Savanna vine snake
Threat display
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Thelotornis
Species:
T. capensis
Binomial name
Thelotornis capensis
A. Smith, 1849

The Southern Vine Snake (Thelotornis capensis) is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae.

Geographic range

Thelotornis capensis is found in southern Africa.[2]

Description

Thelotornis capensis is slender and has a long tail. The longest museum specimen is a male with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 106 cm (42 in), a tail 62 cm (24 in) long, and a combined total length of 168 cm (66 in).[2][3]

Reproduction

Thelotornis capensis is oviparous.[2][3] The eggs are elongated and rather small, each measuring on average 36 mm (1.4 in) long and 16 mm (0.63 in) wide.[2]

Subspecies

Three subspecies of T. capensis are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies.[3]

  • Thelotornis capensis capensis A. Smith, 1849
  • Thelotornis capensis oatesi (Günther, 1881)
  • Thelotornis capensis schilsi Derleyn, 1978

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Thelotornis.

Etymology

The subspecific name, oatesi, honors British naturalist Frank Oates.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Spawls, S. (2021). "Thelotornis capensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T164904938A120632972. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T164904938A120632972.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Branch, William R. [in French] (1994). "Thelotornis capensis". Bill Branch's Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. pp. 100-101 + Plates 18 & 31. ISBN 978-1-86825-575-7.
  3. 1 2 3 "Thelotornis capensis ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  4. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). "Oates, F.". The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. JHU Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.

Further reading

  • Access Professional Development. 2022. Vine Snake (Thelotornis capensis capensis). [Online] Available: https://accesspd.co.za/species/vine-snake (Accessed: 02/02/2022)
  • Smith, A (1849). "Thelotornis capensis, new species". Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa ... Reptilia. London: Smith, Elder, and Co.
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