Elephant trunk snake | |
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Illustration of the elephant trunk snake | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Acrochordidae |
Genus: | Acrochordus |
Species: | A. javanicus |
Binomial name | |
Acrochordus javanicus Hornstedt, 1787 | |
The elephant trunk snake or the Javan file snake (Acrochordus javanicus), is a species of snake in the family Acrochordidae, a family which represents a group of primitive non-venomous aquatic snakes.
The elephant trunk snake possesses a wide and flat head, and its nostrils are situated on the top of the snout. Those head particularities confer to A. javanicus a certain resemblance with boas. However, its head is only as wide as its body. Females are bigger than males, and the maximum total length (including tail) of an individual is 2.4 m (94 in). The dorsal side of the snake's body is brown, and its ventral side is pale yellow. [2]
The skin is baggy and loose [3] giving the impression that it is too big for the animal. The skin is covered with small rough adjacent scales. The skin is also used in the tannery industry. [1] [2]
The top of the head has no large shields, but instead is covered with very small granular scales. There are no ventral scales. The body scales are in about 120 rows around the body. The body is stout, and the tail is short and prehensile. [4]
The elephant trunk snake is fully adapted to live underwater so much that its body cannot support its weight out of water and leaving the water can cause it serious injury.[ citation needed ]
An aquatic snake, the elephant trunk snake is ovoviviparous, with the incubation lasting 5 to 6 months and the female expelling 6 to 17 young. [1]
The elephant trunk snake is found in South-East Asia west of the Wallace Line: [1] southern Thailand, the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo (Kalimantan, Sarawak), a number of Indonesian islands (Java, Sumatra, and (possibly) Bali); [1] [5] possibly also in Cambodia [6] and Vietnam, [5] [6] although the last is discredited by the IUCN. [1]
The elephant trunk snake has a coastal living habitat like rivers, estuaries and lagoons. But it prefers freshwater and brackish environments. [2]
The elephant trunk snake is an ambush predator that preys on fishes and amphibians. It usually catches its prey by folding its body firmly around the prey. Its loose, baggy skin and its sharp scales find their utility by limiting any risk of escape of the prey, in particular fishes which have bodies covered with a viscous, protective mucus. [2]
The elephant trunk snake is nocturnal. It spends most of its life under water and rarely goes on land. It can stay under water for up to 40 minutes. [2]
The Acrochordidae, commonly known as wart snakes, Java wart snakes, file snakes, elephant trunk snakes, or dogface snakes are a monogeneric family created for the genus Acrochordus. This is a group of primitive aquatic snakes found in Australia and tropical Asia. Currently, three species are recognized.
The black-headed python is a species of snake in the Pythonidae. The species is endemic to Australia. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Bronchocela jubata, commonly known as the maned forest lizard, is a species of agamid lizard found mainly in Indonesia on the islands of Singkep, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Karakelang, Salibabu; Nias Island, Singkap Island, Borneo (Kalimantan) also in Thailand, Cambodia and Philippines. Although in the past it was thought the species may be found in India, either on the mainland or in the Nicobars, this is not the case according to herpetologist Das. It is also known by the common name of "bloodsucker", although this is a misnomer.
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The yellow-lipped sea krait, also known as the banded sea krait or colubrine sea krait, is a species of venomous sea snake found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceanic waters. The snake has distinctive black stripes and a yellow snout, with a paddle-like tail for use in swimming.
Eristicophis is a monotypic genus created for the viper species, Eristicophis macmahonii, which is endemic to the desert region of Balochistan near the borders of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Common names for the species include McMahon's viper, Asian sand viper, leaf-nosed viper, and whiskered viper. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized.
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Snakes, like other reptiles, have skin covered in scales. Snakes are entirely covered with scales or scutes of various shapes and sizes, known as snakeskin as a whole. A scale protects the body of the snake, aids it in locomotion, allows moisture to be retained within, alters the surface characteristics such as roughness to aid in camouflage, and in some cases even aids in prey capture. The simple or complex colouration patterns are a property of the underlying skin, but the folded nature of scaled skin allows bright skin to be concealed between scales then revealed in order to startle predators.
The Javan kingfisher, sometimes called the blue-bellied kingfisher or Java kingfisher, is a medium-sized kingfisher endemic to the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali.
The banded broadbill is a species of bird in the typical broadbill family Eurylaimidae found in Mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands. It is sometimes split into two species, one including only the nominate subspecies, E. j. javanicus, and one including all the remaining subspecies. It inhabits a variety of forests, along with forest edge, rubber plantations and Falcataria falcata groves, mainly in lowland areas. A striking, large-bodied bird with a length of 21.5–23.0 cm (8.5–9.1 in), it is unlikely to be mistaken for another species. The broadbill is mostly purplish-red, with yellow-streaked black wings, a bright blue beak, a blackish face and greyish chin and upper breast. Females can be told apart from males by their lack of a black neckband, although these are indistinct in Bornean and Javan males. Despite its conspicuous appearance, the bird is usually hard to see due to its sluggishness and is usually only noticed when it vocalises.
Smith's mountain keelback, also known commonly as Spencer's stream snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Thailand.
Xenodermus javanicus, also known as the Dragon Snake, Javan Tubercle Snake, Javan Mudsnake, or Rough-backed Litter Snake, is a small non-venomous, semi-fossorial snake species belonging to the monotypic genus Xenodermus. This species is best known for their characteristic dorsal scales and interesting defense mechanism in which they stiffen their entire bodies when threatened. X. javanicus is nocturnal and subsists on a diet of frogs, tadpoles and small fish. While they are known to perish once placed into captivity, some herpetoculturists have been successful in keeping them.
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