Mehelya

Mehelya
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Boodontinae
Genus:	Mehelya Csíki, 1903[1]
Species
10 recognized species, see article.

Mehelya is a genus of colubrid snakes from Africa. They are collectively grouped as file snakes due to their unusual scalation. They are nonvenomous.

Species

There are 10 recognized species within the genus Mehelya:

• Angolan file snake, Mehelya vernayi Bogert, 1940
• Cape file snake, Mehelya capensis (A. Smith, 1847)
  • Mehelya capensis capensis (A. Smith, 1847)
  • Mehelya capensis savorgnani (Mocquard, 1887)
  • Mehelya capensis unicolor (Boulenger, 1910)
• Crosse's file snake, Mehelya crossi (Boulenger, 1895)
• Dunger's file snake, Mehelya egbensis Dunger, 1966
• forest file snake, Mehelya poensis (A. Smith, 1849)
• Gabou file snake, Mehelya gabouensis Trape & Mané, 2005
• Mocquard's file snake, Mehelya guirali (Mocquard, 1887)
• Nyassa file snake, Mehelya nyassae (Günther, 1888)
• small-eyed file snake, Mehelya stenopthalmus (Mocquard, 1887)
• Mehelya laurenti de Witte, 1959^[2]

^[3]

Geographic range

File snakes are found throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, from the Cape of South Africa through Zimbabwe, Botswana to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and further.

Description

They are not large snakes, growing to around 3-4 feet (90-120 cm). Their dorsal scales are most peculiar. Large patches of bare skin are seen, and scales are separated by large gaps. These scales are strongly keeled, giving the snake the feel of a file - hence their common name. Their body shape is triangular in cross section, which has been noted amongst other "cannibalistic" snakes, and may also provide some sort of benefit for them within their burrowing lifestyle.

Habitat

They generally occupy more humid regions but are found in hotter, desert areas too.

Behaviour

File snakes are, by nature, burrowers. They will occupy old, abandoned burrows of rodents where they shelter from the heat in the relative coolness underground. They are also adept at burrowing for themselves, their flattened head aiding them to push their way through the earth and leaf litter. This genus is nocturnal, becoming active at night to hunt prey – other reptiles.

Diet

The genus Mehelya feeds mainly on snakes and small lizards such as geckos. Like many genera that feed solely on snakes, it has developed a triangular body shape as opposed to the plump, rounded body of other snakes.

References

1. ^ Kelly, C.M.R., et al. 2010. Molecular systematics of the African snake family Lamprophiidae Fitzinger, 1843 (Serpentes: Elapoidea), with particular focus on the genera Lamprophis Fitzinger 1843 and Mehelya Csiki 1903. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 58(3):415-426.
2. ^ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
3. ^ "Mehelya (Genus)". Zipcodezoo.com. 2010-01-24. http://zipcodezoo.com/Key/Animalia/Mehelya_Genus.asp. Retrieved 2010-03-29.