Rhabdophis tigrinus

Taxobox


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
genus = "Rhabdophis"
species = "R. tigrinus"
binomial = "Rhabdophis tigrinus"
binomial_authority = (F. Boie, 1826)
synonyms = * "Tropidonotus tigrinus" - Boie, 1826
* "Amphiesma tigrinum" - Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854
* "Tropidonotus lateralis" - Berthold, 1859
* "Amphiesma tigrinum" - Hallowell, 1860
* "Tropidonotus orientalis" - Günther, 1862
* "Tropidonotus tigrinus" - Günther, 1888
* "Tropidonotus tigrinus" - Boulenger, 1893
* "Tropidonotus tigrinus" - Boulenger, 1896
* "Natrix tigrina" - Stejneger, 1907
* "Natrix tigrina lateralis" - Stejneger, 1907
* "Natrix tigrina lateralis" - Glass, 1946
* "Natrix tigrina" - Alexander & Diener, 1958
* "Rhabdophis tigrina" - Malnate, 1960
* "Rhabdophis tigrina lateralis" - Zhao & Jiang, 1986
* "Rhabdophis tigrinus formosanus" - Maki, 1931
* "Natrix tigrina formosana" - Maki, 1931
* "Rhabdophis tigrinus formosanus" - Ota & Mori, 1985NRDB species|genus=Rhabdophis|species=tigrinus|date=21 September|year=2008]

:"Common names: tiger keelback.""Rhabdophis tigrinus" is a venomous colubrid found in East and Southeast Asia. No subspecies are currently recognized.ITIS|ID=700839|taxon="Rhabdophis tigrinus"|year=2008|date=21 September]

Description

The color pattern is olive-drab green with black stripes and bright orange stripes from the neck down the first third of the body. The belly is whitish. The average length is usually 60-100 cm. [http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=3&did=19831 "Rhabdophis tigrinus lateralis"] at [http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/ Animal Pictures Archive] . Accessed 21 September 2008.]

Geographic range

Found in eastern Russia (Primorskiy and Khabarovsk), North and South Korea, China (widespread, except in the western third and the extreme south; Chekiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hupeh, Guizhou, Sichuan, Gansu, Shensi and Suiyuan), on the island of Taiwan, in Vietnam and in Japan (Yakushima, Taegashima, Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu and in the Ryukyu Islands). The type locality given is "Japan.”

Feeding

The diet consists mainly of small vertebrates, such as mice, frogs and toads. In fact they have two glands in their neck that produce an irritant believed to be obtained from eating toads. These snakes forage using both chemical (smell/tongue) and visual cues to find their prey.

Venom

Although venomous, few deaths have been recorded. This is because the fangs are located in the back of the mouth, making a successful strike on a large object difficult.Sawai Y, Honma M, Kawamura Y, Saki A, Hatsuse M. 2002. "Rhabdophis tigrinus" in Japan: Pathogenesis of envenomation and production of antivenom. Journal of Toxicology. Toxin Reviews vol. 21(1-2): 181-201.] In addition, it seldom strikes generally prefers to flee when disturbed, or display passive defensive behaviors, such as a flattening of the neck and/or the body, arching the neck, or simply remaining immobile.Mori A, Burghardt GM. 2001. Temperature effects on anti-predator behaviour in "Rhabdophis tigrinus", a snake with toxic nuchal glands. Ethology 107(9): 795-811.]

References

Further reading

* Tanaka K. 2002. Foraging behavior of "Rhabdophis tigrinus" (Serpentes: Colubridae) in a gutter with a dense aggregation of tadpoles. Curr. Herpetol. vol. 21(1): 1-8.

External links

* [http://homepage3.nifty.com/japrep/snake/namihebi/hiba/text/eyamakagasi.htm Yamakagashi] at the [http://homepage3.nifty.com/japrep/englishtop.htm Encyclopedia of Japanese Reptiles] . Accessed 21 September 2008.