Ahaetulla mycterizans

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Ahaetulla mycterizans
Ahaetulla mycterizans, Malayan green whip snake - Khao Phra - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary (46060345834).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Ahaetuliinae
Genus: Ahaetulla
Species:
A. mycterizans
Binomial name
Ahaetulla mycterizans
(Linnaeus, 1758) [2]
Synonyms [3]
  • Coluber mycterizans
    Linnaeus, 1758
  • Ahaetulla mycterizans
    (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Dryophis mycterizans
    (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Passerita mycterizans
    (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Coluber nasutus
    Lacépède, 1789
  • Dryophis xanthozonia
    F. Boie, 1827
  • Passerita xanthozonia
    (F. Boie, 1827)
  • Tragops xanthozonius
    (F. Boie, 1827)

Ahaetulla mycterizans, also known commonly as the big-eye green whip snake, [4] the Malayan green whipsnake [3] and the Malayan vine snake, [1] is a species of slender arboreal vine snake in the subfamily Ahaetuliinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Southeast Asia.

Contents

Etymology

The species name mycterizans comes from the Greek mucterizo, meaning "I turn up the nose," in reference to the shape of the snout of the snake. [3]

Taxonomy

Ahaetulla mycterizans belongs to the genus Ahaetulla , one of five genera within the subfamily Ahaetuliinae. The relationships of Ahaetulla mycterizans to some other Ahaetulla species, and to the other genera within Ahaetuliinae, can be shown in the cladogram below, with possible paraphyletic species noted: [5]

Ahaetuliinae
sharp‑nosed snakes
broad‑nosed snakes

Distribution

Ahaetulla mycterizans is found in Western Peninsular Malaysia, Java and Sumatra of Indonesia, [6] Singapore, Borneo, Thailand and possibly Laos, at elevation up to 350 m (1,150 ft). [3]

Description and ecology

The Malayan green whipsnake is diurnal and mildly venomous. It occurs in primary and mature secondary forests near streams. Its diet, like that of other whip snakes, consists primarily of frogs and lizards. This slow moving snake often appears like a vine amongst foliage and is hard to detect. When threatened, it can expand the anterior part of its body exposing the dark scales. It is often confused with the oriental whipsnake ( Ahaetulla prasina ) but the former does not occur in disturbed areas or parks or gardens, especially in its distributional range of Singapore. The Malayan whipsnake can be distinguished from the oriental whipsnake by the former having larger eyes and the flanks lacking a thin yellow line. The former is also smaller, up to 1 m (3.3 ft) snout-to-vent length (SVL) as compared to the oriental whipsnake which can grow up to 2 m (6.6 ft) SVL. [4]

Very little is known about the ecology and natural history of this species. [7]

References

  1. 1 2 Grismer, L.; Chan-Ard, T. (2012). "Ahaetulla mycterizans ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T191914A2014767. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T191914A2014767.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. [Tenth Edition, Revised]. Stockholm: Laurentii Salvii. 824 pp. (Coluber mycterizans, new species, p. 226).
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ahaetulla mycterizans at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 20 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 Baker, Nick (2014). "Big-eye Green Whip Snake". Ecology Asia.
  5. ↑ Mallik, Ashok Kumar; Achyuthan, N. Srikanthan; Ganesh, Sumaithangi R.; Pal, Saunak P.; Vijayakumar, S.P.; Shanker, Kartik (27 July 2019). "Discovery of a deeply divergent new lineage of vine snake (Colubridae: Ahaetuliinae: Proahaetulla gen. nov.) from the southern Western Ghats of Peninsular India with a revised key for Ahaetuliinae". PLOS ONE . 14 (7): e0218851. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1418851M. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218851 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   6636718 . PMID   31314800.
  6. ↑ Miralles, A.; David, P. (2010). "First record of Ahaetulla mycterizans (Linnaeus, 1758) (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae) from Sumatra, Indonesia, with an expanded definition". Zoosystema32 (3): 449-456.
  7. ↑ Cox, M.J.; van Dijk, P.P.; Nabhitabhata, J.; Thirakhupt, K. (1998). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Thailand and South-East Asia. Bangkok: Asia Books. 144 pp.


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