The Southern Vine Snake (Thelotornis capensis) is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae.
| Savanna vine snake | |
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| Threat display | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thelotornis |
| Species: | T. capensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Thelotornis capensis A. Smith, 1849
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Geographic range edit
Description edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
The subspecific name, oatesi, honors British naturalist Frank Oates.[4]
References edit
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b c "Thelotornis capensis ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ 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 edit
- 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.
External links edit
- Species Thelotornis capensis at The Reptile Database