Homalopsis buccata

Homalopsis buccata (puff-faced water snake or masked water snake) is a species of mildly venomous snake in the Homalopsidae family found in tropical areas of Southeast Asia.

Puff-faced water snake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Homalopsidae
Genus: Homalopsis
Kuhl and Hasselt, 1822
Species:
H. buccata
Binomial name
Homalopsis buccata

Description

Upper labials 1–4 contact single loreal; two prefrontals; 33–40 dorsal scale rows at mid-body, usually reduced to fewer than 30 posteriorly; one postocular plus a postsubocular; 12 (11–14) upper labials; ventral count fewer than 166.[1]

Homalopsis buccata has a banded pattern and usually reaches 1 meter (3 feet) in length. They have a somewhat similar body build to the anaconda, but instead of constriction they use a mild venom from a grooved rear fang to subdue prey.

Distribution

H. buccata ranges from northern Sumatra to Salanga Island, Indonesia and Borneo; it is present on the Malaysian peninsula and in extreme southern Thailand (vicinity of Pattani).[2]

Reproduction

H. buccata are ovoviviparous, meaning they do not lay eggs but rather give birth to live young. Females give birth to 2-20 live young, with an average of 9.26 young per breeding. Studies have shown this species breeds year round, with a peak season of October–March (though no distinctive breeding season was found).[3]

Diet

H. buccata prey are said to include: tilapia, guppy, catfish, Asian swamp eel, various other small fish, a variety of frogs, freshwater crustaceans.[4]

In captivity, the species feeds readily on minnows, goldfish, various cichlid fish, tilapia, Mollies (Poecilia), and tadpoles.

Notes
  1. Murphy, John C. 2007. Homalopsid Snakes: Evolution in the Mud. Krieger Publishing, Malabar, Florida, 249 pp.
  2. MURPHY, JOHN C.; HAROLD K. VORIS, B.H.C.K. MURTHY, JOSHUA TRAUB & CHRISTINA CUMBERBATCH 2012. The masked water snakes of the genus Homalopsis Kuhl & van Hasselt, 1822 (Squamata, Serpentes, Homalopsidae), with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 3208: 1–26
  3. Berry, P. Y., & Lim, G. S. (1967). The Breeding Pattern of the Puff-Faced Water Snake, Homalopsis buccata Boulenger. Copeia, 1967(2), 307.
  4. Voris, H. K., & Murphy, J. C. (2002). The prey and predators of Homalopsine snakes. Journal of Natural History, 36(13), 1621–1632.

References
  • Boulenger, George A. 1890 The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp.
  • Stuart, B.L.; Smith, J.; Davey, K.; Din, P. & Platt, S.G. 2000 Homalopsine watersnakes. The harvest and trade from Tonle Sap, Cambodia. Traffic Bull. 18 (3): 115-124
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