Suta
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| Worrell , 1961 |
Suta is a genus of snakes and belongs to the family of poisonous snakes (Elapidae). It was first described in 1961 by the Australian herpetologist Eric Worrel .
description
They are relatively small to medium-sized snakes, mostly of a strong build. The body length is usually between 30 and 50 cm. Suta suta reaches up to 90 cm. The head is flat and clearly separated from the neck. Head drawings occur regularly, for example dark temporal ligaments or light drawings over sublabials and supralabials . The body scales on the upper side ( scuta dorsalia ) are smooth. The body usually has a brownish, reddish or orange-brown basic color. The scales can have dark edges. Some species, such as Suta fasciata , have numerous dark spots along their bodies. The ventral side is brightly colored. As is typical for venomous snakes, the venom apparatus consists of venom glands located on the side of the skull (specialized salivary glands ) and immobile fangs located in the anterior upper jaw (proteroglyphic tooth position). Relatively little is known about the composition and pharmacology of the poisonous secretions of the various species; the toxicity varies depending on the species.
distribution
The genus Suta is endemic is Australia . The different species of the genus colonize a large number of biotopes and can be found both in moist habitats and in arid regions.
Way of life
Suta species lead a soil-dwelling and sometimes burrowing way of life. Depending on the weather, the activity phase mainly extends over twilight and night. The prey spectrum can include lizards (e.g. skinks , geckos and agamas ), blind snakes , small mammals , frogs and the eggs of various reptiles. The propagation is done by ovoviviparity , so egg-viviparous. A litter usually contains less than ten young snakes.
Systematics
The Reptile Database lists four species within the genus Suta (as of 2018):
- Suta fasciata ( Rosén , 1905) - Western Australia
- Suta ordensis ( Storr , 1984) - Western Australia, possibly Northern Territory
- Suta punctata ( Boulenger , 1896) - Northern Territory, Queensland , Western Australia
- Suta suta ( Peters , 1863) - New South Wales , Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia , Victoria , Western Australia
Numerous other species are or have been assigned to the genus Suta in the past . The following species were transferred to the genus Parasuta , but are still listed under Suta by some authors :
- Suta flagellum ( F. McCoy , 1878), synonymous with Parasuta flagellum
- Suta gouldii ( Gray , 1841), synonymous with Parasuta gouldii
- Suta monachus ( Storr , 1964), synonymous with Parasuta monachus
- Suta nigriceps ( Günther , 1863), synonymous with Parasuta nigriceps
- Suta spectabilis ( Krefft , 1869), synonymous with Parasuta spectabilis
- Suta dwyeri ( Worrell , 1956), synonymous with Parasuta dwyeri
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Reptile Database: Suta Species (accessed June 30, 2018)
literature
- Swan - The Australian Museum: A Photographic Guide to Snakes & other Reptiles of Australia , Tien Wah Press (Pte) Ltd, 1996, ISBN 185368 585 2 .
- Ludwig Trutnau: Snakes in the Terrarium Vol. 2: Poisonous snakes . Verlag Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-800-1705-23 .