Sakishima green snake

Sakashima Green Snake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Ptyas
Species:
P. herminae
Binomial name
Ptyas herminae
(Boettger, 1895)
Synonyms[2]

The Sakishima green snake (Ptyas herminae) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Yaeyama Islands in the southern Ryukyu Islands of Japan.[1]

Etymology

The specific name, herminae, is in honor of Boettger's wife, Hermine Boettger.[3]

Geographic range

P. herminae is found in the Yaeyama Islands of Japan.[1]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of P. herminae is forest.[1]

Description

P. herminae may attain a total length of 58 cm (23 in), which includes a tail about 11 cm (4.3 in) long.[4]

Behavior

P. herminae is terrestrial.[1]

Diet

P. herminae preys upon earthworms.[1]

Reproduction

P. herminae is oviparous.[2] An adult female may lay a clutch of about eight eggs in August, which is later than other species of terrestrial snakes lay eggs in the Ryukyus.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Kidera, N.; Ota, H. (2017). "Ptyas herminae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T96251357A96251360. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T96251357A96251360.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Ptyas herminae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  3. ^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cyclophiops herminae, p. 122).
  4. ^ Boulenger (1896).

Further reading

  • Boettger O (1895). "Neue Frösche und Schlangen von den Liukiu-Inseln ". Zoologischer Anzeiger 18: 266–270. (Ablabes herminae, new species, p. 269). (in German).
  • 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 IXXV. ("Ablabes herminæ", p. 643).
  • Figueroa A, McKelvy AD, Grismer LL, Bell CD, Lailvaux SP (2016). "A Species-Level Phylogeny of Extant Snakes with Description of a new Colubrid Subfamily and Genus". PLoS ONE 11 (9): e0161070. (Ptyas herminae, new combination).
  • Goris, Richard C; Maeda, Norio (2004). Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Japan. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 285 pp. ISBN 978-1575240855.
  • Stejneger L (1907). Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territory. United States National Museum Bulletin 58. Washington, District of Columbia: Smithsonian Institution. xx + 577 pp. (Liopeltis herminæ, new combination, pp. 343–344, Figures 296–297).



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