Eryx johnii

Eryx johnii
Eryx johnii at Satara, Maharashtra, India Eryx johnii (juvenile) at Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India Eryx johnii (juvenile) at Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India Dorsal view of juvenile Eryx johnii
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Genus:	Eryx
Species:	E. johnii
Binomial name
Eryx johnii (Russell, 1801)
Synonyms [2]
Boa Johnii Russell, 1801 [Boa] Anguiformis Schneider, 1801 Clothonia anguiformis — Daudin, 1803 [Tortrix] eryx indicus Schlegel, 1837 Clothonia Johnii — Gray, 1842 Eryx Johnii — A.M.C Duméril & Bibron, 1844 Eryx maculatus Hallowell, 1849 Eryx johnii — Boulenger, 1890 Eryx jaculus var. johnii — Ingoldby, 1923 Eryx johnii johnii — Stull, 1935 [Eryx] johnii — Kluge, 1993

Eryx johnii is a species of nonvenomous snake in the subfamily Erycinae of the family Boidae. The species is native to Iran, Pakistan, and India. There are no subspecies which are recognized as being valid. ^[3]

Common names include: Indian sand boa, ^[4] John's sand boa, ^[5] iruthalai nagam, ^[6] mannuli pambu, ^[7] red sand boa, ^[7] and brown sand boa. ^[8]

Etymology

The specific name, johnii, is in honor of German naturalist Christoph Samuel John (1747–1813), who was a missionary in India from 1771 until his death. ^[5]

Description

Eryx johnii, closeup of head

Adults of E. johnii rarely exceed 2 feet (61 cm) in total length (including tail), although they sometimes reach 3 feet (91 cm). Adapted to burrowing, the head is wedge-shaped with narrow nostrils and very small eyes. The body is cylindrical in shape with small polished dorsal scales. The tail, which is blunt, rounded, and not distinct from the body, appears truncated. Coloration varies from reddish brown to dull yellow-tan.^{[ citation needed ]}

Geographic range

E. johnii is found from Iran through Pakistan into western, southern, and northwestern India. The type locality given is "Tranquebar" (Tanjore, Trichy, southeastern Tamil Nadu, India). ^[2] It is found in Indian desert. In western India, specifically in the state of Maharashtra, it is known as a Mandul snake (Marathi: मांडूळ साप).^{[ citation needed ]}

Habitat

E. johnii is found in dry, semi-desert scrub plains and rocky dry foothills up to 200 m (660 ft) elevation. It prefers loose sand, or sandy soil that crumbles easily, into which it burrows, living underground. ^[1]

Diet

The diet of E. johnii consists mainly of mammals such as rats, mice, and other small rodents that are killed by constriction. Some specimens have apparently fed exclusively on other snakes. ^[9]

Behavior

E. johnii is a very calm snake species.^{[ citation needed ]}

Reproduction

E. johnii is ovoviviparous, ^[8] with females giving birth to up to 14 young at a time in late summer to monsoon. ^[1]

Illegal trade

E. johnii has many superstitious beliefs attributed to it because of its double-headed appearance, such as bringing good luck, curing AIDS, etc. Such blind faith has resulted in endangering the species, and in illegal trade in India, despite being a protected species under Schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, of India. ^[7] It is also banned in India as pets.

References

1. Anderson, S.; Papenfuss, T.; Srinivasulu, C.; Kulkarni, N.U.; Mohapatra, P.; Milto, K.; Bhattarai, S.; Vyas, R.; Ganesh, S.R.; Thakur, S. (2021). "Eryx johnii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T164733A1071806. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T164733A1071806.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
3. "Eryx johnii ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 8 July 2008.
4. Mehrtens JM (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN   0-8069-6460-X.
5. 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. (Eryx johnii, p. 135).
6. Russell (1801).
7. "Illegal trade flourishes in red sand boas - Times of India". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
8. Species Eryx johnii at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
9. Sights, Warren P. (1949). "Annotated List of Reptiles taken in Western Bengal". Herpetologica. 5 (4): 81–83.

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Eryx johnii, p. 248, Figure 76).
• Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Boidæ .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I–XXVIII. (Eryx johnii, pp. 127–128).
• Daniel JC (2002). The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. 252 pp. ISBN   0-19-566099-4.
• Das I (2002). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of India. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. ISBN   0-88359-056-5. (Eryx johnii, p. 14).
• Gray JE (1849). Catalogue of the Specimens of Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Edward Newman, printer). xv + 125 pp. (Clothonia johnii, pp. 110–111).
• Günther ACLG (1864). The Reptiles of British India. London: The Ray Society. (Taylor & Francis, printers). xxvii + 452 pp. + Plates I–XXVI. (Eryx johnii, pp. 334-335).
• Hallowell E (1848). Description of a species of Eryx from Madras. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia1848: 184.
• Russell P (1801). A Continuation of an Account of Indian Serpents; Containing Descriptions and Figures from Specimens and Drawings, Transmitted from Various Parts of India to the Hon. the Court of Directors of the East India Company [Volume 2]. London: East India Company. (W. Bulmer and Co., printers). v + 53 pp. + Plates I–LIV + index. (Boa johnii, new species, pp. 18–19 + Plate XVI).
• Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia, Vol III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Eryx johni johni, pp. 113–114, Figure 35).