Toxicocalamus: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Genus of snakes}} |
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{{automatic Taxobox |
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{{Automatic taxobox |
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| taxon = Toxicocalamus |
| taxon = Toxicocalamus |
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| image = Toxicocalamus loriae 1897.jpg |
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| authority = [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1896 |
| authority = [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1896 |
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| subdivision_ranks = Species |
| subdivision_ranks = Species |
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}} |
}} |
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'''''Toxicocalamus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[snake]]s in the [[family]] [[Elapidae]].<ref name="McDowell 1969">{{cite journal | last1 = McDowell | first1 = S.B. | year = 1969 | title = ''Toxicocalamus'', a New Guinea genus of snakes of the family Elapidae. |
'''''Toxicocalamus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[snake]]s in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Elapidae]]. The genus is [[Endemism|endemic]] to [[New Guinea]].<ref name="McDowell 1969">{{cite journal | last1 = McDowell | first1 = S.B. | year = 1969 | title = ''Toxicocalamus'', a New Guinea genus of snakes of the family Elapidae. | journal = Journal of Zoology, London | volume = 159 | issue = 4| pages = 443–511 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1969.tb03900.x }}</ref> |
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==Description== |
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⚫ | Members of genus ''Toxicocalamus'' are venomous, with fixed [[Snake skeleton|front-fangs]] (a dental arrangement known as [[Snake skeleton|proteroglyphous]]), but are not known to be a threat to humans, being unaggressive, of modest size, and secretive. However, the venom of ''T. longissimus'' is believed to be fairly toxic, since it contains |
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Most species of ''Toxicocalamus'' are relatively small, the largest specimen known being the [[holotype]] of the recently described ''Toxicocalamus ernstmayri'', which measures {{convert|1.1|m|in|abbr=on}} snout-to-vent length (SVL) and {{convert|1.2|m|in|abbr=on}} in total length (TTL). The second longest is the holotype of ''T. grandis'', which measures {{convert|0.88|m|in|abbr=on}} SVL, {{convert|0.98|m|in|abbr=on}} TTL. Most species are under {{convert|0.80|m|in|abbr=on}} TTL, and several are the thickness of bootlaces. In general females have longer bodies than males, but much shorter tails. |
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==Venom== |
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⚫ | ''Toxicocalamus'' is probably not closely related to the Australian Elapidae, being endemic to the island of [[New Guinea]], northern coastal offshore islands, i.e. Seleo Is. ([[Sandaun Province]], [[Papua New Guinea|PNG]]); Walis Is. and Tarawai Is. ([[East Sepik Province]], PNG), and [[Karkar Island|Karkar Is.]] ([[Madang Province]], PNG), and the archipelagoes of [[Milne Bay Province]] to the southeast, i.e. [[D'Entrecasteaux Islands|d'Entrecasteaux Archipelago]] ([[Goodenough Island|Goodenough Is.]], [[Fergusson Island|Fergusson Is.]], and [[Normanby Island, Papua New Guinea|Normanby Is.]]), [[Woodlark Island|Woodlark Is.]], and the [[Louisiade Archipelago]] ([[Misima Island|Misima Is.]], [[ |
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⚫ | Members of genus ''Toxicocalamus'' are venomous, with fixed [[Snake skeleton|front-fangs]] (a dental arrangement known as [[Snake skeleton|proteroglyphous]]), but are not known to be a threat to humans, being unaggressive, of modest size, and secretive. However, the venom of ''T. longissimus'' is believed to be fairly toxic, since it contains [[three-finger toxin]]s (3FTx), Type-I [[Phospholipase A2|phospholipase A{{sub|2}}]] (PLA{{sub|2}}) and snake venom [[metalloproteinase]] (SVMP),<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Calvete | first1 = J.J. | last2 = Ghezellou | first2 = P. | last3 = Paiva | first3 = O. | last4 = Matainaho | first4 = T. | last5 = Ghassempour | first5 = A. | last6 = Goudarzi | first6 = H. | last7 = Kraus | first7 = F. | last8 = Sanz | first8 = L. | last9 = Williams | first9 = D.J. | year = 2012 | title = Snake venomics of two poorly known Hydrophiinae: Comparative proteomics of the venoms of terrestrial ''Toxicocalamus longissimus'' and marine ''Hydrophis cyanocinctus'' | journal = Journal of Proteomics | volume = 75 | issue = 13| pages = 4091–4101 | doi=10.1016/j.jprot.2012.05.026 | pmid=22643073}}</ref> while ''T. buergersi'' possesses long venom glands than extend backwards into the body cavity.<ref name="McDowell 1969"/> |
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==Behaviour== |
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⚫ | The prey of snakes in the genus ''Toxicocalamus'' appears to consist almost entirely of [[earthworm]]s, particularly the giant earthworms of the [[Megascolecidae]],<ref name="O'Shea 2015"/> hence the adoption of the term "worm-eating snakes" for species within this genus |
