Redhead krait
| Redhead krait | ||||||||||||
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Red-headed krait ( Bungarus flaviceps ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Bungarus flaviceps | ||||||||||||
| Reinhardt , 1843 |
The Rotkopfkrait ( Bungarus flaviceps ) is a poisonous snake and counts within the family of poisonous snakes to the genus Kraits . The species was first described scientifically in 1843 by the Danish zoologist Johannes Theodor Reinhardt .
Distribution area and subspecies
The distribution area of the nominate form of the red headed kraits ( B. flaviceps flaviceps ) extends over southern Myanmar , southern Thailand , Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula , Sumatra , Java , Bangka , Belitung and Nias . The subspecies Bungarus flavipes baluensis occurs in Borneo .
features
The red-headed krait can reach a total length of 207 cm, with the head-trunk length then being around 185 cm. Males are likely to grow longer than females. The body is triangular in cross section. There are 13 rows of scales on the back, the number of ventral scales is 193 to 236 (females 193 to 217, males 220 to 236), those of the subcaudalia 42 to 55 (females 42 to 55, males 47 to 53), with the the first are undivided and the last are divided. The anal scale is undivided. In front of the eye there is a pre- ocular , behind it two, more rarely three post-ocularia. Along the upper edge of the mouth opening there are seven upper lip shields , the third and fourth touching the eye.
The back of the nominate shape shimmers blue-black, the head, neck and tail are yellowish to striking red in color. The center line of the back can be the same color as the rest of the upper part of the body or marked yellow or red. The ventral side is whitish and unspotted. In young animals, the back center line is white or reddish, on the sides they show a row of spots or lines of the same color. Your stomach is dark. B. f. baluensis has a brown head and neck, the front half of the body is black, the rear half with strong red and black rings. The midline of the back is light, a row of white spots extends on the upper side of the body.
Like all Venomari has Bungarus flaviceps to venom glands reformed salivary glands , which via a channel with poison in the front upper jaw located, non-movable fangs are connected (proteroglyphe tooth position).
The red- headed krait can easily be confused with the similarly colored blue abdominal viper ( Calliophis bivirgata ). However, this venomous snake has a red belly side, while it is blackish in young redhead kraits and whitish in adult specimens.
Habitat and way of life
The red-headed krait lives in rainforests in the lowlands and in the mountains. The species is rare, nocturnal and avoids sunlight. Exposed to sunlight, she always tries to escape into the dark or she hides her head under her entwined body. The red-headed krait feeds mainly on snakes (ophiophagy) and cannibalism can also occur. A captive female three feet long laid three eggs (60 × 17 mm). The redhead krait is lazy to bite, but is considered dangerous because of its strong poison.
literature
- Ulrich Manthey, Wolfgang Grossmann: Amphibians & Reptiles of Southeast Asia. Natur und Tier Verlag, 1997, ISBN 978-3931587123 , pages 418-420.
Web links
- Bungarus flaviceps in The Reptile Database
- IUCN Red List: Bungarus flaviceps (accessed September 23, 2016)