Elapsoidea guentherii

{{Speciesbox

| image =

| image_caption =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Verburgt, L. |author-link=species:Luke Verburgt |author2=Pietersen, D. |author2-link=species:Darren W. Pietersen |author3=Farooq, H. |author3-link=species:Harith Farooq |author4=Chapeta, Y. |author4-link=species:Yankho Chapeta |year=2020 |title=Elapsoidea guentherii |volume=2020 |page=e.T13265832A13265836 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T13265832A13265836.en |access-date=17 August 2023}}

| genus = Elapsoidea

| species = guentherii

| authority = Bocage, 1866

| range_map = Elapsoidea guentherii map.jpg

| range_map_caption =

| synonyms = *Elapsoidea Guntherii
{{small|Bocage, 1866}}

Elapsoidea hessei
{{small|Boettger, 1887}}
Elapsoidea guentheri
{{small|— Günther, 1895}}
Elapechis guentheri
{{small|— Boulenger, 1896}}
Elapsoidea sundevallii güntherii
{{small|— Loveridge, 1944}}
Elapsoidea guentherii
{{small|— Welch, 1994}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Elapsoidea guentherii, also known commonly as Günther's garter snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae.{{cite web |title=Elapsoidea guentherii |url=http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Elapsoidea&species=guentherii|website=The Reptile Database |access-date=10 December 2021}} The species is native to Central Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, guentherii, is in honor of German-British herpetologist Albert Günther.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}}. (Elapsoidea guntheri, p. 110).

Geographic range

E. guentherii is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of E. guentherii is savanna, at altitudes from sea level to {{cvt|1,500|m|ft}}.

Description

E. guentherii exhibits sexual dimorphism with males being significantly larger than females. Males may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of {{cvt|56|cm|in}}, but females only grow to {{cvt|38.5|cm|in}} SVL. Juveniles have a dorsal color pattern of alternating black and white crossbands of equal width. The pattern fades as the snakes mature, with adults becoming uniformly grayish black dorsally, and lighter gray ventrally.

Venom

E. guentherii is venomous, but no human fatalities have been reported.

Diet

E. guentherii preys predominately upon reptiles such as lizards and snakes, but it will also eat amphibians and termites.

Reproduction

E. guentherii is oviparous. In late summer an adult female may lay a clutch of as many as ten eggs.Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-042-5}}. (Elapsoidea guentheri, p. 105 + Plate 21).