M4C6 - Typical Snakes Part # 2 - · PDF fileTypical Snakes Part # 2 © WildlifeCampus...

© WildlifeCampus – Advanced Snakes & Reptiles 1

Typical Snakes Part # 2 © WildlifeCampus

© Dewsbury Crafts

Module # 4 – Component # 6

Typical Snakes Part # 2

Species Species endemic to the Lowveld included in this Component are:

�� Brown Water Snake �� Floodplain Water Snake

�� Dusky-Bellied Water Snake �� Green Water Snake �� Eastern Green Snake

�� Variegated Wolf Snake �� Cape Wolf Snake

�� Swazi Rock Snake

�� Marbled Tree Snake �� Aurora House Snake

�� Brown House Snake

�� Olive House Snake

�� Spotted House Snake �� Yellow-Bellied House Snake



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Brown Water Snake

Lycodonomorphus rufulus

Characteristics:

�� Plain brown colour �� Light ventral scales entending to lower dorsal colours which become

darker to salon coloured �� Near water �� Light coloured plain upper labials

Other Names:

Bruinwaterslang

Habitat:

Varied as they will occur in streams, dams and vleis

Reproduction:

Oviparous, having up to 23 eggs

Superstition:

This species is still held in apprehension amongst rural Zulu communities where

the traditional belief has been that the species venomous.



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Description:

They mainly feed on frogs & fish, while juveniles will take tadpoles or small fish. They eat their prey in the water.

It is a calm snake, rarely attempting to bite even when first caught. It is a fairly easy snake to identify, as it is plain brown to black, salmon coloured

belly and upper lip. The belly colouration normally extends nominally up the side of the body that is visible when viewed from the side. The tail ventral scales are

typically darker.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Brown Water Snake

Note on our Distribution Maps:

�� The general map is of Southern Africa �� The green shaded area is the Highveld and Lowveld of South Africa

�� The red lined area depicts the distribution of the species



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Floodplain Water Snake

Lycodonomorphus obscuriventris

Characteristics:

�� Dark brown colour

�� Near to water �� White stripe through upper labials �� Yellowish ventral scales

Other Names: Vloedvlaktewaterslag

Habitat: Mainly occur in vleis or floodplains

Reproduction: Oviparous



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Description:

This species is very similar to the Common Brown Water Snake except for the distribution, size and habitat. They have a fairly restricted range in comparison

to the Common Brown Water Snake. It is also a smaller species averaging around 450mm. Colouration is slightly

different in that the ventral scales are more orange yellow than salmon coloured and it may be spotted. The upper lip has a plain creamish stripe.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Floodplain Water Snake



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Dusky-bellied Water Snake

Lycodonomorphus laevissimus

Characteristics:

�� Dark brown slender snake

�� Near water

�� White to cream ventral scales with dark band to centre of ventral scales

�� Dark spots to upper labials may be present

Other Names:

Swartwaterslang

Habitat: Prefers slow moving water & ponds, often in treed areas

Reproduction:

Oviparous, having up to 17 eggs in summer



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Description:

They mainly feed on frogs & fish, while juveniles will take tadpoles or small fish. They eat their prey in the water.

When first encountered or captured this species will often bite as well as musk. It is a fairly easy snake to identify, as the eyes are high up on the head.

The body is plain brown to black, creamy to yellow belly with a dark central line running perpendicular to the ventral scales. Occasionally the white may extend

nominally up the side of the body, and the upper lip is spotted with white.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Dusky-bellied Water Snake



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Green Water Snake

Philothamus hoplogaster

Characteristics:

�� Usually plain green, rarely has a few black spots to upper third of body

�� Inflates neck when molested

�� Generall seen in trees �� Head fairly bulbous from rest of body

Other Names: South-eastern Green Snake, Groenwaterslang, Suidoostelike groenslang

Habitat: Found in damp areas along rivers, vleis, swamps or lakes on the eastern half of

Southern Africa within varied habitats.

Reproduction:




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Description:

A species that is misidentified with the Green Mamba. Within the course area the Green Mamba does not occur, however the head shape differs from the

coffin shape of the Green Mamba. Misidentification does rarely occur with the Spotted Bush Snake.

