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Chameleon

Family CHAMAELEONIDAE

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 Family TYPHLOPIDAE

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Family UROPELTIDAE

Pipe snake

Family CYLINDROPHIIDAE

Wart snake

Family ACROCORDIDAE

Boas 

Family BOIDAE

Pythons

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 Family ELAPIDAE

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Contact

 

Ruchira Somaweera

 

School of Biological Sciences,

The University of Sydney,

NSW 2006,

Australia.

 

Department of Zoology,

Faculty of Science,

University of Peradeniya,

Peradeniya,

Sri Lanka.

 

 

Personal email ruchira.somaweera@gmail.com

 

A guide to the Reptiles of Sri Lanka - SriLankaReptile.co

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Me playing with a cobra

Hi,

 

I’m Ruchira, an academic staff member at the Department of Zoology at University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and currently reading for my PhD under Prof. Rick Shine at University of Sydney, Australia.

 

In general, me and my wife (Nilu) are interested on herpetology, wildlife conservation, behavioral ecology and conservation biology but my specific fields of research interest are the study of local distributional patterns of gekkonid lizards, the structure and assemblage of snake communities, the behavioral ecology of snakes, the reproduction strategies in geckos and the herpetological biodiversity in protected areas. Currently we are working on a new book which will be out pretty soon (hopefully)!

 

- Ruchira   

 
 

			

			
			My herpetology related publications 

			
 

			

			
			Refereed publications 

			

			Smith, E.N., 
			Manamendra-Arachchi, K. & Somaweera, R. (in review). A new species 
			of coralsnake of the genus CalliophisCobra bite in 2005 (Squamata: Elapidae) 
			from the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa. 
			

			

			Somaweera, R. 
			(in review). Observations on the reproductive ecology of the Kandyan 
			Day Gecko Cnemaspis kandiana in Gannoruwa Reserve, Sri Lanka.
			Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka.

			

			 

			

			
			Short 
			communications

			

			
			Somaweera, R., Ukuwela, K. 
			& Alagoda, T. 2006.  A note on 
			specimens of Gerarda prevostiana (Coubridae: Serpentes) 
			collected from Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.)
			35(1): 91-93. (download 
			pdf)

			

			
			Somaweera, R. 2006. A strange defensive posture 
			displayed by Kaloula taprobanica (Microhylidae: Amphibia). 
			Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 103(1): 
			108-109. 

			

			       
			(download 
			pdf)

			

			 

			

			
			Abstracts

			

			Wickramasinghe, M. & 
			Somaweera, R. 2006. Geckos on the move : how humans have influenced 
			the distribution of Hemidactylus geckos in Sri Lanka. 
			Abstract of the International Conference on Humid Tropical 
			Ecosystems: Changes, Challenges & Opportunities : 28. 
			
			
			(download 
			pdf)

			

			Somaweera, R. & De 
			Silva, M. 2006. Communal egg-laying of the endemic Kandyan day-gecko 
			(Cnemaspis kandiana) in rock caves at Gannoruwa forest 
			reserve, Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the Peradeniya University 
			Research Session, Sri Lanka, November 30, 2006 : 125. 
			 (download 
			pdf)

			

			Somaweera, R. & 
			Ukuwela, K. 2001. A comparison of amphibian diversity in Kandyan 
			home garden agro-ecosystems of central Sri Lanka. Abstracts of 
			the 4th World Congress in Herpetology : 109-110.
			

			

			Bambaradeniya, C.N.B., 
			Ekanayake, S.P., Fernando, R.H.S.S., Somaweera, R. & Perera, N. 
			2001. Biodiversity of the Bundala National Park and Ramsar wetland.
			Proceedings of the 7th Annual Forestry and Environment 
			Symposium 2001 : 50. 

			

			
			 

			

			
			Popular publications

			

			Somaweera, R. & 
			Peiris, P. (in review). Treatment of Ulcerative Stomatitis (“Mouth 
			rot”) in reptiles using a commonly available antibiotic cream.
			Sri Lanka Naturalist.

			

			Wickramasinghe, M. & 
			Somaweera, R. (in press). Changes in the distribution ranges of the 
			Sri Lankan Hemidactylus species. Gekko. 
			

			

			
			Somaweera, R. 2005. 
			A 
			record of a Parker’s Black Turtle Melanochelys trijuga parkeri 
			from the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Newsletter of the South 
			Asian Reptile Network. No. 7 Aug 2005: 06. 
			
			(download 
			pdf) 
			

			

			
			Somaweera, R. 2005. 
			First 
			record of a Sparrasid Spider preying on an Agamid Lizard (Calotes 
			calotes) in Sri Lanka. 
			
			Newsletter of the South Asian Reptile Network. 
			No. 7 
			Aug 2005: 12. 
			
			(download 
			pdf) 
			

			

			Somaweera, R. 2004. 
			A bark gecko (Hemidactylus leschenaultii) preying on a wolf 
			snake (Lycodon striatus sinhaleyus). Gekko 4(2): 
			8-10. 
			
			(download 
			pdf)

			

			Somaweera, R. 2004. 
			The Sri Lankan Colubrid snakes. Sri Lanka Naturalist, 6(3&4): 
			32-46. 
			
