Ceratophora karu

The specific name, karu, is in honor of Sri Lankan zoologist G. Punchi Banda "Karu" Karunaratne (1930–1996).^[4][5]

C. karu is known only from Morning Side Forest Reserve and three nearby unprotected localities in Sri Lanka.^[2]

The preferred natural habitat of C. karu is well-shaded forest at elevations of 1,000–1,100 metres (3,300–3,600 ft), but it has also been found in cardamom plantations with forest overstory.^[2]

The head of C. karu is oval, and is longer than wide.^{[citation needed]} The rostral appendage comprises more scales than the rostral scale alone.^[4] The scales are triangular, smooth or weakly keeled. The length of the rostral appendage is less than eye-nostril distance. There are prominent superciliary scales. There is a backward-pointing V-shaped ridge at the back of the forehead. The dorsal scales are larger than the scales on the flanks. The lamellae under the fourth toe number 14–17.^{[citation needed]}

The dorsum is dark black-brown, and the flanks are brown or olive-green. Some specimens have bright orange-red patches on the supralabials. The throat and venter are buff or dirty white to yellowish-brown with small black patches.^{[citation needed]}

C. karu is oviparous.^[4] Two eggs are laid at a time,^[2] each measuring 8.6 mm x 5.0 mm (0.34 in x 0.2 in).^{[citation needed]}