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Although most species of ''Toxicocalamous'' are believed to be [[Diurnality|diurnal]], they are [[fossorial]], or semi-fossorial, in habit and rarely encountered.<ref name="O'Shea 1996">[[Mark O'Shea (herpetologist)|O'Shea, M.]] (1996). ''A Guide to the Snakes of Papua New Guinea''. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: Independent Publishing. vii + 239 pp. {{ISBN|978-9810078362}}.. {{cite book|url= https://www.academia.edu/1806264 |title=Link |date=January 1996 }} {{small|(22.2 MB)}}</ref> |
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==Geographic range== |
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⚫ | Many species of ''Toxicocalamus'' are localised in their distribution and associated with particular islands or mountain ranges. Several species are poorly known, with four known only from their holotypes. ''Toxicocalamus'' is probably not closely related to the Australian Elapidae, being endemic to the island of [[New Guinea]], northern coastal offshore islands, i.e. Seleo Is. ([[Sandaun Province]], [[Papua New Guinea|PNG]]); Walis Is. and Tarawai Is. ([[East Sepik Province]], PNG), and [[Karkar Island|Karkar Is.]] ([[Madang Province]], PNG), and the archipelagoes of [[Milne Bay Province]] to the southeast, i.e. [[D'Entrecasteaux Islands|d'Entrecasteaux Archipelago]] ([[Goodenough Island|Goodenough Is.]], [[Fergusson Island|Fergusson Is.]], and [[Normanby Island, Papua New Guinea|Normanby Is.]]), [[Woodlark Island|Woodlark Is.]], and the [[Louisiade Archipelago]] ([[Misima Island|Misima Is.]], [[Tagula Island|Sudest Is.]], and [[Rossel Island|Rossel Is.]]).<ref name="O'Shea 1996"/><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kraus |first1=F.|author-link=:fr:Edward Frederick Kraus| year = 2009 | title = New Species of ''Toxicocalamus'' (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea | journal = Herpetologica | volume = 65 | issue = 4| pages = 460–467 | doi = 10.1655/09-002.1 |s2cid=91287361}}</ref><ref name="O'Shea 2015">{{cite journal | last1 = O'Shea | first1 = M. | last2 = Parker | first2 = F. | last3 = Kaiser | first3 = H. | year = 2015 | title = A new species of New Guinea Worm-eating Snake, genus ''Toxicocalamus'' (Serpentes: Elapidae), from the Star Mountains of Western Province, Papua New Guinea, with a revised dichotomous key to the genus | url = https://www.academia.edu/14176692 | journal = Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology | volume = 161 | issue = 6| pages = 241–264 | doi=10.3099/0027-4100-161.6.241| hdl = 2436/621302 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> |
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==Diet== |
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==Reproduction== |
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In common with other tropical [[Elapidae|elapids]], ''Toxicocalamus'' is believed to reproduce by [[oviparity]], with clutch sizes of 3–7 recorded, dependent on species and size of the female. |
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==Natural history== |
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The natural history of many species of ''Toxicocalamus'' is almost entirely undocumented, due to a paucity of specimens and the infrequence of their encounter in the field. |
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==Species== |
==Species== |
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The following |
The following 24 species, one of which has two [[subspecies]], are currently recognised as being valid in the genus '''''Toxicocalamus''''':<ref>[http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?genus=''Toxicocalamus'' at The Reptile Database]</ref> |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus buergersi]]'' <small>([[Richard Sternfeld|Sternfeld]], 1913)</small> <ref name="Sternfeld 1913">{{cite journal | last1 = Sternfeld | first1 = R | year = 1913 | title = Beitrage zur Schlangenfauna Neuguineas und der benachbarten Inselgruppen |
* ''[[Toxicocalamus atratus]]'' <small>Kraus, Kaiser,, & O’Shea, 2022</small> – Black forest snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus buergersi]]'' <small>([[Richard Sternfeld|Sternfeld]], 1913)</small> <ref name="Sternfeld 1913">{{cite journal | last1 = Sternfeld | first1 = R |author-link=Richard Sternfeld| year = 1913 | title = ''Beitrage zur Schlangenfauna Neuguineas und der benachbarten Inselgruppen ''| journal = Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin | volume = 1913 | pages = 384–389 }} (in German).</ref> – Buergers' forest snake, [[Torricelli Mountains]] snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus |
* ''[[Toxicocalamus cratermontanus]]'' <small>[[:fr:Edward Frederick Kraus|Kraus]], 2017</small> – Crater Mountain snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus ernstmayri]]'' <small>[[Mark O'Shea (herpetologist)|O'Shea]], [[Frederick Stanley Parker|Parker]] & [[Hinrich Kaiser|Kaiser]], 2015 </small> <ref name="O'Shea 2015"/> – [[Star Mountains]] snake, Star Mountains worm-eating snake |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus |
* ''[[Toxicocalamus goodenoughensis]]'' <small> [[Jackson R. Roberts|J.R. Roberts]] & [[Christopher C. Austin|C. Austin]], 2020</small> |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus |
* ''[[Toxicocalamus grandis]]'' <small>([[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1914)</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Boulenger | first1 = G.A. | author-link=George Albert Boulenger|year = 1914 | title = An Annotated List of the Batrachians and Reptiles collected by the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition and the Wollaston Expedition in Dutch New Guinea | url =https://zenodo.org/record/1447647 | journal = Transactions of the Zoological Society of London | volume = 20 | issue = 5| pages = 247–274 | doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1912.tb07833.x}}</ref> – Setakwa River snake, Setekwa River forest snake |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus lamingtoni]]'' <small>Kinghorn, 1928</small> – Mount Lamington forest snake |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus mintoni]]'' <small> |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus |
* ''[[Toxicocalamus loennbergii]]'' <small>Boulenger, 1908</small> – Lönnberg’s forest snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus |
* ''[[Toxicocalamus longhagen]]'' <small>Roberts, Iova, & Austin, 2022</small> |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus longissimus]]'' <small>Boulenger, 1896</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Boulenger | first1 = G.A. | year = 1896 | title = Description of a new genus of elapine snakes from Woodlark Island, British New Guinea | url =https://zenodo.org/record/1430335 | journal = Annals and Magazine of Natural History | volume = 18 | issue = 104| page = 152 | doi = 10.1080/00222939608680426 }}</ref> – Fergusson Island forest snake, Woodlark forest snake, [[Woodlark Island]] snake |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus loriae]]'' <small>(Boulenger, 1898)</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Boulenger | first1 = G.A. | year = 1898 | title = An account of the reptiles and batrachians collected by Dr. L. Loria in British New Guinea | journal = Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova | volume = 2 | issue = 18| pages = 694–710 }}</ref> – common worm-eating snake, Loria forest snake |
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*''[[Toxicocalamus mattisoni]]'' <small>Kraus, 2020</small><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kraus|first=Fred|date=2020-10-05|title=A new species of Toxicocalamus (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea|url=https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4859.1.5|journal=Zootaxa|volume=4859|issue=1|pages=127–137|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4859.1.5|pmid=33056208|s2cid=222839671|issn=1175-5334}}</ref> |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus mintoni]]'' <small>Kraus, 2009</small> <ref name="Kraus 2009">{{cite journal | last1 = Kraus | first1 = F. | year = 2009| title = New species of ''Toxicocalamus'' (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea | journal = Journal of Herpetology | volume = 65 | issue = 4| pages = 460–467 | doi=10.1655/09-002.1| s2cid = 91287361 }}</ref> – [[Sherman A. Minton|Minton's]] forest snake, [[Tagula Island|Sudest Island]] snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus misimae]]'' <small>McDowell, 1969</small> <ref name="McDowell 1969"/> – Misima Island forest snake, [[Misima Island]] snake |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus nigrescens]]'' <small>Kraus, 2017</small> – [[Fergusson Island]] worm-eating snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus nymani]]'' <small>(Lönnberg, 1900)</small> – Loria forest snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus pachysomus]]'' <small>Kraus, 2009</small> <ref name="Kraus 2009"/> – Cloudy Mountains worm-eating snake |
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:* ''[[Toxicocalamus preussi angusticinctus]]'' <small> [[Charles Mitchill Bogert|Bogert]] & [[Bessie Louise Matalas|Matalas]], 1945</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Bogert | first1 = C.M. |author-link=Charles Mitchill Bogert| last2 = Matalas | first2 = B.L. | year = 1945 | title = Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 53. A review of the elapid genus ''Ultrocalamus'' of New Guinea | journal = American Museum Novitates | issue = 1284 | pages = 1–7 }}</ref> – [[Fly River]] forest snake, Fly River slender worm-eating snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus pumehanae]]'' <small>O'Shea, [[:fr:Allen Allison|Allison]] & Kaiser, 2018 </small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = O'Shea | first1 = M. | last2 = Allison | first2 = A. |author-link2 = :fr:Allen Allison | last3 = Kaiser | first3 = H. |year = 2018 | title = The taxonomic history of the enigmatic Papuan snake genus Toxicocalamus (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) with the description of a new species from the Managalas Plateau of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, and a revised dichotomous key | journal = Amphibia-Reptilia | volume = 39 | issue = 4| pages = 403–433 | doi = 10.1163/15685381-20181052 | hdl = 2436/621917 | s2cid = 91259224 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> – Managalas Plateau snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus spilolepidotus]]'' <small>McDowell, 1969</small> <ref name="McDowell 1969"/> – Krakte Mountains spotted snake, spotted forest snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus spilorhynchus]]'' <small>Kraus, Kaiser,, & O’Shea, 2022</small> |
