Brachyurophis roperi

Brachyurophis roperi, also known as the northern shovel-nosed snake, is a species of venomous burrowing snake that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet roperi refers to the type locality of the Roper River Mission in the Northern Territory. It was formerly considered a subspecies of Brachyurophis semifasciatus.[1]

Brachyurophis roperi
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Brachyurophis
Species:
B. roperi
Binomial name
Brachyurophis roperi
(Kinghorn, 1931) Worrell 1963
Synonyms
  • Rhynchoelaps roperi Kinghorn, 1931
  • Vermicella semifasciata roperi Storr, 1968
  • Simoselaps roperi Wallach, 1985
  • Simoselaps semifasciatus roperi Cogger, 1986

Description

The species grows to an average of about 37 cm in length. There are dark brown to black bands along the length of the orange to reddish-brown upper body. The belly is whitish.[1]

Behaviour

The species is oviparous with a clutch size of three. It feeds on reptile eggs.[1]

Distribution and habitat

The species’ range extends from Broome in Western Australia, eastwards through the Kimberley region, the Top End of the Northern Territory as far south as Ti-Tree, to Camooweal in western Queensland. It occurs in sandy soils as well as in heavy soils and rocky ranges.[1]

References
  1. "Northern shovel-nosed snake". Australian Reptile Online Database. Stewart Macdonald. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
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