The specific name, copei, is in honor of American herpetologist and paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope.

Localities recorded are Dimbulla, Dickoya, Hopewell estate of Balangoda, Avissawella, and Pundaluoya.

The dorsum is brown, with a brownish-olive mid-dorsal band, 2-3 scales wide, flanked on each side by a series of 23-26 dark blotches.

A narrow dark band descends diagonally from the temporals, past the angle of mouth, to the edge of the ventrals.

Adults may attain a total length (including tail) of 63.5 centimetres (2 feet 1.0 inch).