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⚫ | * ''[[Toxicocalamus stanleyanus]]'' <small>Boulenger, 1903</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Boulenger | first1 = G.A. | year = 1903 | title = Descriptions of new Reptiles from British New Guinea | journal = Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London | volume = 1903 | pages = 125–129 }}</ref> – [[Owen Stanley Range|Owen Stanley Mountains]] snake, Owen Stanley Range forest snake |
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* ''[[Toxicocalamus vertebralis]]'' <small>Kraus, Kaiser,, & O’Shea, 2022</small> – striped forest snake |
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''[[Nota bene]]'': A [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial authority]] in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Toxicocalamus''. These former genera, ''Apistocalamus, Apisthocalamus, Pseudapistocalamus, Pseudapisthocalamus, Ultrocalamus,'' and ''Vanapina'', are now [[synonym (taxonomy)|synonyms]] of ''Toxicocalamus''. |
''[[Nota bene]]'': A [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial authority]] in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Toxicocalamus''. These former genera, ''Apistocalamus, Apisthocalamus, Pseudapistocalamus, Pseudapisthocalamus, Ultrocalamus,'' and ''Vanapina'', are now [[synonym (taxonomy)|synonyms]] of ''Toxicocalamus''. |
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==Taxonomy== |
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The former species ''Pseudapisthocalamus nymani'' <small>[[Einar Lönnberg|Lönnberg]], 1900</small>;<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Lönnberg | first1 = |
The former species ''Pseudapisthocalamus nymani'' <small>[[Einar Lönnberg|Lönnberg]], 1900</small>;<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Lönnberg | first1 = E. |author-link=Einar Lönnberg| year = 1900 | title = Reptiles and amphibians collected in German New Guinea by the late Dr Erik Nyman | doi = 10.1080/00222930008678427 | journal = Annals and Magazine of Natural History | volume = 3 | issue = 36| pages = 574–582 | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1430001 }}</ref> ''Apisthocalamus pratti'' <small>Boulenger, 1904</small>;<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Boulenger | first1 = G.A. | year = 1904 | title = Descriptions of three new snakes | doi = 10.1080/00222930408562477 | journal = Annals and Magazine of Natural History | volume = 13 | issue = 78| pages = 450–452 | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1430021 }}</ref> ''A. loennbergii'' <small>Boulenger, 1908</small>;<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Boulenger | first1 = G.A. | year = 1908 | title = Description of a new elapine snake of the genus ''Apisthocalamus'', Blg., from New Guinea | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1430053| journal = Annals and Magazine of Natural History | volume = 1 | issue = 3| pages = 248–249 | doi = 10.1080/00222930808692393 }}</ref> and ''A. lamingtoni'' <small>[[James Roy Kinghorn|Kinghorn]], 1928</small>;<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kinghorn | first1 = J.R. | author-link=James Roy Kinghorn|year = 1928 | title = Notes on some reptiles and batachians from the Northern Division of Papua, with descriptions of new species of ''Apisthocalamus'' and ''Lygosoma'' | journal = Records of the Australian Museum | volume = 16 | issue = 6| pages = 289–293 | doi=10.3853/j.0067-1975.16.1928.790| doi-access = free }}</ref> are synonyms of ''T. loriae'', ''Vanapina lineata'' <small>[[Charles Walter De Vis|De Vis]], 1905</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = De Vis | first1 = C.W. |author-link=Charles Walter De Vis| year = 1905 | title = A new genus of lizards | journal = Annals of the Queensland Museum | volume = 6 | pages = 46–52 }}</ref> is a synonym of ''T. longissimus'',<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Ingram | first1 = G.J. | author-link1 = :fr:Glen Joseph Ingram | year = 1989 | title = ''Vanapina lineata'' de Vis, 1905 is a junior synonym of the New Guinean snake ''Toxicocalamus longissimus'' Boulenger, 1896 | journal = Copeia | volume = 1989 | issue = 3| pages = 753–754 | doi=10.2307/1445509| jstor = 1445509 }}</ref> and ''Ultrocalamus latisquamatus'' <small>Schüz, 1929</small> <ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Schüz | first1 = E. | year = 1929 | title = ''Verzeichnis der Typen des Staatlichen Museums für Tierkunde in Dresden. Part 1. Fische, Amphibien und Reptilien mit einem Anhang: Die Schlangen der papuanischen Ausbeute Dr. Schlaginhäufen 1909'' | journal = Abhandlungen und Berichte des Museum Tierkunde und Völkerkunde zu Dresden | volume = 17 | pages = 14–16 }} (in German).</ref> is a synonym of ''T. preussi''. |
