Drysdalia mastersii
| Drysdalia mastersii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Drysdalia |
| Species: | D. mastersii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Drysdalia mastersii (Krefft, 1866)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Drysdalia mastersii, also known commonly as Masters's snake or Masters' snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Etymology
[edit]The specific epithet mastersii is in honour of Australian entomologist George Masters who collected specimens for Gerard Krefft.[3]: 171 [4]
Description
[edit]Drysdalia mastersii grows to an average total length (tail included) of about 40 cm (16 in). The upper body is light brown to dark grey, with a pale band over the nape and a white stripe extending from the upper lip to the neck.[4]
Geographic distribution
[edit]The geographic distribution of Drysdalia mastersii extends eastwards from near Esperance in Western Australia into coastal and subcoastal South Australia, as well as into south-eastern South Australia and western Victoria. The type locality is the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.[2]
Habitat
[edit]The preferred natural habitats of Drysdalia mastersii are heathland, grassland, and mallee on sandy and limestone soils.[4]
Diet
[edit]Drysdalia mastersii preys predominately upon lizards.[4]
Reproduction
[edit]Drysdalia mastersii is viviparous, with an average litter size of three.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Cogger, H.; Ellis, R.; Shea, G. (2017). "Drysdalia mastersii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T177527A83453128. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T177527A83453128.en. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ a b Species Drysdalia mastersii at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xiii + 296. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.
- ^ a b c d e "Masters' snake". Australian Reptile Online Database. Stewart Macdonald. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
Further reading
[edit]- Cogger, H.G. (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 978-0643100350. xxx + 1,033 pp.
- Krefft, G. (1866). "Descriptions of Three Species of Snakes of the Genus Hoplocephalus". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1866: 370–371. (Hoplocephalus mastersii, new species).
- Wilson, S.; Swan, G. (2023). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Sixth Edition. Sydney: Reed New Holland Publishers. ISBN 978-1-92554-671-2. 688 pp. (Drysdalia mastersi, pp. 608–609).
- Worrell, E. (1961). "Herpetological Name Changes". Western Australian Naturalist. 8 (1): 1827. (Drysdalia mastersii, new combination, p. 25).
External links
[edit]- "Drysdalia mastersii (Krefft, 1866) — Masters' Snake". Atlas of Living Australia.
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