This snake is emerald green in colour and may rarely have some black spots along the back. They do not inflate their necks when hassled and will rarely bite

when initially caught. The ventral scales are usually pale green or yellowish

green. The skin on the body between scales is black. The head is also more slender than that of the Spotted Bush Snake.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Green Water Snake



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Eastern Natal Green Snake

Philothamus natalensis natalensis

Characteristics:

�� Green with white ventral scales �� Occasionally white flecks present on body

Other Names: Natal Green Snake, Natalse groenslang

Habitat:

Commonly found in areas along rivers, vleis or dams where there is dense

vegetation. They occur from forested regions to coastal plains.

Reproduction:




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Description: They are a predominantly arboreal species that will ascend into the trees or

bush when disturbed. It inflates the neck region when hassled and will often strike out when captured. It too, is also confused with the Green Mamba but it does not have the distinctive coffin shaped head.

They are green with a pale greenish to yellowish white under body. The ventral

scales are keeled to aid in climbing. It is very similar in appearances to the

Green Water Snake and only when seen very close could one reliably identify the difference between the two species. This species also has two temporal

scales as opposed to the one of the Green Water Snake.

Two sub-species exist and differ nominally and only through close observation can the two be told apart.

1. P. n. natalensis Keeled subcaudals nine (9) upper labials 2. P. n. occidentalis Smooth subcaudals eight (8) upper labials

Distribution:

Distribution of the Eastern and Western Natal Green Snake



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Variegated Wolf Snake

Lycophidion variegatum

Characteristics:

�� Black with far more speckling than Cape Wolf snake, more spotted with white in irregular pattern

�� Small Species with a slender build

Other Names: Bont wolfslang

Habitat: Varied habitat including bushveld, thornveld, and savanna, but always in rocky

regions within their larger habitat zones. Within their range they are often found in damp localities under all sorts of shelter like rocks and logs or under

exfoliating rock.

Reproduction:




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Description:

This species is slightly easier to identify because of the white marking present on the body. They are black or extremely dark brown on the ventral scales and the

body. The body is marked with an irregular white pattern that extends the entire body length and the white spots are often close together or joined, unlike the Cape Wolf Snake.

Even when first captured it seldom reacts and very rarely bites.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Variegated Wolf Snake



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Cape Wolf Snake Lycophidion capensis

Characteristics:

�� Predomiantly black body

�� White flecks to scales and head �� 2 supra-ocular scales

Other Names: Common Wolf Snake, Gewone wolfslang, Kaapsewolfslang

Habitat: Varied habitat from bushveld, thornveld, savanna, Lowveld & Highveld down to

coastal plains and in rocky areas. Within their range they are often found in more

damp localities under all sorts of shelter like rocks, logs, rubbish, termite mounds and rock crevices or exfoliating rock.

Reproduction:

Oviparous, having less than 10 eggs in summer



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Description:

It is a species that could be misidentified as described under the Bibron's Burrowing Asp. The upper scales have white edges giving a white speckled

appearance on a black to dark brown upper body. The ventral scales may have some black speckling and very rarely a non-continuous dark band is present to the centre of the ventral scales, but usually they are creamy white.

Unlike Bibron's Burrowing Asp which inflicts a very nasty cytotoxic bite, this

species is harmless.

Even experience snake handlers have misidentified the harmless Wolf Snake with

a dark phased Highveld Garter Snake, fortunately both rarely bite.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Cape Wolf Snake



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Swazi Rock Snake

Lamprophis swazicus

Characteristics:

�� Plain brown slender snake

�� Distinctive head & Eyes

Other Names:

Swazirotsslang

Habitat: They prefer rocky regions where they can hide in crevices and under exfoliating

rocks

Reproduction:

Oviparous, assumed less than 10 eggs



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Description:

It is a peculiar species to the Genus and it may in the future be described under it’s own genus.

They have thin bodies with a very distinctive head. The ventral scales are usually cream to white and the upper body is brown, beige or brick red. They have very

large eyes that are very easily noticeable.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Swazi Rock Snake



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Marbled Tree Snake

Dipsadoboa aulica

Characteristics:

�� Typical head

�� Vertical pupil �� Marbled head colouration

�� White coloured tongue

Other Names: Cross-Barred Tree Snake , Gebande slang or Dwarsgestreepte Slang

Habitat: Lowveld forest extending down to Coastal Forests

Reproduction: Oviparous, having up to 8 eggs



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Description:

It is brown to light brown with a series of thin white criss-cross lines along the body. The head also has white patterning and ventral scales are off-white with

the sides speckled in a red brown colour. The tongue is also white. They feed primarily on Geckos and tree frogs but will take other toad and

frog species and lizards. When hassled they raise the head well off the ground and strike out ferociously and will often bite when handled.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Marbled Tree Snake



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Aurora House Snake

Lamprophis aurora

Characteristics:

�� Green with white ventral scales �� Orange vertebral stripe �� Hatchling are speckled green and black, with orange vertebral stripe

�� Rounded head shape

Other Names:

Auroraslang

Habitat:

The mainly occur in grasslands but extend down into coastal scrub / bush and

Fynbos in the Cape.

