Keel-bellied water snake

Keel-bellied Water Snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Infraorder: Alethinophidia
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Homalopsinae
Genus: Bitia
Gray, 1842 [1]
Species: B. hydroides
Binomial name
Bitia hydroides
Gray, 1842

The keel-bellied water snake (Bitia hydroides) is a marine homalopsine snake. It belongs to the monotypic genus Bitia.[2]

Geographic range

It is found in Malaysia.

Dentition

Bitia hydroides is noted for its unusual dentition. In all other snakes, any enlarged teeth are located on the dentary or maxilla, with the inner, palatine teeth of the upper jaw being smaller. In Bitia hydroides, the palatine teeth are greatly enlarged. Not enough is known about this animal's feeding behavior or ecology to attempt to infer a function of this peculiar arrangement.

See also

References

  1. JCVI.org (Retrieved March 3, 2010.)
  2. {http://www.eol.org/pages/1057061 EOL.org]
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