About Dipsina multimaculata (Smith, 1847)
Taxonomic Identification
Dipsina multimaculata (Smith, 1847) is a small snake with a distinct, pointed snout.
Adult Size
When fully grown, adults can reach a total length of 40 cm (15.8 inches), which includes a tail that measures 4.5 cm (1.8 inches) long.
Dorsal Base Coloration
On its dorsal side, this species is pale buff or sandy gray, with three to five rows of regularly spaced brown spots.
Vertebral Spot Shape
The spots along the vertebral row are broader than they are long.
Head Markings
A V-shaped brown marking is present on the posterior portion of the head, and a diagonal brown streak runs from behind the eye toward the corner of the mouth.
Ventral Coloration
The ventral side of the snake is whitish.
Dorsal Scale Arrangement
Its smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 17 rows.
Female Scale Counts
For female individuals, the number of ventrals ranges from 155 to 168, the anal plate is divided, and the paired divided subcaudals number from 31 to 40.
Geographic Distribution
This species occurs in southwestern Botswana, Namibia, and western and central South Africa.
