Takachihohebi - Takachihohebi

A snake of the order Squamata, family Colubridae, class Reptilia. A non-venomous species found in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Satsunan Islands. Its Japanese name comes from the name of the person who discovered it, not the name of a mountain. It is a small species, about 25 to 50 centimeters in length, with a small, slender head. The scales on the back of the body are in close contact with the dermis, and the skin is exposed between the scales. The scales have prominent ridges and are shiny. The snout extends forward beyond the lower jaw, which is convenient for digging in the soil, and the eyes are small. It is active at night, so it is rarely seen by people, but there are not many of them. During the day, it hides under stones or fallen trees, and often burrows underground or under humus, and its food is mainly earthworms. It lays 2 to 4 slender eggs. A different species with a long tail, A. werneri , is found on Amami Oshima and Okinawa Island, and a closely related species has also been discovered on Iriomote Island.

[Takahiro Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

爬虫(はちゅう)綱有鱗(ゆうりん)目ナミヘビ科のヘビ。本州、四国、九州、薩南(さつなん)諸島に分布する無毒種。和名の由来は山名ではなく本種の発見者の名による。全長25～50センチメートル余りの小形種で、頭部が小さく細長い。体背面の体鱗は真皮と密着し、各鱗(うろこ)の間では皮膚が露出している。体鱗には顕著な隆条があり、光沢がある。吻(ふん)部は下あごよりも前方に伸び土を掘るのに都合がよく、目が小さい。夜間に活動するため人目に触れる機会が少ないが、個体数もあまり多くない。昼間は石や倒木の下に潜み、地中や腐植土の下に潜ることも多く、餌(えさ)はおもにミミズ類。2～4個の細長い卵を産む。奄美(あまみ)大島、沖縄本島には尾の長い別種のアマミタカチホA. werneriが分布するほか、西表(いりおもて)島にも近縁種が発見されている。

［松井孝爾］

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