			(download 
			pdf in rar format) 

			

			Somaweera, R., 
			Wijayamohan, S., Vandercone, R., Wijesundara, C. & Santiapillai, C. 
			2004. Discovery of crocodiles on Mannar  island, Sri Lanka. IUCN 
			Crocodile specialist group newsletter 23(3): 10-11.
			
			
			(download 
			pdf)
			

			

			Somaweera, R., 
			Sarathchandra, K., Karunaratne, S. & Nuwansiri, C. 2004. A study on 
			the avifauna and herpetofauna of Panama, Eastern Province, Sri 
			Lanka. Sri Lanka Naturalist 6(1&2): 1-9. 
			
			
			(download 
			pdf in rar format) 

			

			Wickramasinghe, M.& 
			Somaweera, R. 2003. Distribution and current status of the endemic 
			geckos of Sri Lanka. Gekko 3(1): 2-13. 
			
			(download 
			pdf) 
			

			

			Somaweera, R. 2002. 
			Amphibian composition of Haputale range, Intermediate zone, Sri 
			Lanka: some preliminary findings. Sri Lanka Naturalist 5(1): 
			1-5. 

			

			Somaweera, R., 
			Ukuwela, K. & Karunaratne, S. 2001. Menikdena: a local 
			herpetofauna HOTSPOT. Occasional papers of the  Amphibian and 
			Reptile Research Organization of Sri Lanka : 8. 

			

			Somaweera, R. & 
			Ukuwela, K. 2001. The amphibian fauna of Menikdena Archaeological 
			Reserve and Arboretum, Sri Lanka. Lyriocephalus 4(1&2): 
			110-115. 

			

			Somaweera, R. & 
			Ukuwela, K. 2001. Amphibian diversity of home garden eco-systems in 
			Ampitiya, Sri Lanka: preliminary findings. Lyriocephalus 4(1&2): 
			107-109. 

			

			Somaweera, R., 
			Karunaratne, S. & Ukuwela, K. 2001. The Kandyan tetrapod herps. 
			Loris 22(6): 3-10. 

			

			 

			

			
			Reports & Books

			

			Somaweera, R. & 
			Somaweera, N. (in preparation) Sri Lankan Lizards: A colour guide 
			with field keys. Chaimaira publications, Germany.

			

			Somaweera, R. 2006.
			Sri Lankawe Sarpayin (‘The Snakes of Sri Lanka’). Wildlife 
			Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka: 297. 
			
			(More 
			information) 

			

			Somaweera, R., 
			Gunaratne, N., Muthuliyana, N. & Sooriyampola, P. 2006. Booklet 
			series on Herpetofauna and Ichthyofauna of Kanneliya Forest Reserve. 
			Sri Lanka Forest Department. 

			

			Somaweera, R. 2006. 
			Communal egg-laying of the endemic Kandyan day-gecko (Cnemaspis 
			kandiana) in rock caves at Gannoruwa forest reserve, Sri Lanka. 
			Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya (BSc research 
			dissertation). 

			

			Bambaradeniya, C.N.B., 
			Ekanayake, S.P., Fernando, R.H.S.S., Perera, N. & Somaweera, R. 
			2002. A Biodiversity Status Profile of Bundala National Park- A 
			Ramsar wetland in Sri Lanka. Occasional papers of IUCN Sri 
			Lanka. No. 2, November 2002. 
			
			(download 
			pdf) 
			

			

			Somaweera, R. 
			(Contributor) 2000. CAMP (Conservation, Management & Assessment 
			Programme) report on Amphibians and Reptiles of Sri Lanka. 
			Conservation Breeding Specialist Group of Sri Lanka : 217. 
			

			

			 

			

			
			Online articles 

			

			Smith, E., 
			Manamendra-Arachchi, K & Somaweera, R. 2006. 
			Calliophis melanurus sinhaleyus

			

			
			
			http://www.redtox.org/RT2/servlet/CtrlInteriorSec?clv=10215&tipo=s

			

			Santiapillai, C., 
			Wijeyamohan, S., Vandercone, R. & Somaweera, R. 2004. Crocodiles 
			of Sri Lanka. 

			

			
			http://www.manrecap.com/crocodiles.html

			

			 

			

			
			Posters 

			

			Somaweera, R. 2008.
			“Alien Vs Predator” – a case study of helping snakes by helping 
			people around a tropical forest in Hantana, Sri Lanka. 
			Proceedings of the ATBC confenece “Towards sustainable land-use in 
			tropical Asia”, Kuching, Malaysia.

			

			Somaweera, R. 2007.
			Climatic Change, Habitat Loss or mere Over-killing? What causes 
			the extinction of Sri Lankan snakes? Proceedings of the Student 
			Conference on Conservation Science, University of Cambridge : 42

			

			 

			

             

            

            Links 
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            My sites 

            
            

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            personal 
            sites 

            
            

            Other  related organizations
            

            
            

            Article requests 

            
            

            Databases/ Picture collections  

            
            

             

            
 

        

          
            

              
              

                 

        

          
            

			
			© Ruchira Somaweera (Department of Zoology, University of 
			Peradeniya, Sri Lanka) – 2004.   Last update on 30 May 
			2008.