UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 

 IN 



ZOOLOGY 



Vol. 21, No. 9, pp. 303-312 February 1, 1923 



BEHAVIOR OF THE LEAF-NOSED SNAKE, 

 PHYLLORHYNCHUS DECURTATUS 



BY 



SARAH EOGERS ATSATT 



The first specimen of the snake, Phyllorhynchus decurtatus, to be 

 recorded from California was found on March 25, 1921, near Palm 

 Springs, Riverside County (Atsatt, 1921). As there is no published 

 account of the habits of this leaf-nosed snake, the writer took the 

 opportunity of making observations on this individual. Ultimately 

 the snake w^as preserved (no. 8174) in the collection of the Museum 

 of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California. 



The scalation of the snake is essentially as given by Cope (1900, 

 p. 823). The large rostral plate is the basis for both the generic 

 name, Phyllorhynchus, and the common name, leaf -nosed. The short 

 tail, one-tenth of the total length of the animal, is another diagnostic 

 character and makes the specific name of decurtatus appropriate. 

 While the snake was alive the pinkish cast due to the blood showing 

 through the translucent skin was noticeable. The effect was similar 

 to that commonly seen in the banded gecko and other animals that 

 live in the dark. After the snake was preserved, the ground color 

 became dead white and made the pattern of brown spots on the back 

 more prominent than in life. Whenever the snake became warm 

 and active a pink spot on the head between the occipitals grew more 

 warmly pink. In the dead snake this spot was translucent, not dead 

 white. 



