Eryx whitakeri

Eryx whitakeri
Lateral and dorsal headviews of adult Eryx whitakeri
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Boidae
Genus: Eryx
Species:
E. whitakeri
Binomial name
Eryx whitakeri
Das, 1991
Synonyms[2]
  • Eryx whitakeri
    Das, 1991
  • Gongylophis whitakeri
    — Tokar, 1995
  • Eryx whitakeri
    — McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré, 1999

Eryx whitakeri, also commonly known as Whitaker's sand boa or Whitaker's boa, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the subfamily Erycinae of the family Boidae. The species is endemic to India. No subspecies are recognized.[3]

Etymology

The specific name whitakeri, as well as both of the above common names, are in honor of American-born Indian herpetologist Romulus Whitaker.[4]

Geographic range

E. whitakeri is found in southwestern coastal India in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and southern Maharashtra.[2]

The type locality given is "Mangalore, Karnataka State, India".[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of E. whitakeri are sea beaches and scrub forests.[5]

Description

E. whitakeri may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 79 cm (31 in).[5]

Diet

E. whitaker preys upon small mice.[5]

Reproduction

E. whitakeri is viviparous.[6]

References

  1. ^ Srinivasulu, C.; Das, A.; Mohapatra, P.; Srinivasulu, B.; Shankar, G.; Achyuthan, N.S.; Vyas, R.; Thakur, S.; Kulkarni, N.U.; Jose, J.; Sawant, N.S.; Aengals, A.; Deepak, V. (2021). "Eryx whitakeri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T172652A1359593. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T172652A1359593.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. ^ "Eryx whitakeri ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
  4. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Eryx whitakeri, p. 284).
  5. ^ a b c Das I (2002). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of India. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. ISBN 0-88359-056-5. (Eryx whitakeri, p. 14).
  6. ^ Species Eryx whitakeri at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

  • Whitaker R, Captain A (2004). Snakes of India: The Field Guide. Chennai: Draco Books. 495 pp. ISBN 978-81-901873-0-5.
  • Das I (1991). "A new species of Eryx (Boidae: Serpentes: Squamata) from south-western India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 88 (1): 92–97. (Eryx whitakeri, new species).
  • Jones C (2004). "Sandboas". Reptilia 9 (3): 20–30.
  • Sharma RC (2003). Handbook: Indian Snakes. Kolkata: Zoological Survey of India. 292 pp. ISBN 978-8181711694.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.