Homalopsis buccata
{{Short description|Species of snake}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Puff-faced water snake
| image = Homalopsis buccata.png
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Homalopsis
| parent_authority = Kuhl and Hasselt, 1822
| species = buccata
| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)
}}
Homalopsis buccata (puff-faced water snake or masked water snake) is a species of mildly venomous snake in the Homalopsidae family found in tropical areas of Southeast Asia.
Description
Upper labials 1–4 contact single loreal; two prefrontals; 33–40 dorsal scale rows at mid-body, usually reduced to fewer than 30 posteriorly; one postocular plus a postsubocular; 12 (11–14) upper labials; ventral count fewer than 166.Murphy, John C. 2007. Homalopsid Snakes: Evolution in the Mud. Krieger Publishing, Malabar, Florida, 249 pp.
Homalopsis buccata has a banded pattern and usually reaches 1 meter (3 feet) in length. They have a somewhat similar body build to the anaconda, but instead of constriction they use a mild venom from a grooved rear fang to subdue prey.
Distribution
H. buccata ranges from northern Sumatra to Salanga Island, Indonesia and Borneo; it is present on the Malaysian peninsula and in extreme southern Thailand (vicinity of Pattani).MURPHY, JOHN C.; HAROLD K. VORIS, B.H.C.K. MURTHY, JOSHUA TRAUB & CHRISTINA CUMBERBATCH 2012. The masked water snakes of the genus Homalopsis Kuhl & van Hasselt, 1822 (Squamata, Serpentes, Homalopsidae), with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 3208: 1–26
Reproduction
H. buccata are ovoviviparous, meaning they do not lay eggs but rather give birth to live young. Females give birth to 2-20 live young, with an average of 9.26 young per breeding. Studies have shown this species breeds year round, with a peak season of October–March (though no distinctive breeding season was found).Berry, P. Y., & Lim, G. S. (1967). The Breeding Pattern of the Puff-Faced Water Snake, Homalopsis buccata Boulenger. Copeia, 1967(2), 307.
Diet
H. buccata prey are said to include: tilapia, guppy, catfish, Asian swamp eel, various other small fish, a variety of frogs, freshwater crustaceans.Voris, H. K., & Murphy, J. C. (2002). The prey and predators of Homalopsine snakes. Journal of Natural History, 36(13), 1621–1632.
In captivity, the species feeds readily on minnows, goldfish, various cichlid fish, tilapia, Mollies (Poecilia), and tadpoles.
Notes
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References
- Boulenger, George A. 1890 The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp.
- Stuart, B.L.; Smith, J.; Davey, K.; Din, P. & Platt, S.G. 2000 Homalopsine watersnakes. The harvest and trade from Tonle Sap, Cambodia. Traffic Bull. 18 (3): 115-124
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080828171330/http://homalopsinae.com/ Homalopsinae.com]
- {{NRDB species|genus=Homalopsis|species=buccata}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2655234}}
Category:Fauna of Southeast Asia