| Aparallactus modestus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Atractaspididae |
| Genus: | Aparallactus |
| Species: | A. modestus |
| Binomial name | |
| Aparallactus modestus (Günther, 1859) | |
| Synonyms | |
Aparallactus modestus, or the western forest centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the Atractaspididae family. [2]
It is endemic to Africa, and is found in the Central African Republic, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Gabon.
Dorsally Aparallactus modestus is dark olive-gray, the scales more or less distinctly edged with black. The ventrals and subcaudals are yellowish, olive-gray, or yellowish dotted or spotted with gray, the spots sometimes forming a median series.
Adults may attain a total length of 54 cm (21+1⁄4 in), with a tail 7.5 cm (3.0 in) long.
Maxillary teeth 11 or 12, the last two enlarged and feebly grooved on the inner side. Anterior mandibular teeth longest. Head small, not distinct from neck. Eye small, with round pupil. Nostril between two nasals; no loreal; parietal in contact with upper labials. Body cylindrical; tail moderate. Dorsal scales smooth, without pits, in 15 rows. Ventrals rounded, subcaudals single.
Portion of rostral visible from above ½ as long as its distance from the frontal. Internasals shorter than prefrontals. Frontal 1⅓ to 1½ as long as broad, as long as or longer than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals. One preocular, in contact with the posterior nasal. One or two postoculars. A single temporal. Seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, sixth or fifth and sixth in contact with the parietal. Four lower labials in contact with the anterior chin shield. Anterior chin shields slightly longer than posterior chin shields.
Ventrals 138–158; anal plate entire; subcaudals 36–45, also entire. [3]
This species eats earthworms. It is not specialized on centipedes like other species of its genus. [1]
Psammophis leithii, commonly called the Pakistan sand racer, Pakistani ribbon snake, or Leith's sand snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Psammophiidae. The species is native to South Asia. It is harmless to humans.
Günther's black snake is a species of poorly known lamprophiid snake endemic to central Africa. It is the only member of the genus, Bothrolycus. This snake is notable as one of the few snakes with notable sexual dimorphism, as well as possessing a small pit anterior to the eye. While superficially similar to the thermal pits of vipers, its function remains unknown.
Elapotinus is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged snake species, Elapotinus picteti. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It is also known commonly as Jan's snake in honor of Italian herpetologist Giorgio Jan. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Hypoptophis is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) mildly venomous snake species, Hypoptophis wilsonii. The species, which is endemic to Africa, is in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Macrelaps is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) venomous snake species, M. microlepidotus, endemic to South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
The Cameroon racer, Poecilopholis cameronensis, is a species of rear-fanged mildly venomous snake endemic to Africa. Poecilopholis is a monotypic genus created for this species.
Aparallactus lineatus, or the lined centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae.
Aparallactus niger is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Western Africa.
Polemon acanthias, or Reinhardt's snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.
Polemon barthii, or the Guinea snake-eater, is a species of rear-fanged mildly venomous snake in the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Polemon collaris, or the collared snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.
Polemon gabonensis, or the Gaboon snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.
Polemon gracilis, or the graceful snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.
Polemon notatus is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.
Aparallactus capensis, or the Cape centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the Atractaspididae family.
Aparallactus guentheri, or the black centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Aparallactus jacksonii, or Jackson's centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae.
Aparallactus lunulatus, or the reticulated centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae, which is endemic to Africa.
Aparallactus nigriceps, or the Mozambique centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae.
Aparallactus werneri, or the Usambara centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Tanzania.
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