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⚫ | Most of the described species are poorly known and rarely encountered. The most widely distributed, and most commonly encountered, species is ''T. loriae'' (itself a possible [[species complex]]), which accounts for 66% of all ''Toxicocalamus'' specimens in museum collections. '''''T. loriae''''' is frequently encountered in the [[New Guinea Highlands|Highlands]], where large numbers have been collected in village gardens along the Wahgi River valley of [[Chimbu Province|Simbu Province]], PNG. The next most frequently encountered and widely distributed species are '''''T. preussi''''' and '''''T. stanleyanus'''''. All the other species are much less well known and localised in distribution. |
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Also on mainland New Guinea, '''''T. buergersi''''' is known from only six specimens, from the [[Torricelli Mountains]] in the [[Sepik]] region ([[Sandaun Province|Sandaun]] and [[East Sepik Province]]s), PNG; '''''T. spilolepidotus''''' is known from two specimens, from the [[Kratke Range]], [[Eastern Highlands Province]], PNG; '''''T. pachysomus''''' is known from its [[holotype]], from the Cloudy Mountains, [[Milne Bay Province]]; PNG, '''''T. cratermontanus''''' from its holotype, from Crater Mountain, [[Chimbu Province|Simbu Province]], PNG, while '''''T. ernstmayri''''' was only known from its holotype in the [[Star Mountains]] of [[Western Province (Papua New Guinea)|Western Province]], PNG, until a second specimen was observed crawling across mine-workings at the [[Ok Tedi Mine]], in the Star Mountains.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = O'Shea | first1 = M. | last2 = Herlihy | first2 = B. | last3 = Paivu | first3 = B. | last4 = Parker | first4 = F. | last5 = Richards | first5 = S.J. | author-link5 = :fr:Stephen J. Richards | last6 = Kaiser | first6 = H. | year = 2018 | title = Rediscovery of the rare Star Mountains Worm-eating Snake, ''Toxicocalamus ernstmayri'' O'Shea et al., 2015 (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) with the description of its coloration in life| journal = Amphibian and Reptile Conservation | volume = 12 | issue = 1| pages = 27–34 | doi = <!-- 10.1080/00222930808692393 (wrong doi) --> }}</ref> '''''Toxicocalamus grandis''''' is also only known from its holotype, collected on the Setakwa River, western New Guinea, in 1912, (the only species represented by a type specimen west of the WNG/PNG border), and '''''T. pumehanae''''' is also only known from its holotype, from the Managalas Plateau, [[Oro Province]], PNG,. |
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On the islands of [[Milne Bay]], '''''T. holopelturus''''' is known from 19 specimens from [[Rossel Island]], also known as Yela; '''''T. misimae''''' is known from six specimens from [[Misima Island]]; and '''''T. mintoni''''' is only known from its holotype, from [[Tagula Island|Sudest Island]], also known as Vanantai or Tagula Island, all in the [[Louisiade Archipelago]]. '''''Toxicocalamus nigrescens''''' is only known from its holotype and paratype, from [[Fergusson Island]], in the [[D'Entrecasteaux Islands|d'Entercasteaux Archipelago]], while '''''T. longissimus''''' is known from 12 specimens from [[Woodlark Island]]. |
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⚫ | Most of the described species are poorly known and rarely encountered. The most widely distributed, and most commonly encountered, species is ''T. loriae'' (itself a possible [[species complex]]), which accounts for 66% of all ''Toxicocalamus'' specimens in museum collections. ''T. loriae'' is frequently encountered in the [[New Guinea Highlands|Highlands]], where large numbers have been collected in village gardens along the Wahgi River valley of [[Chimbu Province|Simbu Province]], PNG. The next most frequently encountered and widely distributed species are ''T. preussi'' and ''T. stanleyanus''. All the other species are much less well known and localised in distribution |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{ |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q195360}} |
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==Further reading== |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Toxicocalamus| ]] |
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[[Category:Venomous snakes]] |
[[Category:Venomous snakes]] |
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[[Category:Snake genera]] |
[[Category:Snake genera]] |
Latest revision as of 19:11, 8 December 2023
Toxicocalamus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Elapidae |
Subfamily: | Hydrophiinae |
Genus: | Toxicocalamus Boulenger, 1896 |
Toxicocalamus is a genus of snakes in the family Elapidae. The genus is endemic to New Guinea.[1]
Description
[edit]Most species of Toxicocalamus are relatively small, the largest specimen known being the holotype of the recently described Toxicocalamus ernstmayri, which measures 1.1 m (43 in) snout-to-vent length (SVL) and 1.2 m (47 in) in total length (TTL). The second longest is the holotype of T. grandis, which measures 0.88 m (35 in) SVL, 0.98 m (39 in) TTL. Most species are under 0.80 m (31 in) TTL, and several are the thickness of bootlaces. In general females have longer bodies than males, but much shorter tails.
