The herpetofauna of the Kei Islands (Maluku, Indonesia): Comprehensive report on new and historical collections, biogeographic patterns, conservation concerns, and an annotated checklist of species from Kei Kecil, Kei Besar, Tam, and Kur
Author
Karin, Benjamin R.
Author
Stubbs, Alexander L.
Author
Arifin, Umilaela
Author
Bloch, Luke M.
Author
Ramadhan, G.
Author
Iskandar, Djoko T.
Author
Arida, Evy
Author
Reilly, Sean B.
Author
Kusnadi, Agus
Author
Mcguire, Jimmy A.
text
Raffles Bulletin of Zoology
2018
2018-11-19
66
704
738
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.5363075
2345-7600
5363075
DC2B423B-55FE-4F92-985E-39F5A61EE04C
Acanthophis laevis
Macleay, 1877
(Fig. 32)
Type
locality.
New
Guinea
.
Distribution in the Kei Islands.
We collected a single specimen on Kei Kecil and
two specimens
on Kei Besar. The WAM expedition collected
six specimens
from Kei Besar, and ZMUC holds five additional specimens from Kei Kecil. Local people are familiar with this lethal snake and report that it is not present on either Tam or Kur.
Natural history.
Venomous and dangerous. On Kei Besar, we collected this species at two locations in the vicinity of Gunung Daab, one on the ground in a small forest window of bunchgrass within primary forest, and the other was found dead on the road near the trailhead. On Kei Kecil this species was found in disturbed forest habitat.
Fig. 32. Close-up in life of head of
Acanthophis laevis
from Kei Kecil (ALS 150).
Field identification.
A small to medium brown snake with a viper-like flat, broad, triangular head, distinctly raised horn-like supraoculars, and a relatively short and thin tail with a terminal spine (
de Lang, 2013
).