Reproduction:

Oviparous, having 3-6 eggs



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Description:

As adults there are hardly any snakes with which this species could be confused. They have a rounded head and a short thickset body. They are normally green to

yellow-green in colour with an orange vertebral stripe that is present in hatchlings. Hatchling body colouration is green speckled black and could be confused with Harlequin Snakes.

They feed mainly on rodents but will take lizards, and as hatchling they

predominantly feed on skinks. This species rarely ever bites even when first

captured, but hatchling may defecate on their attacker and let out little hissing noises.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Aurora House Snake



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Brown House Snake

Lamprophis capensis previously Lamprophis fuliginosus

Characteristics:

�� Brown, occasionally with some dorsal patterning in lighter brown to first

third of the body �� Light stripe running from the tip of the nose above eye to back of jaw.

�� White to cream ventral scales.

Other Names:

Bruinhuisslang

Habitat:

They occur in most habitats across their range.

Reproduction: Oviparous, having up to 18 eggs



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Description:

It is a very distinguishable species by the plain brown colouration and the

white to cream V that is present on the top of the head. The lines go from the rostral scale, through or just above the eye to the back of the jawbone. This colouration is unique to this species. Juveniles have the above marking, but also

have a lighter brown pattern down the sides, which may be retained in adults, particularly those found in Natal. The ventral scales are cream in colour. Xanthic

(yellow or yellowish) and albino colourations have been recorded in this

species, although rare.

It does very well in urban areas in search for it’s preferred prey of rodents,

but they will also eat lizards. Hatchlings normally eat lizards, particularly skinks,

but will also take newborn mice. Initially they can be a bit aggressive, biting and hissing, but soon settle down to being handled.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Brown House Snake



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Olive House Snake

Lamprophis inornatus

Characteristics:

�� Plain olive to black species

�� Typical head �� Terrestrial - not commonly seen

Other Names: Black House Snake, Nagslang, Olyfhuisslang

Habitat:

They occur in more moist areas in savanna, coastal belt & the bushveld.

Reproduction:

Oviparous, having up to 15 eggs



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Description:

These snakes are thick bodied snakes and quite large for the family. They are dark olive to black in colour with a light olive to grey-green coloured belly. It is

very similar to the Brown House Snake and also has a pleasant temperament, even when first captured. The diet is the same, except they will also eat other snakes.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Olive House Snake



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Spotted House Snake

Lamprophis guttatus

Characteristics:

�� Flat distinctive head �� Dark saddles or vertebral blotches along body

�� Found in rocky areas

�� Blotches may merge to form zig-zag vertebral pattern

Other Names:

Spotted Rock Snake, Gevlekte rotsslang, Gevlekte huisslang

Habitat:

Prefer rocky terrain, particularly where rocks are exfoliating or “onion peeling”.

Reproduction:




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Description:

Colouration of the species is highly varied. In the region of the course they are usually grey to silvery brown with dark brown blotches along the back. In

some regions these blotches may join to form a zigzag appearance. In the northern specimens the blotches are often surrounded with a darker brown to black ring. The ventral scales are yellow-white.

In the day they will shelter under crevices in the rocks. It is well adapted to this

habitat as the head is also relatively flat to fit under rock flakes. They are very

shy & elusive snakes that rarely bite when captured. They feed almost exclusively on lizards, which they hunt at night whilst the prey is sleeping.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Spotted House Snake



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Yellow-bellied House Snake

Lamprophis fuscus

Characteristics:

�� Similar to Olive House Snake �� Often olive to brown in colour �� Yellowish colouration to upper labials and lower dorsal scales just above

ventral scales

Other Names: Geelpenshuisslang

Habitat: They seem to prefer grassy rocky areas, normally in the vicinity of streams and /

or treed areas.

Reproduction:




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Description:

They have a yellow belly that extends up the sides of the body. Generally this band is a brighter yellow than the ventral scales. The top of the body is usually

olive in colour, lightening over the upper labials. Head scales are typical with very large parietal scales, 2 Postocular scales and one preocular.

Distribution:

Distribution of the Yellow-bellied House Snake

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