THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

220 A Docent Field Guide to the Species of the Steinhart Aquarium
on various islands in Indonesia and the
Philippines, has evolved into at least 9 known
subspecies. Most differ from each other by the
number, length, and width of their bands. B.d.
annectens is confined to Borneo.
Boiga spp. are known as “cat snakes” because
their elliptical pupils resemble those of cats.
Unlike most “cats,” this animal is an adept
swimmer.
A venomous species: though no human
fatalities are known, its bite can be extremely
painful. Researchers recently (2006) isolated a
novel toxin from the venom, and determined
it to be a bird-specific neurotoxin.
Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi (Colubridae)
Colubrids
Distribution: Southern Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Habitat: Arboreal. Lives in a fairly diverse
habitat, ranging from tropical evergreen
rainforests with relatively sparse undergrowth
to deciduous forests with undergrowth of
shrubs and grasses.
Appearance: Long slender body, reaching over
a meter long. It can reach well over 1 m. Its
black body is covered with a yellow spotted
pattern, which may form stripes with red and
orange splotches. The head has 5 yellow or
orange bars that extend the width of the head.
Diet: Carnivorous and, like all snakes, swallows
its food whole. Prefers lizard species but will
eat frogs, bats, small birds and small rodents.
Reproduction and Development: Oviparous,
with internal fertilization. Lay clutches of 5
to 11 eggs. Gestation period is not known.
Offspring hatch when they are about 15 cm
long and are brightly colored like adults.
Mortality/Longevity: Preyed upon by
predatory birds and large mammals. The
biggest threat is increased human habitation.
No information on life span.
Remarks: When prey is identified, paradise
snakes will strike and snare the prey with
6 rows of teeth. Once it has hold, it uses a
combination of constriction and mild venom
to subdue the prey.
Snakes classified in the genus Chrysopelea
usually posses the ability to “fly.” They slither
out to the end of a branch, and dangle in a “J”
shape. Using the lower half of their body they
form into an S. They then stretch out their ribs,
flattening their bodies to double the original
width. The belly region of the snake becomes
concave, a shape that acts as a parachute as
the snake glides on air drafts from a higher
branch to a lower one. They can undulate their
bodies to change directions and can glide up
to 300 feet.
Everglades Rat Snake
Elaphe obsoleta rosalleni (Colubridae)
Colubrids
Distribution: Native to the Kissimmee Prairie
and the Everglades regions of South Florida.
Habitat: Found in the seas of sawgrass, in the
open grasslands and agricultural fields, in trees
or shrubs, and along waterways. Also found in
the Australian pine trees planted along roads.
Appearance: Adult rat snakes range from
yellow to red to black, with 4 grey longitudinal
stripes; have orange eyes and a red tongue.
Relatively large, reaching lengths of up to five
feet. These rat snakes are skilled swimmers and
are also able to climb trees as well as burrow
underground. Harmless, non-venomous.
Diet: Rodents, lizards, frogs and birds in the
wild; nocturnal hunters.
Reproduction and Development: Female rat
snakes generally lay clutches of 6–30 smoothshelled,
oblong eggs between May and July.
Hatchlings emerge in 8–15 weeks, August to
October. Hatchlings are 30–40 cm long.
Mortality/Longevity: In captivity, live up to
20 years.
Remarks: Record length of a rat snake is
2.3 m.
Pure Everglades rat snakes are becoming rare
in the wild due to the expansion of the yellow
rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata) into
Southern Florida. The yellow rat has been
interbreeding with the Glades rat to produce
much darker individuals than those typical of
the pure Glades form.
Red-tailed Green Rat Snake
Gonyosoma oxycephala (Colubridae)
Colubrids
Distribution: Southeast Asia including
Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia/
Singapore, Philippines Thailand, and Vietnam.