
''S. beddomei'' is found in the [[tropical rainforest]]s and [[tropical moist forest]]s of the Nilgiri hills, at altitudes of {{convert|60|–|1,000|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" />

==Behavior==
Although not [[Aquatic animal|aquatic]], ''S. beddomei'' can be found actively hunting from dawn to dusk on [[stream]] banks or close to other bodies of water.<ref name="Das2002">[[:fr:Indraneil Das|Das I]] (2002). ''A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of India''. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-056-5}}. (''Amphiesma beddomei'', p. 17).</ref>

==Diet==
''S. beddomei'' eats mainly [[toad]]s.<ref name="Das2002"/>

==Reproduction==
''S. beddomei'' is [[Oviparity|oviparous]].<ref name=RDB/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons category|Amphiesma beddomei}}
* [[Albert Günther|Günther ACLG]] (1864). ''The Reptiles of British India''. London: The Ray Society. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xxvii + 452 pp. + Plates I-XXVI. (''Tropidonotus beddomii'' [sic], p. 269 + Plate XXII, fig. E). [http://www.strangeark.com/ebooks/IndiaHerps.pdf PDF] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051229232916/http://www.strangeark.com/ebooks/IndiaHerps.pdf |date=29 December 2005 }}
* [[Malcolm Arthur Smith|Smith MA]] (1943). ''The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes.'' London: The Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, Printers). xii + 583 pp. (''Natrix beddomei'', p. 306).

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2384401}}

[[Category:Natricinae]]
[[Category:Snakes of India]]
[[Category:Endemic fauna of the Western Ghats]]
[[Category:Endemic reptiles of India]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1864]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Albert Günther]]

Nilgiri keelback - Revision history

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