Common keelback facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common keelback |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tropidonophis
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| Species: |
mairii
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| Synonyms | |
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The common keelback (Tropidonophis mairii), also known as Mair's keelback, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Australasia.
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Etymology
The specific name, mairii, is in honor of "Dr. Mair", an army surgeon with the 39th Regiment of Foot, who collected the holotype.
Geographic range
T. mairii is found in Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and Papua New Guinea.
Description
Dorsally, T. mairii is olive, brown, or blackish, with small black spots, or with black crossbars anteriorly. Ventrally, it is lighter. The subcaudals and often also the ventrals are edged with black. The dorsal scales are strongly keeled, and arranged in 15 rows at midbody.
T. mairii resembles some Australian venomous snakes, the taipans (genus Oxyuranus) and the rough-scaled snake (Tropidechis carinatus).
T. mairii rarely grows over 1 m (39 in) in total length (including tail).
Diet
Mair's keelback feeds mainly on amphibians and small lizards. It is one of the few snakes that can eat cane toads (Rhinella marina), up to a certain size, without being harmed.
Reproduction
T. mairii is oviparous.