Venom
[edit]Members of genus Toxicocalamus are venomous, with fixed front-fangs (a dental arrangement known as proteroglyphous), but are not known to be a threat to humans, being unaggressive, of modest size, and secretive. However, the venom of T. longissimus is believed to be fairly toxic, since it contains three-finger toxins (3FTx), Type-I phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP),[2] while T. buergersi possesses long venom glands than extend backwards into the body cavity.[1]
Behaviour
[edit]Although most species of Toxicocalamous are believed to be diurnal, they are fossorial, or semi-fossorial, in habit and rarely encountered.[3]
Geographic range
[edit]Many species of Toxicocalamus are localised in their distribution and associated with particular islands or mountain ranges. Several species are poorly known, with four known only from their holotypes. Toxicocalamus is probably not closely related to the Australian Elapidae, being endemic to the island of New Guinea, northern coastal offshore islands, i.e. Seleo Is. (Sandaun Province, PNG); Walis Is. and Tarawai Is. (East Sepik Province, PNG), and Karkar Is. (Madang Province, PNG), and the archipelagoes of Milne Bay Province to the southeast, i.e. d'Entrecasteaux Archipelago (Goodenough Is., Fergusson Is., and Normanby Is.), Woodlark Is., and the Louisiade Archipelago (Misima Is., Sudest Is., and Rossel Is.).[3][4][5]
Diet
[edit]The prey of snakes in the genus Toxicocalamus appears to consist almost entirely of earthworms, particularly the giant earthworms of the Megascolecidae,[5] hence the adoption of the term "worm-eating snakes" for species within this genus.
Reproduction
[edit]In common with other tropical elapids, Toxicocalamus is believed to reproduce by oviparity, with clutch sizes of 3–7 recorded, dependent on species and size of the female.
Natural history
[edit]The natural history of many species of Toxicocalamus is almost entirely undocumented, due to a paucity of specimens and the infrequence of their encounter in the field.
Species
[edit]The following 24 species, one of which has two subspecies, are currently recognised as being valid in the genus Toxicocalamus:[6]
- Toxicocalamus atratus Kraus, Kaiser,, & O’Shea, 2022 – Black forest snake
- Toxicocalamus buergersi (Sternfeld, 1913) [7] – Buergers' forest snake, Torricelli Mountains snake
- Toxicocalamus cratermontanus Kraus, 2017 – Crater Mountain snake
- Toxicocalamus ernstmayri O'Shea, Parker & Kaiser, 2015 [5] – Star Mountains snake, Star Mountains worm-eating snake
- Toxicocalamus goodenoughensis J.R. Roberts & C. Austin, 2020
- Toxicocalamus grandis (Boulenger, 1914) [8] – Setakwa River snake, Setekwa River forest snake
- Toxicocalamus holopelturus McDowell, 1969 [1] – Mt. Rossel forest snake, Rossel Island snake
- Toxicocalamus lamingtoni Kinghorn, 1928 – Mount Lamington forest snake
- Toxicocalamus loennbergii Boulenger, 1908 – Lönnberg’s forest snake
- Toxicocalamus longhagen Roberts, Iova, & Austin, 2022
- Toxicocalamus longissimus Boulenger, 1896 [9] – Fergusson Island forest snake, Woodlark forest snake, Woodlark Island snake
- Toxicocalamus loriae (Boulenger, 1898) [10] – common worm-eating snake, Loria forest snake
- Toxicocalamus mattisoni Kraus, 2020[11]
- Toxicocalamus mintoni Kraus, 2009 [12] – Minton's forest snake, Sudest Island snake
- Toxicocalamus misimae McDowell, 1969 [1] – Misima Island forest snake, Misima Island snake
- Toxicocalamus nigrescens Kraus, 2017 – Fergusson Island worm-eating snake
- Toxicocalamus nymani (Lönnberg, 1900) – Loria forest snake
- Toxicocalamus pachysomus Kraus, 2009 [12] – Cloudy Mountains worm-eating snake
- Toxicocalamus preussi (Sternfeld, 1913) [7] – Preuss's forest snake, Preuss' slender worm-eating snake
- Toxicocalamus preussi preussi (Sternfeld, 1913) [7] – Preuss's Sepek forest snake, Preuss' slender worm-eating snake
