Material Examined : 16 adults and 4 sub-adults.

Description & Scalation : Head triangular, distinctly broader than neck; scales on upper surface of head small, subimbricate, smooth. Eye with vertical pupil. Heat sensing pits between nostrils and eye. Internasals larger than adjacent scales on the upper surface of head, separated by a single scale; supraoculars entire ( never broken up ), broader than adjacent scales, 9-12 scales on a line between them; 3 postoculars; temporals keeled or almost smooth. Scales strongly keeled in 23 to 25 : 23 or 25 : 17 or 19 rows, ( 21:21:15 ) in one specimen; supralabials 10-12, first completely or partly united with nasal; two or three rows of small scales between elongate subocular and supralabials; infralabials 12-14; ventrals 172-185; subcaudals 52-71, paired; tail short, prehensile; anal entire, ( divided in single specimen ).

Coloration : 10 color forms seen, few common forms are,

1. Uniform light brown above, with some scales dark brown. Creamish below, tail underside mottled with brown.
2. Uniform redish-brown above. Creamish-yellow below, with dark brown unequal spots.
3. Dark chocolate or blackish above, with some scales white on the sides of the body. Underside glossy, chocolate brown, with unequal, bold white bars.
4. Creamish-brown above, boldly marked darker brown, mosaic like pattern. Markings scattered throughout, lip and belly scales pale yellowish-brown. Underside has large, dark brown squarish marks. Tail has darker spots, both above and below.

Natural History : Nocturnal and terrestrial, rarely seen on lower bush ( except in heavy rains ). Mostly active after rains, usually found on forest floor, forest tracks, gardens and few times crossing roads. According to local inhabitants this species is seen on the same place every night for few weeks, unless and until it gets disturbed. Mainly feeds on frogs and small rodents. Bears live young. A uniform yellowish-brown female from near Port Blair gave birth to five young in April, after 10 months in captivity. The young varied from uniform dark brown to blotched and speckled pattern of light brown. Alert at night, usually vibrates its tail if alarmed and will bite if provoked or stepped on. The black form is more aggresive and strikes with lightning speed. No deaths have been recorded from the bite by this species in Andamans. Grows up to 1.10m.

Distribution - India : Endemic to Andaman and Little Andaman also Car Nicobar Islands. Common in Andamans, uncommon in Car Nicobar.

External link : http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Trimeresurus&species=andersonii