Liophidium pattoni | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Pseudoxyrhophiidae |
Genus: | Liophidium |
Species: | L. pattoni |
Binomial name | |
Liophidium pattoni | |
Liophidium pattoni is a species of snake in the subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae of the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. [2] The species is endemic to Madagascar. Little is known about the snake as it was recently described in 2010, although its existence had been known for some decades (one was pictured in a 1996 guidebook [3] ) before a specimen could be caught for detailed study.
The specific name, pattoni, is in honor of American mammalogist James L. Patton. [4]
L. pattoni is known to occur in two sites in Madagascar, the Masoala peninsula and the Makira Plateau. [1] It has been found in primary rainforest vegetation [5] at elevations up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). [1]
Originally described in 2010, Liophidium pattoni is a member of the pseudoxyrhophiine genus Liophidium , which is a genus of lamprophiid snakes. Which means that Liophidium pattoni is harmless to humans. Previously, nine species of Liophidium from Madagascar had been formally described. Molecular evidence indicates that the closest sister taxon to L. pattoni is L. rhodogaster (Schlegel, 1837). [5]
L. pattoni can easily be distinguished from other members of the genus Liophidium by its unique color pattern. This species is most similar in external morphology to L. torquatum. It is a thin-bodied snake with a black dorsum with discontinuous pink stripes that fade to blue-gray and white towards the posterior. The ventral coloration is bright yellow with a pink-red ventral tail region. An adult male can be 417 mm (16.4 in) in total length (including tail), and have a snout-vent length (SVL) of 329 mm (13.0 in), and a head length of 12.4 mm (0.49 in). [5]
L. pattoni is a terrestrial hunter, and while its diet is largely unknown, the holotype was collected with a Malagasy ground skink ( Madascincus melanopleura ) in its stomach, suggesting that it feeds on small terrestrial rainforest fauna. [5]
Seipp's day gecko is an endangered diurnal species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to northern Madagascar, typically inhabits rainforests, dwells on trees, and feeds on insects and nectar.
Uroplatus phantasticus, the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, eyelash leaf-tailed gecko or the phantastic leaf-tailed gecko, is a species of gecko indigenous to the island of Madagascar. First described in 1888 by George Albert Boulenger, U. phantasticus is the smallest in body of the Uroplatus geckos, though there is an ongoing debate as to whether one of its cousins, U. ebenaui, is smaller because of its shorter tail.
Sanzinia madagascariensis, also known as the Malagasy tree boa, or Madagascar tree boa) is a non-venomous boa species endemic to the island of Madagascar. It was considered conspecific with the Nosy Komba ground boa.
Xenotyphlops is a genus of snakes, the only genus of the family Xenotyphlopidae, comprising two species found only in Madagascar. These snakes are also known as the Malagasy Blind Snake.
Boehmantis is a genus of frogs in the mantellid subfamily Mantellinae. It is monotypic, being represented by a single species, Boehmantis microtympanum. The genus is endemic to Madagascar.
The jeweled chameleon, also commonly known as Campan's chameleon or the Madagascar forest chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to the central highlands of Madagascar, where it is threatened by bush fires and habitat loss.
Uroplatus sikorae, commonly referred to as the mossy leaf-tailed gecko or the southern flat-tail gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It is a CITES II protected animal due to habitat loss.
The spotted mulga snake, also known commonly as Butler's black snake and Butler's snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Western Australia. It is a member of the genus Pseudechis, dangerously venomous snakes that can intimidate an opponent by raising the head and presenting a hood. This cobra-like threat display is supported by the ability to produce a very large amount of venom.
Langaha madagascariensis is a medium-sized highly cryptic arboreal species. It is endemic to Madagascar and found in deciduous dry forests and rain forests, often in vegetation 1.5 to 2 meters above the ground.
Pararhadinaea is a monotypic genus of snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The only species is Pararhadinaea melanogaster, sometimes known as the Madagascar burrowing snake. It is endemic to the island of Madagascar.
The naturelle leaf chameleon is a species of chameleon, a lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It was rated as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on its Red List of Threatened Species. The species was described by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo, Charles Pierre Blanc, and Charles Domergue in 1970.
Furcifer balteatus, also known as the two-banded chameleon or the rainforest chameleon, is a species of chameleon that is endemic to Madagascar. It was described by André Marie Constant Duméril and Gabriel Bibron in 1851.
The Petter's chameleon is a species of chameleon, which is endemic to northern Madagascar. Furcifer petteri was initially described as the subspecies Chamaeleo willsii petteri by Édouard-Raoul Brygoo and Charles Domergue in 1966, but later transferred to the genus Furcifer and given full species status by Frank Glaw and Miguel Vences in 1994.
Langaha is a small genus of elapoid snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus contains three species, all of which are endemic to Madagascar.
Liophidium is a genus of snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus contains ten species, nine of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar and one to the island of Mayotte. All species of Liophidium are harmless to humans.
Rhombophryne vaventy is a large species of frogs of the Madagascar endemic microhylid subfamily Cophylinae. It is one of the largest members of its genus.
Lycodon chrysoprateros, also known as Ross' wolf snake, is a species of colubrid snake found on the island of Dalupiri in the Philippines.
Phelsuma roesleri, also known commonly as Rösler's day gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Uroplatus pietschmanni, known commonly as the cork-bark leaf-tail gecko, the cork bark leaftail gecko, and the spiny leaf-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.