Cape centipede-eater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cape centipede-eater |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aparallactus
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| Species: |
capensis
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| Synonyms | |
The Aparallactus capensis, often called the Cape centipede-eater, is a small snake found in parts of Africa. It's a mildly venomous snake, but its venom is not considered dangerous to humans. This snake gets its name because it mainly eats centipedes! It's a type of "rear-fanged" snake, meaning its fangs are located further back in its mouth.
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Where Does This Snake Live?
This snake lives in several countries across southern and central Africa. You can find the Cape centipede-eater in places like South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
What Does It Look Like?
The Cape centipede-eater usually has a yellow or light reddish-brown back. Sometimes, it might have a dark line running down its spine. Its belly is a yellowish-white color. The top of its head and neck are black, and sometimes there's a yellowish band behind its eyes. The sides of its head are yellowish, but the scales right around its eyes are black.
Adult snakes can grow to be about 33.5 cm (13+1⁄4 in) long, with their tail making up about 7 cm (2+3⁄4 in) of that length.
What Does It Eat?
As its name suggests, the Cape centipede-eater mostly eats centipedes. It also sometimes eats spiders and, very rarely, scorpions.
How Does It Have Babies?
This snake is oviparous, which means it lays eggs. During the summer, a female Cape centipede-eater will lay between 2 and 4 eggs.
Who Eats This Snake?
Even though it's a snake, the Cape centipede-eater can become food for other animals. Other snakes, like garter snakes and stiletto snakes, are known to hunt and eat them.
