Plagiopholis styani

Plagiopholis styani
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pseudoxenodontidae
Genus: Plagiopholis
Species: P. styani
Binomial name
Plagiopholis styani
(Boulenger, 1899)
Synonyms

Trirhinopholis styani Boulenger, 1899

Plagiopholis styani, also known by the common name Chinese mountain snake, is a species of colubrid snake. Its type locality is Kuatun (Guadun in modern spelling: Chinese: 挂墩; pinyin: guàdūn) in Wuyishan, Fujian.[2] It is found in southern and central China, Taiwan, and northern Vietnam.[1] It is an uncommon species,[1] and very rare in Taiwan. It is named after Frederick William Styan, a Shanghai-based English tea merchant and ornithologist.[3]

Description

Plagiopholis styani is a small non-venomous snake, reaching a total length of up to 40 cm (16 in). Its upper head, body and tail are red-brown, olive-brown, or green-brown, with flecks of pink or black pigment on each scale, especially for those on the flanks of body. The upper body and tail have a spotted pattern of black or light yellow. There is a dark and thick cross band on nape, reflected in its Chinese name, Fujian neck-blotched snake (Chinese: 福建頸斑蛇).[3]

Habitat and ecology

Plagiopholis styani occur in areas of montane and bamboo forest, including caves.[1] It is a nocturnal snake that eats mainly earthworms and arthropods; it uses its head to burrow. Females produce clutches of 5-11 eggs in summer.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Vogel, G.; Guo, P.; Lau, M. & Li, P. (2012). "Plagiopholis styani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  2. Plagiopholis styani at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 10 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Hans Breuer & William Christopher Murphy (2009–2010). "Plagiopholis styani". Snakes of Taiwan. External link in |work= (help)
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/7/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.