- Toxicocalamus preussi angusticinctus Bogert & Matalas, 1945 [13] – Fly River forest snake, Fly River slender worm-eating snake
- Toxicocalamus pumehanae O'Shea, Allison & Kaiser, 2018 [14] – Managalas Plateau snake
- Toxicocalamus spilolepidotus McDowell, 1969 [1] – Krakte Mountains spotted snake, spotted forest snake
- Toxicocalamus spilorhynchus Kraus, Kaiser,, & O’Shea, 2022
- Toxicocalamus stanleyanus Boulenger, 1903 [15] – Owen Stanley Mountains snake, Owen Stanley Range forest snake
- Toxicocalamus vertebralis Kraus, Kaiser,, & O’Shea, 2022 – striped forest snake
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Toxicocalamus. These former genera, Apistocalamus, Apisthocalamus, Pseudapistocalamus, Pseudapisthocalamus, Ultrocalamus, and Vanapina, are now synonyms of Toxicocalamus.
Taxonomy
[edit]The former species Pseudapisthocalamus nymani Lönnberg, 1900;[16] Apisthocalamus pratti Boulenger, 1904;[17] A. loennbergii Boulenger, 1908;[18] and A. lamingtoni Kinghorn, 1928;[19] are synonyms of T. loriae, Vanapina lineata De Vis, 1905 [20] is a synonym of T. longissimus,[21] and Ultrocalamus latisquamatus Schüz, 1929 [22] is a synonym of T. preussi.
Most of the described species are poorly known and rarely encountered. The most widely distributed, and most commonly encountered, species is T. loriae (itself a possible species complex), which accounts for 66% of all Toxicocalamus specimens in museum collections. T. loriae is frequently encountered in the Highlands, where large numbers have been collected in village gardens along the Wahgi River valley of Simbu Province, PNG. The next most frequently encountered and widely distributed species are T. preussi and T. stanleyanus. All the other species are much less well known and localised in distribution.
Also on mainland New Guinea, T. buergersi is known from only six specimens, from the Torricelli Mountains in the Sepik region (Sandaun and East Sepik Provinces), PNG; T. spilolepidotus is known from two specimens, from the Kratke Range, Eastern Highlands Province, PNG; T. pachysomus is known from its holotype, from the Cloudy Mountains, Milne Bay Province; PNG, T. cratermontanus from its holotype, from Crater Mountain, Simbu Province, PNG, while T. ernstmayri was only known from its holotype in the Star Mountains of Western Province, PNG, until a second specimen was observed crawling across mine-workings at the Ok Tedi Mine, in the Star Mountains.[23] Toxicocalamus grandis is also only known from its holotype, collected on the Setakwa River, western New Guinea, in 1912, (the only species represented by a type specimen west of the WNG/PNG border), and T. pumehanae is also only known from its holotype, from the Managalas Plateau, Oro Province, PNG,.
On the islands of Milne Bay, T. holopelturus is known from 19 specimens from Rossel Island, also known as Yela; T. misimae is known from six specimens from Misima Island; and T. mintoni is only known from its holotype, from Sudest Island, also known as Vanantai or Tagula Island, all in the Louisiade Archipelago. Toxicocalamus nigrescens is only known from its holotype and paratype, from Fergusson Island, in the d'Entercasteaux Archipelago, while T. longissimus is known from 12 specimens from Woodlark Island.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e McDowell, S.B. (1969). "Toxicocalamus, a New Guinea genus of snakes of the family Elapidae". Journal of Zoology, London. 159 (4): 443–511. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1969.tb03900.x.
- ^ Calvete, J.J.; Ghezellou, P.; Paiva, O.; Matainaho, T.; Ghassempour, A.; Goudarzi, H.; Kraus, F.; Sanz, L.; Williams, D.J. (2012). "Snake venomics of two poorly known Hydrophiinae: Comparative proteomics of the venoms of terrestrial Toxicocalamus longissimus and marine Hydrophis cyanocinctus". Journal of Proteomics. 75 (13): 4091–4101. doi:10.1016/j.jprot.2012.05.026. PMID 22643073.
