Ahaetulla
Longirostris: SPECIES OF THE DAY
A new snake species, Ahaetulla Longirostris,
has been discovered in India.
About Ahaetulla longirostris
- Common
Name: Long-snouted vine snake
- Genus:
Ahaetulla
- Family:
Colubridae
Features
- Remarkably
long snout, which is about 18% of the length of its head,
distinguishing it from other vine snakes.
- Slender,
elongated bodywith a triangular head.
- Color
can vary between bright greenor orange-brown, with
a distinct orange belly.
- It
can grow up to 4 feet.
- Found
in Biharand Meghalaya.
- Found
in both forest environmentsand urban landscapes.
About Ahaetulla
Ahaetulla, commonly referred to as Asian vine snakes
or Asian whip snakes, is a genus of colubrid snakes.
Geographical Distribution
- Genus
Ahaetulla is distributed throughout tropical Asia.
- The Western
Ghatsof India and Sri Lanka are major centers for
vine snake diversity.
Behaviour
- Diurnal
and Arboreal (active during the day and primarily
live in trees or shrubs).
- Mainly
feeds on lizards, frogsand small rodents.
Some species feed exclusively on fish.
- Mildly
venomous, equipped with opisthoglyphous (rear-set) fangs.
- Ovoviviparous (give
birth to live young after incubating eggs inside the female's body).
- As
a member of the Colubridaefamily, the species does not have
a true venom gland like cobras or vipers.
- Vine
snakes have binocular vision, which is rare among reptiles.