Central and Souihern Africa 



A specific antivenin ( Boomslang ) is produced liy the 

 Soutli African Institute for Medical Research, but it is 

 in short supply and is usually held by them for severe 

 cases that come to their attention. 



COLUBRIDAE: Genus Thelofornis Smith, 1849. 

 l^ird snake. 



A single species, T. kirtJandii (Hallowell). The bird 

 snake is restricted to tropical and southern Africa. 

 Other than the boomslang of the same region, it is the 

 only species of colubrid, rear-fanged snake that is known 

 to cause serious injury, and occasionally death. 



Drfiiiitioii: Head elongate, flattened and distinct from 

 neck; a distinct and projecting canthus which forms a 

 shallow groove below it on the side of the snout. Body 

 slender and elongated, cylindrical : tail long. 



Eye.s large; pupils horizontally elliptical (keyhole- 

 shaped ) . 



Hcn<l scales: The >is\ial on the crown; intcrnasals 

 large; parietals bordered posteriorly by .'5 large scales. 

 Laterally, 1-.3 loreal scales separate the nasal from the 

 preocular. 



Body .scales: Dorsals narrow, feebly keeled, with 

 apical pits, in 1!» oliliiiue rows anteriorly and at mid- 

 body, fewer (11-13) posteriorly. Ventrals rounded. 

 147-189 ; anal plate divided : subcaudals paired, 1.31-17.5. 



Maxillary teeth: A .series of 11-10 small teeth which 

 gradually increase in length followed, after a short in- 

 terspace, by .'? long grooved fangs. 



Bird Snake, Thelotornis Icirtland'd (Hallowell). 



Idoitlficdtiiin: This slender-snouted tree snake is 

 most easily recognized by its long, flat-crowned head 

 W'ith shallow lateral grooves that extend forward from 

 the eyes. Its eyes are large and have horizontall.v el- 

 liptical pupils. There are usnall.v two loreals, one be- 

 hind the iilli(>r, and the scales on the sides of the body 



Floi'RE 54. — Bird Snake, Tlulotoniis hirtlaiidii. Photo 

 by Zoological Society of San Diego. (See also plate 

 VIII, fig. 1.) 



are long and narrow, almost rectangular in shape. 

 Adults average al)out 4 feet ; record length 51^ feet. 



Body ashy gray to piidiish brown above, unicolor or 

 with poorly-distinguished blotches and crossbands. Un- 

 derneath, the color is brownish or grayish, heavily 



speckled with brown. Head unicolor green, pinkish, or 

 purplish brown above, flecked with dark brown or black ; 

 occasionally a Y-shaped design on back of head ; a dark 

 band extending from behind eye obliquely onto neck. 



Distribution: The tropical forests and savannah re- 

 gions of central and southern Africa, southward to the 

 Transvaal in the east and to central South-West Africa 

 in the west. 



Remarks: This snake seldom attempts to bite; never- 

 theless, its highly toxic venom has caused a few fa- 

 talities. When molested it assiunes a threatening atti- 

 tude and inflates its ne<k greatly, mainly in a vertical 

 direction. This brings to view a bold pattern of black 

 crossbands on a light background. 



Xo antivenin is produced for this snake. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Aspidelaps Fitzinger, 1843. 

 ."^hield-iiose snakes. 



Two species are recognized; both are restricted to 

 southern Africa. They are small semiburrowing snakes 

 with a specialized snout. Although they possess rela- 

 tively large fangs, neither species attains a length of 

 over .30 inches and they are not considered dangerous. 



Definition: Head short and only sllghtl.v distinct 

 from neck: a broad snout modified for burrowing; can- 

 thus indistinct. Body cylindrical or somewhat de- 

 pressetl. stout ; tail short, obtusely pointed. 



Eyes moderate in size; pupils round or vertically el- 

 liptical. 



Head scales : The usual 9 on the crown ; rostral 

 very large, concave below, curved backward over snout, 

 sei)arated from other scales on sides; prefrontals very 

 short. Laterally, nasal in broad contact with single 

 preocular. 



Body scales: Dor.sals smooth or faintly keeled (in 

 .1. neiitatiis) in 19-23 oblique rows anteriorly and at 

 midbody. fewer (LI) posteriorly. Ventrals 115-172; 

 anal plate entire ; subcaudals paired, 20-38. 



Maxillary teeth : Two rather large tubular fangs 

 with external grooves: no other teeth on the bone. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Bou/enger/na Dollo, 1886. 

 A\':itef I'olifas. 



Two species are recognized ; they are found in central 

 .\frica from Xyasaland to the Congo region. They are 

 large snakes, attaining lengths of over 8 feet. They 

 are not aggressive but are considered dangerous. 



Definition: Head short, distinct from neck; an in- 

 distinct canthus. Body cylindrical and moderately 

 slender ; neck capable of being spread into a hood ; tail 

 of moderate length, tapering. 



Eyes small : pupils round. 



Head scales : The tisual 9 on the crow-n ; frontal 

 small. Laterally, nasal in contact with single preocular. 



Body scales : Dor.sals smooth, in 17-23 oblique rows 

 at midbody, the same number or more (17-2ij) anteri- 



91 



