Biology:Pale-headed snake

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Short description: Species of snake

Pale-headed snake
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Hoplocephalus
Species:
H. bitorquatus
Binomial name
Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
(Jan, 1859)
Synonyms[2][3]
  • Alecto bitorquata
    Jan, 1859
  • Hoplocephalus pallidiceps
    Kreft, 1869 (part)
  • Hoplocephalus sulcans
    De Vis, 1884
  • Hoplocephalus waitii
    Ogilby, 1894
  • Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
    — Boulenger, 1896
  • Denisonia angulata
    De Vis, 1905
  • Denisonia revelata
    De Vis, 1911
  • Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
    — Cogger, 1983

The pale-headed snake[4] (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus) is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae.[5] The species is endemic to Australia .

Taxonomy

The species was originally described as Alecto bitorquata by Giorgio Jan in 1859.[6][7]

Description

H. bitorquatus may attain a total length of 90 cm (35 in), which includes a tail 9.5 cm (3.7 in) long. The top of the head is pale olive, with a bright yellow occipital blotch, which is edged with black. The body is dark olive dorsally, and may have a darker vertebral streak. Ventrally, it is greyish olive or brown.[3]

Distribution and habitat

H. bitorquatus is found on the eastern coast of Australia, from Cape York Peninsula in Queensland to Gosford in New South Wales.[8] The preferred natural habitat of H. bitorquatus is forest.[1]

Behaviour

H. bitorquatus is arboreal.[1][2]

Diet

H. bitorquatus preys predominantly upon tree frogs, but also eats small lizards and small mammals.[1]

Reproduction

H. bitorquatus is viviparous.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vanderduys, E.; Venz, M.; Wilson, S.; Hobson, R.; Greenlees, M.; Dickman, C.; Sanderson, C. (2018). "Hoplocephalus bitorquatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T102710108A102710283. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T102710108A102710283.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/102710108/102710283. Retrieved 19 November 2021. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Species Hoplocephalus bitorquatus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III. Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I–XXV. (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus, pp. 349–350).
  4. ↑ "Pale-headed Snake – profile". Government of New South Wales. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/profile.aspx?id=10412. 
  5. ↑ "Species profile – Hoplocephalus bitorquatus (pale-headed snake)". Government of Queensland. https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=479. 
  6. ↑ "Hoplocephalus bitorquatus (Jan, 1859)". https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:c9600fba-4e5c-45e3-a115-aeb88e8caadc. 
  7. ↑ , pp. 122 -130 [128] , Wikidata Q108828733
  8. ↑ "Pale-headed Snake". Government of New South Wales. 19 November 2020. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/reptiles/pale-headed-snake/. 

Further reading

  • Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN:978-0643100350.
  • Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN:978-1921517280.

Wikidata ☰ Q3140398 entry



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