Spotted slug snake

Spotted slug snake
Pareas margaritophorus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Suborder:Serpentes
Family:Pareidae
Genus:Pareas
Species: P. margaritophorus
Binomial name
Pareas margaritophorus
(Jan, 1866)[2]
Synonyms
  • Leptognathus margaritophorus Jan, 1866
  • Pareas macularius Theobald, 1868

The spotted slug snake (also known as the white-spotted slug snake or mountain slug snake; Pareas margaritophorus) is a small, harmless species of snake that is rather common and feeds on small invertebrates.

Characteristics

Spotted slug snakes are forest-dwellers that are about small to medium-sized. They have fangs that are located on their lower jaw in which they can use to remove the snail from their shells to eat. They have blunt heads that are wider than their actual body width. It averages about 47 cm in length and can be spotted by its collar that can be yellow or orange with a grey or brown body. It also has black scales with a pale underside with dark spots.[3]

Habits

The Spotted slug snake is a nocturnal species that is active on the forest floor or on shallow vegetation that are usually found in lowland or lower mountain forests that are at the elevation of 1500 meters.[3]

Diet

Spotted slug snakes feed on the following invertebrates:[3]

  • snails
  • slugs
  • earthworms

Distribution

It found in India (Darjeeling), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Northwest Malaysia and South China (Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong).[4]

References

  1. ↑ Stuart, B.; Wogan, G.; Grismer, L.; Thy, N. & Nguyen, T.Q. (2012). "Pareas margaritophorus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2012: e.T192017A2028502. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192017A2028502.en. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume III. London. p. 445.
  3. 1 2 3 "White-spotted Slug Snake". Ecology Asia. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. ↑ Pareas margaritophorus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  • Jan, Giorgio. 1866. in: Bocourt, F. Notes sur les reptiles, les batraciens et les poissons recueilles pendant un voyage dans le Royaume de Siam. Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris. 2(2):4-20.
  • Theobald, William. 1868. Catalogue of the reptiles of British Burma, embracing the provinces of Pegu, Martaban, and Tenasserim; with descriptions of new or little-known species. Jour. Linnean Soc., London, Zool., 10: 4-67.

External references


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