Oligodon fasciolatus, commonly known as the small-banded kukri snake or the fasciolated kukri snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae.[2] The species is native to Southeast Asia. This snake uniquely eviscerates live poisonous toads, Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Asian common toads), to avoid toxic white liquid the toad secretes.[3]

Oligodon fasciolatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Oligodon
Species:
O. fasciolatus
Binomial name
Oligodon fasciolatus
(Günther, 1864)
Synonyms[2]
  • Simotes fasciolatus
    Günther, 1864
  • Simotes smithi
    Werner, 1925
  • Oligodon cyclurus smithi
    — Werner, 1925
  • Oligodon cyclurus superfluens
    Taylor, 1965
  • Oligodon fasciolatus
    Cox et al., 1998

Geographic range

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O. fasciolatus is found in southeastern Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.[1][2]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitat of O. fasciolatus is forest.[1]

Description

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O. fasciolatus may attain a total length of 115 cm (45 in).[4]

Reproduction

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O. fasciolatus is oviparous.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Thy N; Chan-Ard T; Nguyen TQ (2012). "Oligodon fasciolatus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192038A2031648.en.
  2. ^ a b c d Oligodon fasciolatus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 December 2018.
  3. ^ Fox, Alex (2 October 2020). "This Snake Slurps Organs of Living Toads in Grisly Feeding Strategy". Smithsonian. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. ^ Bringsøe et al. (2020).

Further reading

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  • Günther ACLG (1864). The Reptiles of British India. London: The Ray Society. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xxvii + 452 pp. + Plates I-XXVI. (Simotes fasciolatus, new species, pp. 218–219 + Plate XX, figure B, two views of head).
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