Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Plate 4.61
Indian rat snake, or dhaman (
Ptyas mucosus
), Bardia National Park,
Bheri, Nepal.
The genus
Ptyas
contains approximately nine species of colubrine snakes of
appreciable body length that range throughout northern and western Asia, Southeast Asia, and
the Indian subcontinent. In a study investigating the basic biology of
Ptyas mucosus
in central
Java, Boeadi et al. (1998) measured 174 specimens, and reported a mean snout-vent length
of 1.41 m. These snakes can reach in excess of 3 m, and a 3.58 m specimen has been recorded.
They are commercially exploited for their skin and also are a common prey item for the king
cobra (
Ophiophagous hannah
). They have a reputation for their irascible temperament when
disturbed, but there are no medically significant bites documented to date. Although
Ptyas
mucosus
has serous Duvernoy's glands (Taub, 1967), it lacks any notably modified dentition.
Photo copyright to Mark O'Shea.
Plate 4.62
Russell's viper (
Daboia russelii
), India.
This viperine viperid has long,
distensible fangs (“solenoglyphous”) and a large reservoir of highly toxic venom. Commonly
found near populated rural locations in northern and western Asia, through Southeast Asia,
and the Indian subcontinent, it is one of the world's most medically important venomous
snakes. Envenomations from this species may cause acute kidney injury similar to that caused
by hazard level 1 colubrids. A nephrotoxin has been identified in
D. russelii
venom.
Photo copyright to David A. Warrell.
percentage of bites from individual species of nonvenomous snakes was not included,
males were bitten more than twice as frequently as females (68.8% and 31.2%,
respectively). There was a strong preponderance of cases during the rainy season
