Cacophis harriettae

Cacophis harriettae
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Elapidae
Genus:	Cacophis
Species:	C. harriettae
Binomial name
Cacophis harriettae Krefft, 1869
Synonyms [2]
Cacophis harrietae Krefft, 1869 Pseudelaps harriettae — Boulenger, 1896 Glyphodon harrietae — Worrell, 1961 Cacophis harriettae — Cogger, 1983

Cacophis harriettae, also known commonly as Harriett's snake, the white-crowned snake, and the white-naped snake, is a species of mildly venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Etymology

The specific epithet, harriettae, honours natural history illustrator Harriet Scott, who illustrated Gerard Krefft's The Snakes of Australia, including this species. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Description

C. hariettae grows to an average total length (including tail) of 40 cm (16 in), and a maximum total length of 56 cm (22 in). The upper surface of the body is dark grey to black, with broad white bands extending from the snout along the sides of the head to meet at the nape. ^[3]

Reproduction

C. hariettae is oviparous, ^{[2] [3]} with an average clutch size of five (range 2–10). ^[3]

Diet

C. hariettae preys upon on lizards, and also eats reptile eggs. ^[3]

Geographic range

The distribution of C. hariettae extends from Mount Abbott, near Proserpine in eastern Queensland, south-eastwards to north-eastern New South Wales. ^[3]

Habitat

C. harriettae occurs in moist habitats, including rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests as well as suburban gardens. ^[3]

References

1. Shea, G.; Venz, M.; Wilson, S.; Vanderduys, E.; Hobson, R. (2018). "Cacophis harriettae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018 e.T102706845A102706850. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T102706845A102706850.en . Retrieved 15 August 2023.
2. Species Cacophis harriettae at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
3. "White-crowned snake". Australian Reptile Online Database. Stewart Macdonald. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cacophis harriettae, p. 117).

Further reading

• 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. (Pseudelaps harriettæ, new combination, pp. 318–319).
• Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN   978-0643100350.
• Krefft G (1869). The Snakes of Australia; An Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue of All the Known Species. Sydney: Thomas Richards, Government Printer. xxv + 100 pp. + Plates I–XII. (Cacophis harriettae, new species, pp. 76–77 + Plate XI, figure 13).
• Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN   978-1921517280.