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Atractaspis duerdeni
Species of snake From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Atractaspis duerdeni, commonly known as the beaked burrowing asp,[2] Duerden's burrowing asp,[3] and Duerden's stiletto snake,[2] is a species of venomous snake in the family Atractaspididae.[4] The species is native to southern Africa.
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Etymology
The specific epithet, duerdeni, is in honor of James Edwin Duerden (1865–1937) of the Albany Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa.[5][6]
Geographic range
A. duerdeni is found in southeastern Botswana, Namibia, and northern South Africa.[2]
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of A. duerdeni is savanna, at altitudes of 850–1,600 m (2,790–5,250 ft).[1]
Description
In his original description Gough described A. duerdeni as being cream-colored above and below, referring to a faded specimen stored in alcohol.[5] In life A. duerdeni is uniformly blackish-brown or gray dorsally, and it is white or creamish-pink ventrally.[3] The dorsal scales are in 21 rows at midbody. The ventrals number 199; the anal is entire; and the subcaudals number 22, all except the first entire. The snout is prominent and subcuneiform. The rostral has a rounded horizontal edge, and the portion visible from above is a little longer than its distance from the frontal.[5] Females may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 51 cm (20 in), and males, which are smaller, may attain 44 cm (17 in) SVL.[3]
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Behavior
Diet
A. duerdeni preys upon sleeping lizards and snakes.[3]
Reproduction
Venom
A venomous species, A. duerdeni can inflict a serious bite requiring medical attention, but no human fatality has been recorded.[3]
References
Further reading
External links
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