Thermophis baileyi

Taxobox
name = Bailey's snake


image_width = 200px
image_caption =
status = VU
status_system = iucn2.3
status_ref = [IUCN2007|assessors=World Conservation Monitoring Centre|year=1996|id=21736|title=Thermophis baileyi|downloaded=01 June 2008]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
genus = "Thermophis"
species = "T. baileyi"
binomial = "Thermophis baileyi"
binomial_authority = Wall, 1907

Thermophis baileyi, also known as "Bailey's snake" or the "Hot-spring keel-back" ["Hot-spring keel-back" is the translation of the Chinese name.] , is a rare snake found only at high altitudes in the mountains of Tibet near two hot springs.Wall, Frank. Some new Asian snakes [J] . Jour. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 1907, 17 (3): 612-618] [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0045-8511%2819530529%293%3A1953%3A2%3C92%3ATTSOTT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5&size=LARGE "The Taxonomic Status of the Tibetan Colubrid Snake Natrix baileyi"] , Edmond V. Malnate, Copeia, Vol. 1953, No. 2 (May 29, 1953), pp. 92-96 doi:10.2307/1440132] [Zhao E M. Thermophis baileyi [ M] . In: E M Zhao, et al. Fauna Sinica, Reptilia, vol. 3, Serpentes. Science Press, Beijing, 1998: 318-320.] Bailey's snake is on the endangered species list. [Groombridge, B. (ed.) 1994. 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.] [IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1988. 1988 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. ] [IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.IUCN. 1990. 1990 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.]

The existence of Bailey's snake was first announced in the scientific literature in 1907 by Frank Wall. [ [http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/qikan/periodical.Articles/scdw/scdw2004/0403/040319.htm "Discovery of Thermophis baileyi(Wall,1907), A Snake Endemic to Xizang AR, from Litang County, Sichuan, China"] , 刘少英　 赵尔宓　, SICHUAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY2004 Vol.23 No.3 P.234-235] It was classified in 1907 as "Tropodinotus" (="Natrix") baileyi by Wall (1907) before it was realized that Bailey's snake did not fit in the genus "Natrix". There are several species of Bailey's snake. Some are borrowing varieties. Although most species of Bailey's snake are nonpoisonous, there are some that have fangs and toxin saliva.

All species found appear to live within about 1 km of a hot spring known as at Chutsen Chugang Hot Springs, on the grounds of the Zhoto Terdrom / Tidro Nunnery in Maldrogongkar / Mozhugongka County, near Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region at an altitude of 4350 m. There also has been a report of Bailey's snake near the Yangpachen/Yangbajain Hot Springs, at about the same altitude in Maldrogongkar County, Tibet Autonomous Region.

This genus of snakes might be the highest altitude snakes in the world, and probably hold the altitude record for snakes in China.

References