Aparallactus lineatus
Encyclopedia
Aparallactus lineatus, or the lined centipede-eater, is a species of venomous rear-fanged snake
in the family Atractaspididae
.
. More specifically, it is found in Cameroon
, Ghana
, Guinea
, and Liberia
.
Total length 44 cm (17¼ inches); tail 57 mm (2¼ inches).
Dorsal scales smooth, without pits, in 15 rows. Ventrals 168; anal plate entire; subcaudals 41, entire.
Portion of rostral visible from above ⅓ as long as its distance from the frontal. A single prefrontal (very unusual), which forms a suture with the preocular. Frontal 1½ as long as broad, as long as its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals. Nasal entire, in contact with the preocular. One post ocular. A single temporal (most other species of Aparallactus have temporals 1+1). Seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fifth and sixth in contact with the parietal. First lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the mental. Two pairs of subequal chin shields, the anterior in contact with three lower labials.
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
in the family Atractaspididae
Atractaspididae
The Atractaspididae are a family of snakes found in Africa and the Middle East. Currently, 12 genera are recognized.-Description:This family includes many genera formerly classed in other families, on the basis of fang type. It includes fangless , rear-fanged , fixed-fanged , and viper-like species...
.
Geographic range
It is endemic to western AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. More specifically, it is found in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, and Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
.
Description
Dorsally it is olive, with three dark longitudinal lines, to which the specific name, lineatus, refers. Ventrally it is closely speckled with dark gray on the ventral and subcaudal scales.Total length 44 cm (17¼ inches); tail 57 mm (2¼ inches).
Dorsal scales smooth, without pits, in 15 rows. Ventrals 168; anal plate entire; subcaudals 41, entire.
Portion of rostral visible from above ⅓ as long as its distance from the frontal. A single prefrontal (very unusual), which forms a suture with the preocular. Frontal 1½ as long as broad, as long as its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals. Nasal entire, in contact with the preocular. One post ocular. A single temporal (most other species of Aparallactus have temporals 1+1). Seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, fifth and sixth in contact with the parietal. First lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the mental. Two pairs of subequal chin shields, the anterior in contact with three lower labials.