Ross's wolf snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lycodon chrysoprateros |
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Lycodon
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chrysoprateros
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Lycodon chrysoprateros, also known as Ross's wolf snake, is a type of snake that lives on Dalupiri Island in the Philippines. It belongs to a large group of snakes called colubrids. This snake is considered "Critically Endangered," meaning it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
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What's in a Name?
The name chrysoprateros comes from two ancient Greek words. Chrys means "gold," and prater means "trader."
Scientists chose this name to honor H.G. Jarecki. He was a businessman who supported their work to study and describe new animals. The snake's common name, Ross's wolf snake, also honors one of the biologists who first described it.
How Ross's Wolf Snake Looks
Ross's wolf snake has a head that is a bit flat and stands out from its neck. Its eyes have round pupils, and its nose sticks out further than its lower jaw.
The snake's body is mostly round, like a cylinder. It is more rounded on its back and flatter on its belly. The top of the snake is dark brown and has no patterns. Its belly is a creamy yellow color.
One snake that scientists studied was about 72.7 centimeters (about 28.6 inches) long in total. This snake is different from other similar snakes in its area because it does not have any patterns on its back.
Reproduction
Ross's wolf snake is an egg-laying animal. This means that the female snake lays eggs, and the baby snakes hatch from these eggs.
Snake Family Tree
L. chrysoprateros is part of a group of snakes called Lycodon. These snakes are often called wolf snakes. The Lycodon group belongs to the snake family Colubridae.
The Colubridae family is the largest snake family in the world. You can find snakes from this family on every continent except Antarctica.
Where It Lives and What It Does
Scientists do not know much about where Ross's wolf snake lives or what it does every day. The few snakes that have been found were caught along a path in the forest.
We know that this snake is a terrestrial animal. This means it lives on the ground, not in trees or water.
Where It Can Be Found
This snake is only known for sure to live on Dalupiri Island in the Babuyan island group in the Philippines. It was first seen there in 1990.
This means the snake's known home is only about 52 square kilometers (about 20 square miles). That is a very small area! Scientists think it might also live on nearby islands like Calayan and Camiguin Norte. If this is true, its known home would grow to about 300 square kilometers.
Protecting Ross's Wolf Snake
Ross's wolf snake is listed as "Critically endangered" on the IUCN Red List. This is because its home on Dalupiri Island is shrinking. The island's forest is broken up into small pieces and is getting smaller because of ranching.
Because this snake has not been studied much, scientists do not fully understand all the dangers it faces. More research is needed to help protect this rare snake.
