Nose whip snake

Nose whip snake
	Nose whip snake ( Ahaetulla nasuta )
Systematics
Subordination :	Snakes (serpentes)
Superfamily :	Adder-like and viper-like (Colubroidea)
Family :	Adders (Colubridae)
Subfamily :	True snakes (Colubrinae)
Genre :	Whip Snakes ( Ahaetulla )
Type :	Nose whip snake
Scientific name
	Ahaetulla nasuta
	( Lacépède , 1789)

The nasal whip snake ( Ahaetulla nasuta ), also known as tree sniffer , is a slender, green tree snake and belongs to the adder family . It lives in the humid areas of India and Southeast Asia .

features

Head of a nasal whip snake

Like all whip snakes , the nasal whip snake has a graceful physique and the horizontal-oval pupils typical of this genus . The head is pointed, at its end is the eponymous extension, which is formed by the rostral shield . The fangs of the snake lie in the back of the jaw, so they are opistoglyphic.

The eyes are very big. The narrow forehead shield (frontal) lies between the large supraoculars .

Way of life

Most of their food includes frogs and lizards . Birds such as the Baja weaver ( Ploceus philippinus ) are also captured.

It usually moves very slowly and relies on its leafy green camouflage. If the nasal whip snake is disturbed, it stretches its body, shows its black and white markings and threatens the troublemaker with its mouth open (see picture above right). The viviparous snakes give birth to 5–15 young.

Nose whip snakes are slightly poisonous and swelling can be caused by a bite. However, symptoms usually subside after three days.

In southern India there is a widespread legend that she blinds human victims with her pointed head.

Individual evidence

↑ George A. Boulenger: The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp., 1890, pp. 370 f . ( PDF ).
↑ Thejaswi Shivanand, M. Mohan Kumar: Green Vine Snake Ahaetulla nasuta preying on a Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus . In: Newsletter for Ornithologists . tape 1 , no. 6 , 2004.
↑ Ahaetulla nasuta in The Reptile Database

Web links

Commons : Nose Whip Snake ( Ahaetulla nasuta ) - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Nose whip snake and green tree sniffer
Snakes from Sri Lanka ( Memento from November 23, 2001 in the Internet Archive )
Ahaetulla nasuta in The Reptile Database

[b90-1] George A. Boulenger: The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp., 1890, pp. 370 f . ( PDF ).

[sk04-2] Thejaswi Shivanand, M. Mohan Kumar: Green Vine Snake Ahaetulla nasuta preying on a Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus . In: Newsletter for Ornithologists . tape 1 , no. 6 , 2004.

[rd-3] Ahaetulla nasuta in The Reptile Database