Indian Egg-eater
Encyclopedia
The Indian egg-eating snake (Elachistodon westermanni) is a rare species
of egg-eating snake found in the Indian subcontinent
. It is also called Westermann's snake, reflecting its scientific name. The snake belongs to the monotypic genus Elachistodon.
, India
, and Nepal
. Recent discoveries of the species from Maharashtra
and Gujarat
It was thought that the species is extinct in 1969 A.D.and enlisted in Red Data Book. But Firstly rediscovered By Central Indian Herpetologist Ashahar Khan, at Amravati district in Maharashtra state in 2004. He wrote 200 pages of scientific thesis on it which includes its anatomical, morphological and various significant research.
Adults may attain a total length of 78 cm (31 inches), with a tail 11 cm (4¼ inches) long.
found in Africa
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of egg-eating snake found in the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
. It is also called Westermann's snake, reflecting its scientific name. The snake belongs to the monotypic genus Elachistodon.
Geographic range
It is found in BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. Recent discoveries of the species from Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and Gujarat
It was thought that the species is extinct in 1969 A.D.and enlisted in Red Data Book. But Firstly rediscovered By Central Indian Herpetologist Ashahar Khan, at Amravati district in Maharashtra state in 2004. He wrote 200 pages of scientific thesis on it which includes its anatomical, morphological and various significant research.
Description
This species is glossy brown to black, with bluish white flecks posteriorly, and a middorsal creamy stripe from neck to tail tip. The head is brown with a black arrow mark. The ventrals are white with brown dots.Adults may attain a total length of 78 cm (31 inches), with a tail 11 cm (4¼ inches) long.
Diet
Elachistodon westermanni has special adaptations such as a vertebral hypapophysis, a projection of the backbone, that juts into the oesophagus and helps in cracking eggs. The only other snakes that share these egg-eating adaptations are in the genus DasypeltisDasypeltis
Dasypeltis is a genus of colubrid snakes. It is one of only two taxonomic groups of snakes known to have adapted to feed exclusively on eggs...
found in Africa
Africa
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...
.