139 

 3- Ablabes baliodirus (Boie). 



Coronella baliodeira^ Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 539- 

 Ablabes baliodirus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. II 1894, p. 283. 



Liopeltis baliodirus, Barbour, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. Coll. XLIV 

 1912, p. 118. 



Rostral more broad than deep, visible from above; nasal 

 divided; internasals shorter than the praefrontals; frontal longer 

 than its distance from the tip of the snout, shorter than the 

 parietals; loreal small; one or two prae- and two postoculars; 

 temporals I -+- 2; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering 

 the eye; four or five lower labials in contact with the anterior 

 chin-shields; latter as long as or shorter than the posterior. 



Fig. 56. Ablabes baliodirus (Boie). Nat. size. Side view of head. 



Scales in 13 rows, smooth; ventrals 115 137; anal divided; 

 subcaudals 42 75. 



Brown above, with or without small, black-edged, yellow 

 spots; sometimes with blackish transverse bands or two series 

 of large, alternate black spots anteriorly, or with two light, 

 dark-edged streaks along the body and another on the nape; 

 head sometimes yellowish; lips yellowish with black sutures. 

 Lower surface yellowish or coral-red, the outer ends of the 

 shields usually brown and sometimes with a black dot; lower 

 part of tail sometimes with a black median line. Length of 

 head and body 275 mm.; tail 125 mm. 



Habitat: Nias; Sumatra (Labuan, Deli!, Djambi!, Kerta- 

 djaja in Palembang, Manindjau!, Indrapura, Padang); Natuna 



