Adults are 35.5-61 cm in length. Stout with a wide neck and a sharply upturned snout. Usually has 25 rows of keeled dorsal scales.
The color pattern consists of a light brown, yellowish or grayish ground color, sometimes a reddish color, overlaid with a distinct row of dark blotches that alternate with smaller blotches on the flanks. The belly is distinctly darker in color than the underside of the tail in juveniles. As they age, the underside usually becomes a pale white.
