How to Identify the Buff Striped Keelback (Identification Guide)
A common South Asian snake with bold black-edged buff or olive stripes and prominent black-and-red bars behind the head.
Read the full Buff Striped Keelback encyclopedia entry →
Key identifying features
The buff striped keelback (Amphiesma stolatum) is identified by two prominent buff or pale yellow-orange stripes running down the length of an olive-brown to grayish-brown back, bordered by fine black flecking, along with striking black-and-orange or black-and-red vertical bars along the neck just behind the head in many individuals. The combination of longitudinal buff stripes and heavily keeled scales is distinctive.
Coloration & pattern
The body ground color is olive-brown, brownish-gray, or reddish-brown, with two broad, well-defined buff or golden-yellow stripes running the length of the body from behind the head to the tail. Fine black speckling or crossbars often occur between the stripes, and many individuals show bold black bars alternating with orange or reddish patches on the neck region, especially prominent in juveniles and during the breeding season.
Head, eyes & scales
The head is moderately distinct from the neck, olive to brownish with darker markings sometimes present near the eyes. Eyes are moderate sized with round pupils. Scales are strongly keeled, giving the body a rough, ridged texture that is easily felt and often visible even from a short distance, a defining trait of keelback snakes.
Size & body shape
Adults typically reach 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 inches), occasionally larger, with a moderately slender, cylindrical body and a tail of moderate length.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
This species is widespread across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and parts of China and Southeast Asia, inhabiting grasslands, agricultural fields, gardens, and areas near water. It is diurnal and commonly encountered in open habitats, including around human settlements, particularly after rains when it becomes highly active.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
The checkered keelback (Xenochrophis piscator) has a more checkerboard-like pattern of alternating dark blotches rather than clean longitudinal stripes. Other keelback species may show different stripe colors or patterns, such as green or olive tones without the buff striping. The bold buff stripes combined with the reddish-black neck barring in many individuals make the buff striped keelback relatively distinctive among common South Asian grassland snakes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main identifying feature of the buff striped keelback?
Two broad buff or golden-yellow stripes running the length of an olive-brown body, often paired with black-and-orange neck barring.
Is the buff striped keelback venomous?
It is considered a mildly rear-fanged species generally regarded as harmless to humans, though caution and proper identification are always advised.
Where is the buff striped keelback commonly found?
In grasslands, agricultural fields, and gardens across South and Southeast Asia, especially active after rains.
How does it differ from the checkered keelback?
The buff striped keelback has clean longitudinal stripes, while the checkered keelback shows a blotched, checkerboard-like pattern instead.
What texture do this snake's scales have?
Strongly keeled, giving the body a rough, ridged feel and appearance.
Buff Striped Keelback identified by the community
Recent Buff Striped Keelback specimens identified with Snake Identifier.
