Xenocalamus mechowii | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Atractaspididae |
Genus: | Xenocalamus |
Species: | X. mechowii
|
Binomial name | |
Xenocalamus mechowii
W. Peters, 1881
|
Xenocalamus mechowii, or the elongate quill-snouted snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. [1] The species is endemic to Africa. [2]
The specific name or epithet, mechowii, is in honor of Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander von Mechow, a Silesian- German explorer of Africa. [3]
X. mechowii is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. [2]
The preferred habitat of X. mechowii is Kalahari sand. [4]
Dorsally, X. mechowii is yellowish with brown spots, some spots arranged in alternating confluent pairs, others forming crossbands. The upper lip, sides of the body, and venter are unspotted. [5]
A subadult 22.5 cm (8+3⁄4 in) in total length has a tail 3.5 cm (1+3⁄8 in) long. [5]
The species exhibits sexual dimorphism. Adult males may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 58 cm (23 in). Females are larger, and may attain 80 cm (31 in) SVL. [4]
The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, arranged in 17 rows. The ventrals number 229–239. The anal plate is divided, and the subcaudals which number 31–36 are also divided. [5]
The head scalation is the same as Xenocalamus bicolor, except there are no supraoculars and two postoculars. [5]
The snout is very depressed and very prominent. [4]
X. mechowii preys on amphisbaenians, which it finds by burrowing. [4]
X. mechowii is oviparous. An adult female may lay a clutch of as many as four eggs. [4]
Two subspecies are recognized including the nominate race.
Intergrades of these two subspecies can be found in North-Western Province, Zambia. [6]
Xenocalamus mechowii | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Atractaspididae |
Genus: | Xenocalamus |
Species: | X. mechowii
|
Binomial name | |
Xenocalamus mechowii
W. Peters, 1881
|
Xenocalamus mechowii, or the elongate quill-snouted snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. [1] The species is endemic to Africa. [2]
The specific name or epithet, mechowii, is in honor of Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander von Mechow, a Silesian- German explorer of Africa. [3]
X. mechowii is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. [2]
The preferred habitat of X. mechowii is Kalahari sand. [4]
Dorsally, X. mechowii is yellowish with brown spots, some spots arranged in alternating confluent pairs, others forming crossbands. The upper lip, sides of the body, and venter are unspotted. [5]
A subadult 22.5 cm (8+3⁄4 in) in total length has a tail 3.5 cm (1+3⁄8 in) long. [5]
The species exhibits sexual dimorphism. Adult males may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 58 cm (23 in). Females are larger, and may attain 80 cm (31 in) SVL. [4]
The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, arranged in 17 rows. The ventrals number 229–239. The anal plate is divided, and the subcaudals which number 31–36 are also divided. [5]
The head scalation is the same as Xenocalamus bicolor, except there are no supraoculars and two postoculars. [5]
The snout is very depressed and very prominent. [4]
X. mechowii preys on amphisbaenians, which it finds by burrowing. [4]
X. mechowii is oviparous. An adult female may lay a clutch of as many as four eggs. [4]
Two subspecies are recognized including the nominate race.
Intergrades of these two subspecies can be found in North-Western Province, Zambia. [6]