Degen's water snake (Crotaphopeltis degeni), also known commonly as Degen's herald snake and the yellow-flanked snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Sub-Saharan Africa.
| Degen's water snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Crotaphopeltis |
| Species: | C. degeni
|
| Binomial name | |
| Crotaphopeltis degeni (Boulenger, 1906)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Etymology
editThe specific name, degeni, is in honor of Swiss-born Edward J. E. Degen (1852–1922), who collected natural history specimens in Africa, and later worked as a taxidermist at the British Museum (Natural History).[3]
Geographic range
editC. degeni is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.[2]
Habitat
editThe preferred natural habitats of C. degeni are mesic savanna and freshwater wetlands, at altitudes of 500–2,700 m (1,600–8,900 ft).[1]
Behavior
editC. degeni is semiaquatic[1][2] and nocturnal.[1] It swims well, and during the day it hides in holes in the ground and in vegetation near water.[1]
Diet
editC. degeni preys upon amphibians and perhaps also upon small fishes.[1]
Reproduction
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Howell K, Msuya CA, Malonza PK, Spawls S (2021). "Crotaphopeltis degeni ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T13264951A13264961.en. Accessed on 29 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d Species Crotaphopeltis degeni at The Reptile Database
- ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Crotaphopeltis degeni, p. 67).
Further reading
edit- Barbour T, Amaral A (1927). "Studies on African Opidia". Bulletin of the Antivenin Institute of America 1 (1): 25–29. (Crotaphopeltis degeni, new combination, p. 26).
- Boulenger GA (1906). "Additions to the Herpetology of British East Africa". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1906 (2): 570–573. (Leptodira degeni, new species, p. 572, figures 97 a-c).
- Rasmussen JB (1997). "On two little known African water snakes (Crotaphopeltis degeni and C. barotseensis)". Amphibia-Reptilia 18 (2): 191–206.
- Spawls S, Howell K, Hinkel H, Menegon M (2018). Field Guide to East African Reptiles, Second Edition. London: Bloomsbury Natural History. 624 pp. ISBN 978-1472935618. (Crotaphopeltis degeni, p. 524).
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