Cerberus rynchops

Cerberus rynchops, also known as the New Guinea bockadam, South Asian bockadam, bockadam snake, or dog-faced water snake, is a mildly venomous species of a snake in the family Homalopsidae.^[1][2] It is native to coastal waters of South and Southeast Asia.^[2] The species was re-delimited in 2012, allocating populations east and south of the west coast of Thailand to other species.^[3]

Cerberus rynchops
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Homalopsidae
Genus:	Cerberus
Species:	C. rynchops
Binomial name
Cerberus rynchops (Schneider, 1799)
Synonyms[2]
Hydrus rynchops Schneider, 1799 Hydrus cinereus Shaw, 1802 Coluber cerberus Daudin, 1803 Python rhynchops — Merrem, 1820 Homalopsis cerberus — Fitzinger, 1826 Homalopsis molurus H. Boie, 1826 Homolopsis rhynchops — F. Boie, 1827 Cerberus cerberus Cuvier, 1829 Cerberus cinereus — Cantor, 1839 Cerberus rhynchops — Günther, 1864 Hurria rynchops — Stejneger, 1907 Cerberus rynchops — M.A. Smith, 1930

Ecology and behaviour

It is commonly found in mangroves, mudflats, streams, ponds, tidal pools, on algae patches, and has even been found burrowing into the mud.^{[citation needed]} It is rear-fanged and is mildly venomous.^{[citation needed]} An aquatic and nocturnal snake, it feeds mainly on fish and is known to consume eels.^{[citation needed]}

In captivity, it is observed to move in a sidewinding direction on land.^{[citation needed]} In the BBC series 'Life in Cold Blood' it was filmed adapting this sidewinding technique to jump across a mudflat in Singapore; up until then, no snakes were considered able to truly jump.^{[citation needed]} It also has a prehensile tail that would suggest it could climb mangrove trees.^{[citation needed]} It is now known to give birth to live young, numbering from 8 to 30, either in water or on land.^{[citation needed]}

It is a quite docile, mild-tempered and a hardy snake; in recent years it has become a welcome addition to snake hobbyists in the Philippines.^{[citation needed]} It also owes its popularity to its bright yellow to orange belly coloring, mostly of females.^{[citation needed]} In the Philippines, particularly in the Central Visayas area, this snake is commonly known as the "tangkig".^{[citation needed]}

Scalation

Description

The visibility of upper jaw, giving it a dog-like appearance. Head long and distinct from neck. Eyes small and beady, with rounded pupils. Dorsum dark gray, with faint dark blotches and a dark line along the sides of the head, across the eyes. Center cream with two distinct rows of large, diffuse dark gray spots.^{[citation needed]}

Scales are distinctly keeled. Midbody scale rows 21–25. Ventrals 132–160. Subcaudals 49–72.^{[citation needed]}

Distribution and habitat

Dog-faced Water Snake, Sundarban, India

This is a saltwater-tolerant species found in India (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and northwestern Malaysia.^[2] The eastern limit of its distribution with Cerberus schneiderii is uncertain.^[3]