Chrysopelea ornata
Chrysopelea ornata is a species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous colubrid snake found in both South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly known as the golden tree snake, ornate flying snake, and golden flying snake. Along with the other species in the genus Chrysopelea, the golden tree snake is unusual, as it is capable of a type of gliding "flight" — mainly utilised during the pursuit of prey animals — from tree-to-tree. This action is also used to great effect for the snake to flee its own potential predators. Currently, three subspecies are recognised. The snake's striking looks, and potential for gliding, have made it a coveted choice for captivity.
Etymology
The species name ornata is Latin for "decorated or "ornamented", in reference to the ornate coloration.Common names
- English: golden tree snake, gliding snake, ornate flying snake, golden flying snake, gold and black tree snake, flying tree snake
- Hindi: kala jin.
- Sinhala: pol-mal-karawala, malsara.
- German: Gelbgrüne Schmuckbaumnatter, Gewöhnliche Schmuckbaumnatter.
- Bengali: কালনাগিনী, উড়ন্ত সাপ, উড়াল মহারাজ সাপ, সুন্দরী সাপ, কালসাপ, কালনাগ
- Konkani: Naneto
- Nepali: Seerise
- Thai: งูเขียวดอกหมาก
- Khmer: ពស់តុកកែ
- Malayalam: നാഗത്താൻ പാമ്പ്
Taxonomy
Chrysopelea ornata belongs to the genus Chrysopelea, which contains four other described species.Chrysopelea is one of five genera belonging to the vine snake subfamily Ahaetuliinae, of which Chrysopelea is most closely related to Dendrelaphis, as shown in the cladogram below:
Subspecies
Three subspecies of C. ornata are recognized:- C. o. ornata – southwest India
- C. o. ornatissima – north and east India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia
- C. o. sinhaleya – Sri Lanka.
Geographic range
It is found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Western Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and Singapore.In India, Chrysopelea ornata ranges from the Western Ghats, up to the Dangs, Katernia Ghat in Uttar Pradesh, North Bihar, northern West Bengal eastwards to Arunachal Pradesh. It is also found in the forests of the Andaman Islands.
Description
Chrysopelea ornata is usually green in color, with black cross-hatching and yellow or gold colored accents. The body, though slender, is far less so than in other tree snakes. It has a flattened head with constricted neck, a blunt nose and large eyes with round pupils.The lateral, sharp and pronounced keeled condition of the ventrals in association with the normal, not enlarged, vertebral row of scales distinguish this snake.
This snake ranges from long. Maturity is reached at about in length. The tail is about one-fourth of the total length.
Chrysopelea ornata has two major colour forms, and their descriptions are given below:
- In Sri Lanka and the southern extent of its Indian range, the snake is primarily greenish yellow or pale green. Each scale has a black mesial streak or spot, and is more or less edged with black. The snake also has dark crossbars at intervals. A series of large, flower-shaped, reddish or orange vertebral spots may be present or absent. Ventrals greenish, outside the keel edged with black or spotted. Head black with yellow crossbars and spots. The flower-shaped spots are more common in Sri Lanka than in south India.
- The second color variety which is more common in Southeast Asia lacks the reddish vertebral spots, and has less prominent black crossbars. But all varieties can be found throughout its distribution area.
Venom
This species is considered mildly venomous, as it is rear-fanged. This is an adaptive feature present in many genera of snakes, such as the hognose and mangrove snakes, in which two small fangs are situated closer to the rear of the mouth, as opposed to frontal-fanged venomous snakes, which possess retractable, long, sharp fangs at the front of the mouth. Opisthoglyphy is typically indicative of an animal that consumes reptiles and/or amphibians, as it is thought that the placement of the teeth in the back of the mouth aids the snake in wrangling and controlling wriggly, slippery lizards, frogs, toads, etc. In order for the venom to be administered and the prey subdued, it must first be "chewed" into the prey, as the rear fangs are not placed immediately at the front of the mouth; by comparison, vipers and elapids generally prefer avian, rodent or other mammalian prey, which they bite once before retreating, waiting for envenomation to kill the animal before consuming. The ease with which frontal-fanged snakes can deliver their deadly venom makes them medically significant and dangerous to humans and other animals; rear-fanged snakes, including the Chrysopelea species, are therefore not considered so dangerous to humans as to be of medical importance.Behaviour
C. ornata is diurnal and arboreal. The snake's gliding ability, while not as impressive as that of the paradise flying snake, still makes it capable of moving from tree to tree with relative ease. These snakes are excellent climbers, being able move across even the smallest of branches and even straight up trees with few branches by using the edges of rough bark. They are frequently seen moving up a coconut palm, or up vertical rock faces in graceful curves, gripping the somewhat uneven surfaces with their scales. They tend to be nervous, fast-moving snakes, and attempt to flee if disturbed, but generally do not hesitate to bite if handled. They are mildly venomous, but the venom is not considered to be dangerous to humans. It is intended to assist in subduing fast-moving, arboreal prey.C. ornata takes small arboreal prey, such as lizards, bats, and small rodents. It might also feed on bird eggs and insects. Also, it is reported to take snakes occasionally, and to avoid frogs, though frogs are also reported being eaten. The snake stalks or pursues the prey and seizes it by the neck, which is crushed in its strong jaws.
Flight
C. ornata, like others of its genus, glides or parachutes. This is presumably done to cover distances faster, to escape predators, to catch prey, or to move around in forests. Flying snakes usually parachute from tree to tree, but sometimes launch themselves from trees onto the ground. They have been known to cross as much as 100 m.It does this by climbing up to a height, which it does easily by virtue of its keeled belly scales, and then launching itself into mid-air. The snake contracts its ventral surface inwards to form a U-shaped concave depression along the entire length of their bodies, holding the outer edges of the ventral scales rigid. This concave surface acts like a parachute, and increases air resistance, allowing the snake to glide forward with the thrust of its launch. The snake undulates through the air, in a swimming-like motion. It holds the tail rigidly upwards, and by twisting the tail from side to side, it attains balance. This motion allows it to propel forward, landing clumsily at the end of its flight.