Rhabdophis callistus (GÜNTHER, 1873)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Rhabdophis callistus?
Rhabdophis callistus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Boettger’s Keelback |
| Synonym | Tropidonotus callistus GÜNTHER 1873 Tropidonotus callistus — MÜLLER 1895: 863 Rhabdophis callistus — DE LANG & VOGEL 2005 Rhabdophis callistus — DE LANG & VOGEL 2006 Rhabdophis callistus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 634 |
| Distribution | Indonesia (Sulawesi = Celebes) Type locality: “Sine patria” (fide HARDING & WELCH 1980) |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: BMNH 72.46.124 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Juveniles of Rhabdophis callistus can be identified almost exclusively on the basis of their striking colour and pattern. Since pictures of adult specimens are not available, for them we have to rely upon the above description of body characteristics and the head and body scales counts. Further, the twenty-one mid-body scale rows distinguish both R. callistus and R. chrysargoides from the doubtful Sulawesi species R. chrysargos (nineteen scale rows) and R. subminiatus subminiatus (nineteen, rarely seventeen rows). Juveniles of Rhabdophis callistus may be confused with juveniles of Rhabdophis chrysargoides, which have more or less the same pattern, but different colours. The most striking differences are in the vertebral band (greenish-olive in R. callistus, pink-orange in R. chrysargoides), the yellow longitudinal band beneath the dark band on the sides (present in R. callistus, absent in R. chrysargoides) and the two black longitudinal bands on the belly (present in R. callistus, present or absent in R. chrysargoides). [from DE LANG & VOGEL 2006]. |
| Comment | Some species of this genus are venomous although we do not have information about this particular species. Synonymy: Boulenger 1897: 219 thought that Tropidonotus callistus “is nothing but the young of T. chrysargoides, the short head and brilliant coloration of the former being juvenile characters which gradually disappear with age. Two to four post-oculars temporals 2+2 or 2+3; eight or nine upper labials, fourth and fifth, fifth and sixth, or fourth, fifth, and sixth entering the eye. Ventrals 148 -160 ; subcaudals 70-85.” |
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