Scales keeled. Glossy olive green, olive brown, yellow, brown, grey or black, with a checkered body pattern. Pattern may vary from light markings to bold, black, closely set spots or checks. Region between “checks” sometimes marked with varying shades of pink or red.

Purkayastha et al. 2018 (Zootaxa 4514:126–136) suggested to place this snake under the genus Fowlea. However, Dasmahapatra et al. 2020 (Herpetological Review 51(1):160) used the name X. piscator.