Elapsoidea sundevallii
| Elapsoidea sundevallii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Elapsoidea |
| Species: | E. sundevallii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Elapsoidea sundevallii (A. Smith, 1848)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Elapsoidea sundevallii, also known commonly as Sundevall's garter snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Southern Africa. There are five recognised subspecies.
Etymology
The specific epithet, sundevalli, honours Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall (1801–1875).[2][3]
The subspecific name, decosteri, is in honour of Belgian consul Juste De Coster, who collected natural history specimens at Delagoa Bay, Mozambique.[3]
The subspecific name, fitzsimonsi, is in honour of South African herpetologist Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons.[3]
Geographic range
E. sundevallii is found in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.[2]
Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of E. sundevallii are grassland, shrubland, savanna, and forest, at altitudes from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft).[1]
Description
Adults of E. sundevallii are slate-grey to black or dark brown on the upper body, with whitish to pinkish bellies. Juveniles are banded.[2]
Males grow to be longer than females. The maximum recorded snout-to-vent length (SVL) for a male is 93 cm (37 in). The maximum recorded SVL for a female is only 65 cm (26 in).[4]
Diet
E. sundevallii preys upon frogs, lizards and their eggs, snakes, moles, and rodents.[4]
Venom
Although E. sundevallii is venomous and can inflict a serious bite, few bites have been recorded, and none has resulted in a human fatality. Symptoms may include pain and swelling, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness.[4]
Reproduction
The species E. sundevallii is oviparous.[2] A sexually mature female may lay a clutch of as many as 10 eggs.[4]
Subspecies
The following five subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognised as being valid.[2]
- Elapsoidea sundevallii decosteri Boulenger, 1888
- Elapsoidea sundevallii fitzsimonsi Loveridge, 1944
- Elapsoidea sundevallii longicauda Broadley, 1971
- Elapsoidea sundevallii media Broadley, 1971
- Elapsoidea sundevallii sundevallii (A. Smith, 1848)
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Elapsoidea.
References
- ^ a b Alexander GJ (2021). "Elapsoidea sundevallii ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: https://dx.doi.org/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T110168328A139744645.en. Downloaded on 21 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Elapsoidea sundevallii SMITH, 1848". Reptile Database. Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ a b c Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Elapsoidea sundevallii decosteri, p. 67; Elapsoidea sundevallii fitzsimonsi, p. 91; "Elapsoidea sundevalli [sic]", p. 258).
- ^ a b c d Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. ("Elapsoidea sunderwallii [sic]", p. 106 + Plates 21, 32, 37).
Further reading
- Boulenger GA (1888). "On new or little-known South-African Reptiles". Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Sixth Series 2: 136–141. (Elapsoidea decosteri, new species, p. 141).
- Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III. Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I–XXV. (Elapechis sundevallii, new combination, pp. 360–361).
- Broadley DG (1971). "A revision of the African snake genus Elapsoidea Bocage (Elapidae)". Occasional Papers of the National Museum of Southern Rhodesia 32: 577–626. (Elapsoidea sundevallii longicauda, new subspecies; Elapsoidea sundevallii media, new subspecies).
- Loveridge A (1944). "Further revisions of African Snake Genera". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College 95 (2): 121–247. (Elapsoidea sundevalli fitzsimonsi, new subspecies, pp. 229–231).
- Smith A (1848). Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa; Consisting Chiefly of Descriptions and Figures of the Objects of Natural History Collected during an Expedition into the Interior of South Africa, in the Years 1834, 1835, and 1836; Fitted out by "The Cape of Good Hope Association for the Exploring Central Africa:" Together with a Summary of African Zoology, and an Inquiry into the Geographical Ranges of Species in that Quarter of the Globe. [Volume III. Reptilia.] London: Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. (Smith, Elder and Co., printers). Plates + unnumbered pages of text. (Elaps sunderwallii, new species, Plate 56). (in English and Latin).
 | This Elapidae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |