 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Boiga dendrophila" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Boiga dendrophila | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Boiga |
| Species: | B. dendrophila |
| Binomial name | |
| Boiga dendrophila (F. Boie, 1827) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Boiga dendrophila,commonly called themangrove snake or thegold-ringed cat snake, is aspecies ofrear-fangedvenomous snake in thefamilyColubridae. The species isendemic tosoutheast Asia. It is one of the biggestcat snake species, averaging 8–9 feet (2.4–2.7 m) in length.[2] It is considered mildlyvenomous. Although moderate envenomations resulting in intense swelling have been reported, there has never been a confirmed fatality.[3]
B. dendrophila has the following characteristics: Snout longer than eye; rostral broader than deep, visible from above; internasals as long as or shorter than the prae-frontals; frontal as long as or slightly shorter than its distance from the tip of the snout; loreal at least as long as deep; a praeocular extending to the upper surface of the head, not reaching the frontal; two postoculars; temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; eight (nine) upper labials, third to fifth entering the eye; four or five lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; latter as long as or longer than the posterior; anterior palatine teeth not much larger than the posterior. Scales in 21 (23) rows, vertebral row enlarged; ventrals 209–239; anal entire; subcaudals 89. Black above, with yellow transverse bands, continuous or not extending across the back; labials yellow, with black edges. Lower surface black or bluish, uniform or speckled with yellow; throat yellow.[4]
Mostly nocturnal,B. dendrophila is a potentially aggressive snake. Even captive bred specimens can be nervous and may strike repeatedly. Although many specimens will calm down and allow handling, it is normally easily stressed and may refuse food for extended periods of time if disturbed.[citation needed]
B. dendrophila is present across Southeast Asia andIndochina, found inCambodia,Indonesia (Bangka,Belitung,Borneo,Java, theRiau Archipelago,Sulawesi,Sumatra),Brunei,Malaysia,Myanmar, thePhilippines,Singapore,Thailand, andVietnam.[5]
Including thenominotypical subspecies, ninesubspecies are recognized as being valid.[5]
Nota bene: Atrinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in agenus other thanBoiga.
Nota bene: Atrinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in agenus other thanBoiga.
Thesubspecific name,levitoni, is in honor ofAmericanherpetologistAlan E. Leviton (born 1930).[6]
B. dendrophila sensu lato (includingB. d. melanota), was found to be paraphyletic toBoiga tanahjampeana. In 2021 it was proposed to elevateB. melanota to a separate species to preserve the monophyly of remainingB. dendrophila.[7]
Despite one of its common names, mangrove snake,B. dendrophila is found more often inlowlandrainforests than in themangrove swamps from which its common name is derived.[citation needed]
B. dendrophila feeds onreptiles,birds, and smallmammals in the wild.[citation needed]
In common with other colubrids, mangrove snakes have aDuvernoy's gland on the posterior end of the eye with a duct that connects to the rear fangs. The snake needs to chew in order to release the venom, which is released gradually.[8] The venom of the mangrove cat snake is weak, the fangs in the rear are not large, and it is difficult for the snake to open its mouth wide enough to sink the fangs into a human leg or arm; as of 2016, there are no confirmed fatalities.[9] Denmotoxin is athree-finger toxin that has been identified in the venom of mangrove cat snakes, and is the first fully characterized bird-specific toxin.[10]
Although envenomation of humans is mild, visually, because of the alternation of black and yellow crossbands and triangular body cross section, the mangrove cat snake can be confused with thebanded krait, which is extremely venomous.[11]
_from_Santa_Ana_-_ZooKeys-266-001-g076.jpg)