- ^ a b O'Shea, M. (1996). A Guide to the Snakes of Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: Independent Publishing. vii + 239 pp. ISBN 978-9810078362.. Link. January 1996. (22.2 MB)
- ^ Kraus, F. [in French] (2009). "New Species of Toxicocalamus (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea". Herpetologica. 65 (4): 460–467. doi:10.1655/09-002.1. S2CID 91287361.
- ^ a b c O'Shea, M.; Parker, F.; Kaiser, H. (2015). "A new species of New Guinea Worm-eating Snake, genus Toxicocalamus (Serpentes: Elapidae), from the Star Mountains of Western Province, Papua New Guinea, with a revised dichotomous key to the genus". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 161 (6): 241–264. doi:10.3099/0027-4100-161.6.241. hdl:2436/621302.
- ^ Toxicocalamus at The Reptile Database
- ^ a b c Sternfeld, R (1913). "Beitrage zur Schlangenfauna Neuguineas und der benachbarten Inselgruppen ". Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. 1913: 384–389. (in German).
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1914). "An Annotated List of the Batrachians and Reptiles collected by the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition and the Wollaston Expedition in Dutch New Guinea". Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 20 (5): 247–274. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1912.tb07833.x.
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1896). "Description of a new genus of elapine snakes from Woodlark Island, British New Guinea". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 18 (104): 152. doi:10.1080/00222939608680426.
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1898). "An account of the reptiles and batrachians collected by Dr. L. Loria in British New Guinea". Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova. 2 (18): 694–710.
- ^ Kraus, Fred (2020-10-05). "A new species of Toxicocalamus (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea". Zootaxa. 4859 (1): 127–137. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4859.1.5. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 33056208. S2CID 222839671.
- ^ a b Kraus, F. (2009). "New species of Toxicocalamus (Squamata: Elapidae) from Papua New Guinea". Journal of Herpetology. 65 (4): 460–467. doi:10.1655/09-002.1. S2CID 91287361.
- ^ Bogert, C.M.; Matalas, B.L. (1945). "Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 53. A review of the elapid genus Ultrocalamus of New Guinea". American Museum Novitates (1284): 1–7.
- ^ O'Shea, M.; Allison, A. [in French]; Kaiser, H. (2018). "The taxonomic history of the enigmatic Papuan snake genus Toxicocalamus (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) with the description of a new species from the Managalas Plateau of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, and a revised dichotomous key". Amphibia-Reptilia. 39 (4): 403–433. doi:10.1163/15685381-20181052. hdl:2436/621917. S2CID 91259224.
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1903). "Descriptions of new Reptiles from British New Guinea". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1903: 125–129.
- ^ Lönnberg, E. (1900). "Reptiles and amphibians collected in German New Guinea by the late Dr Erik Nyman". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 3 (36): 574–582. doi:10.1080/00222930008678427.
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1904). "Descriptions of three new snakes". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 13 (78): 450–452. doi:10.1080/00222930408562477.
- ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1908). "Description of a new elapine snake of the genus Apisthocalamus, Blg., from New Guinea". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 1 (3): 248–249. doi:10.1080/00222930808692393.
- ^ Kinghorn, J.R. (1928). "Notes on some reptiles and batachians from the Northern Division of Papua, with descriptions of new species of Apisthocalamus and Lygosoma". Records of the Australian Museum. 16 (6): 289–293. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.16.1928.790.
- ^ De Vis, C.W. (1905). "A new genus of lizards". Annals of the Queensland Museum. 6: 46–52.
- ^ Ingram, G.J. [in French] (1989). "Vanapina lineata de Vis, 1905 is a junior synonym of the New Guinean snake Toxicocalamus longissimus Boulenger, 1896". Copeia. 1989 (3): 753–754. doi:10.2307/1445509. JSTOR 1445509.
- ^ Schüz, E. (1929). "Verzeichnis der Typen des Staatlichen Museums für Tierkunde in Dresden. Part 1. Fische, Amphibien und Reptilien mit einem Anhang: Die Schlangen der papuanischen Ausbeute Dr. Schlaginhäufen 1909". Abhandlungen und Berichte des Museum Tierkunde und Völkerkunde zu Dresden. 17: 14–16. (in German).
- ^ O'Shea, M.; Herlihy, B.; Paivu, B.; Parker, F.; Richards, S.J. [in French]; Kaiser, H. (2018). "Rediscovery of the rare Star Mountains Worm-eating Snake, Toxicocalamus ernstmayri O'Shea et al., 2015 (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) with the description of its coloration in life". Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 12 (1): 27–34.