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Cacophis squamulosus (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854)

IUCN Red List - Cacophis squamulosus - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaElapidae (Hydrophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Golden Crowned Snake 
SynonymPseudelaps squamulosus DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1853: 517 (nomen nudum)
Pseudelaps squamulosus DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 1235
Pseudelaps fordii BOULENGER 1896
Diemansia cucullata GÜNTHER 1862: 129
Pseudoelaps atropolios JAN & SORDELLI 1873
Aspidomorphus squamulosus
Cacophis squamulosus — COGGER 1983: 219
Cacophis squamulosus — WELCH 1994: 39
Cacophis squamulosus — COGGER 2000: 638
Cacophis squamulosus — WILSON & SWAN 2010
Cacophis squamulosus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 131 
DistributionAustralia (New South Wales, Queensland)

Type locality: unknown (see type data).  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: MNHN-RA 7667, from unknown locality (as Tasmania, errore). MNHN catalogue indicate Australia as locality.
Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.17.58, from "neighbourhood of Sydney", N. S. W. [Diemansia cucullata]
Holotype: ZMH 531 (specimen from G. Krefft, Sydney), from Australia (by implication) [Pseudoelaps atropolios]. 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: “Parietal contacts lower postocular in majority of specimens (C7(1)*); snout-vent length may exceed 70 cm (C9(0)*); dark ventral pigment usually forming distinct blotches or bars across base of each ventral scale, and a zig-zag median line on the subcaudals (C12(1)*); carotenoid pigment suffusing ventral and lateral scales reddish (pink or orange to deep red; C15(1)*); in defensive threat display, neck held in lateral S-shaped coils, and rear end of jaws spread laterally to widen and flatten the head (C19(1)*).” (Scanlon 2003: 13, C numbers are characters numbers in Scanlon 2003)


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CommentVenomous! 
EtymologyPresumably named after the Latin squama (scale), with the diminutive suffix -ulus, plus the second suffix -osus (abundance), so meaning lots of small scales. The authors emphasise the small scales of this species. (G. Shea, pers. comm., 9 Feb 2024) 
References
  • Blackburn, D.G. 1993. STANDARDIZED CRITERIA FOR THE RECOGNITION OF REPRODUCTIVE MODES IN SQUAMATE REPTILES. Herpetologica 49 (1): 118-132 - get paper here
  • Brischoux F, Pizzatto L, Shine R. 2010. Insights into the adaptive significance of vertical pupil shape in snakes. J Evol Biol. 23(9): 1878-85. - get paper here
  • Cogger, H. G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, xxx + 1033 pp. - get paper here
  • Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
  • Duméril, A. M. C., Bibron, G. & DUMÉRIL, A. H. A., 1854. Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Deuxième partie, comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux. Paris, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret: i-xii + 781-1536 - get paper here
  • Duméril, ANDRÉ MARIE CONSTANT 1853. Prodrome de la classifcation des reptiles ophidiens. Mém. Acad. Sci., Paris, 23: 399-536 - get paper here
  • Fitzgerald M 1994. Notes on the ecology of the dwarf crowned snake (Cacophis kreffti) in northeastern NSW. Herpetofauna (Sydney) 24 (2): 11-13
  • Günther, A. 1862. On new species of snakes in the collection of the British Museum. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (3) 9: 124-132 - get paper here
  • Günther, ALBERT 1862. On new species of snakes in the collection of the British Museum. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 9: 52-67. - get paper here
  • Hardy C J; Hardy C M; Hardy J P 1979. Reptiles of Dobroyd Head Reserve. KOOLEWONG 8 (4): 13-18
  • Jan, G. & Sordelli, F. 1873. Iconographie Générale des Ophidiens. Atlas 1860-1881. Milan: Jan & Sordelli, 50 livr. - get paper here
  • Murphy, Michael J. 1994. Reptiles and amphibians of Seven Mile Beach National park, NSW. Herpetofauna (Sydney) 24 (2): 24-30
  • PAVON-VAZQUEZ, C. J., O. JIMENEZ-ROBLES, M. ARVIZU MEZA, AND D. DASHEVSKY 2020. Geographic Distribution: Cacophis squamulosus (Golden-Crowned Snake). Australia: New South Wales: Bega Valley Shire. Herpetological Review 51: 543.
  • Rhind, David and David Steer. 2016. Cacophis squamulosus (Golden-crowned Snake) Diet/Mortality. Herpetological Review 47 (2): 308-309 - get paper here
  • Scanlon, John D. 2003. The Australian Elapid genus Cacophis: Morphology and phylogeny of rainforest crowned snakes. The Herpetological Journal 13 (1):1-20 - get paper here
  • Shine, R. 1980. Comparative ecology of three Australian snake species of the genus Cacophis (Serpentes : Elapidae). Copeia 1980 (4): 831-838 - get paper here
  • Storniolo, F., Mangiacotti, M., Scali, S., Zuffi, M. A. L., & Sacchi, R. 2025. A comparative phylogenetic approach for the evolution of melanism in elapid snakes supports the Bogert's rule. Journal of Zoology 326: 289-297 - get paper here
  • Swan, G.; Sadlier, R.; Shea, G. 2017. A field guide to reptiles of New South Wales. Reed New Holland, 328 pp.
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Webb, G. A.;Chapman, W. S. 1984. Nocturnal road basking by gravid female Cacophis squamulosus and Cryptophis nigrescens (Serpentes: Elapidae). Herpetofauna (Sydney) 15 (1-2): 24
  • Wells, R. 1980. Notes on Cacophis squamulosus. Herpetofauna (Sydney) 11: 26
  • Wells, R. 1982. Literature: Notes on Cacophis squamulosus. Litteratura Serpentium 2 (3): 150 - get paper here
  • Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2010. A complete guide to reptiles of Australia, 3rd ed. Chatswood: New Holland, 558 pp.
 
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