Red-naped snake

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Red-naped snake
Furina diadema - Red-naped Snake (53f003e83dffffd6d9b8ed45).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Furina
Species:
F. diadema
Binomial name
Furina diadema
Schlegel, 1837 [1]
Synonyms
  • Calamaria diadema Schlegel 1837
  • Rabdion occipitale Girard 1825
  • Brachysoma diadema Günther 1863
  • Pseudelaps diadema Jan 1863
  • Cacophis blackmanii Krefft 1869
  • Denisonia bancrofti De Vis 1911
  • Pseudelaps diadema Boulenger 1896
  • Brachysoma diadema Worrel 1963
  • Aspidomorphus diadema Minton 1970
  • Furina diadema Cogger 1983
  • Furina diadema Welch 1994
  • Furina diadema Cogger 2000
  • Furina diadema Wilson & Swan 2010

The red-naped snake (Furina diadema) is a small venomous reptile [2] from the family Elapidae. [3] The snakes are found in four Australian states [3] and are listed as 'threatened' in Victoria'. [4] They are nocturnal and feed on small skinks. [2] The young eastern brown snake is similar in appearance. [5]

Contents

Description

The red-naped snake has small black eyes, a shiny black head, and neck. Its head appears to be partially flattened. On the upper lip is a streak of white. On the back of the neck there is a well defined patch of orange or red in the shape of a diamond, crescent or oval. The belly can be either a cream colour or white. The remainder of the body is a red-brown colour. [2] The edges of these dorsal scales are either black [2] or dark brown [6] and this makes the scales look like a net. [2]

Furina diadema have a slim body and are considered a small snake. [2] They have been reported to reach a maximum length of 45 cm. [6] Other sources have reported them as reaching a maximum total length of 40 cm. [5] [1] The males are the smaller sex. [2] Theses snakes have between 160 and 210 ventral scales, a divided anal scale, between 35 and 70 subcaudal scales and generally 15 rows of mid-body scales. [1]

Venom

Although red-naped snakes are venomous, they are considered harmless to humans. If threatened they will strike out several times with their forebody held in the air, most often with a closed mouth. [1] They can bite and will do so if they are provoked enough. [2]

Habitat

The red-naped snake is a terrestrial species [5] that is found in many parts of eastern Australia: in dry woodlands and forests, coastal forests and heaths, [1] tussock grasslands and shrublands. [2] It generally stays away from wet areas, like rainforests. [7] They shelter under rocks and fallen timber, in ant or termite nests, [5] under wood piles, leaves, old sheets of iron, in crevices [7] and abandoned burrows. [2]

Geographic range

The red-naped snake is in four Australian states of Australia; Victoria, NSW, Queensland, South Australia and also the Northern Territory. [3] It is found in arid to humid parts, from Port Augusta in South Australia to Cairns in northern Queensland. [7] Some areas in which they have been sighted include the Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site in South Australia; [8] Woomargama National Park and Mullengandra in NSW Murray Catchment; [5] in the Lower Murray darling basin, NSW; [9] around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory; the Museum of Victoria notes this species is in the far north-west of the state, in riverine areas; [10] 18 National Parks in Queensland. [7]

Diet

Furina diadema prey upon little skinks. [1]

Reproduction

The red-naped snake is oviparous, [5] Records for clutch sizes vary: 2–5, [6] 1–10, [2] 3–6, [11] 1–5, 8 and an average of 3. [1] In subtropical regions red-naped snakes have more than one clutch in a year. [2] They hatch out of their eggs in January, unless in a cooler region, where they hatch in February. [2] The recorded lengths for snakes when they are first born vary, 12 cm (4.7 in) [2] and 15 cm (5.9 in). [6] They become adults within a year. [2]

Behaviour

The red-naped snake are a nocturnal species. [5] Sometimes they share their space with each other. [6] Both venom and constriction is used to kill prey. [2] They eat more in the warmer times of the year and hunt for food in restricted places such as burrows and fissures. [2]

Similar species

The red-naped snake is similar in appearance to the juvenile eastern brown snake. The eastern brown snake has a lighter band between its dark head and the neck. [5] These two snakes can be differentiated by their behaviour, as the eastern brown snake is out during the day, while the red-naped snake is nocturnal and not often seen unless its retreat has been disturbed. [5]

Conservation status

Furina diadema are listed as 'Threatened' in Victoria under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. [4]

Origin

Evidence suggests that there was a migration of Asian elapid snakes into Australia many years ago and they evolved into different genera over time, including the Furina species Furina diadema. [11]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 H., Cogger (2014). Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. p. 895. http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6501.htm
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Cronin, Leonard (2001). Australian Reptiles and Amphibians. Jon Carpenter Publishing. ISBN   978-0-85881-186-7.
  3. 1 2 3 "Furina diadema | The Reptile Database". reptile-database.reptarium.cz. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  4. 1 2 "Department of Environment & Primary Industries Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 Threatened List May 2014" (PDF). depi.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Michael, Damian; Lindenmayer, David (2010). Reptiles of the NSW Murray Catchment: A Guide to Their Identification, Ecology and Conservation. Csiro Publishing. http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6255.htm.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Swan, G (1990). A field guide to the snakes and lizards of New South Wales. p. 186.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Red-naped snake (Department of Environment and Heritage Protection)". ehp.qld.gov.au. 10 February 2004. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  8. ↑ "Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention in Australia – a showcase of Australian Ramsar sites" (PDF). Department of the Environment. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  9. ↑ "Biodiversity Summary for NRM Regions - Species List" (PDF). Department of the Environment. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  10. ↑ "Red-naped Snake: Museum Victoria". museumvictoria.com.au. Archived from the original on July 29, 2008. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  11. 1 2 Shine, Richard (January 1994). Australian Snakes: A Natural History. Cornell University Press. ISBN   0-8014-8261-5.
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