''Brachyurophis fasciolatus'' is a species of

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

from the family Elapidae, commonly named the narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake, or narrow-banded burrowing snake, and is a species endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Its common names reflect its shovel nose specialization, burrowing behaviour and banded body colour.

Description

The narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake is on average in total length, reaching to approximately in total length.Cogger, H. (2018). ''Reptiles and amphibians of Australia'' (7th ed.). Genus Brachyurophis (pp. 864-869). Collingwood: CSIRO Publishing. Identification of ''B. fasciolatus'' from other species of this genus can be made by inspection of the preocular and nasal scales. This species has a scale situated between the two scales whereas other species of this genus have the preocular and nasal scale in contact. The Narrow-banded burrowing snake has cream to white coloured ventral scales, of which there are 140-175, and 15-30 subcaudal scales of which are divided. The anal scale is also divided. The dorsal scales are brightly coloured with a pale reddish-brown to cream coloured background and black-tipped scales that form 50 or more narrow bands across the body, giving the snake its banded appearance. The snout is light in colour, cream or brown and the head is black with a narrow lighter coloured band separating the black head and nape into two sections. There are 17 rows of scales mid-body on average.

Taxonomy

''Brachyurophis fasciolatus''is one of eight currently recognised species within the genus ''Brachyurophis'', in addition there are two subspecies, ''Brachyurophis fasciolatus fasciatus'' and ''Brachyurophis fasciolatus fasciolatus''. Originally named ''Rhinelaps fasciolatus'' when first described by Günther in 1872,Kinghorn, R. J. (1955). Herpetological notes. No. 5. ''Records of the Australian Museum, 23''(5), 283-286. doi: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.23.1955.638 ''Brachyurophis fasciolatus'' was renamed multiple times until its most recent rename in the early 2000s.''Brachyurophis fasciolatus'' (Günther, 1872). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Brachyurophis&species=fasciolatus This most recent reclassification for this species, moved this species into the genus ''Brachyurophis''. Synonyms include ''Rhinelaps fasciolatus'' (Günther 1872), ''Rhynchoelaps fasciolatus'' (Boulenger 1896), and ''

Simoselaps ''Simoselaps'', or Australian coral snakes, is a genus composed of 12 species of venomous elapid snakes. Geographic range Species of the genus ''Simoselaps'' are found throughout Australia. Description Australian coral snakes are small snakes. ...

fasciolatus'' ( Cogger 1983).

Phylogeny

''Brachyurophis fasciolatus'' belongs to one of two burrowing clades of taxa found within Australian elapids and sea snakes.Sanders, K. L., Lee, M. S. Y., Leys, R., Foster. R., & Scott Keogh, J. (2008). Molecular phylogeny and divergence dates for Australasian elapids and sea snakes (hydrophiinae): evidence from seven genes for rapid evolutionary radiations. ''Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 21''(3), 682-695. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01525.x The ''Simoselaps'' group which ''B. fasciolatus'' is a part of has a basal lineage to Australian oxyuranines. Whereas positioning of the other clade is higher, therefore suggesting that rejection of monophyly for some burrowing forms should be rejected, however more research is required to determine the acceptance of diphyly.

Ecology, distribution and habitat

''Brachyurophis fasciolatus'' is distributed throughout mainland Australia, except Victoria, in arid and coastal zones. The subspecies ''B. fasciolatus fasciolatus'' is found within the Western regions of Australia and ''B. fasciolatus fasciatus'' is distributed throughout central Australia. The IUCN risk assessment has ''B. fasciolatus'' assessed as Least Concern, globally, and the New South Wales department of Environment & Heritage lists this species as Vulnerable. ''Brachyurophis fasciolatus'' a fossorial snake with a habitat preference of slopes and crests, sandy habitat such as savannas, deserts, grasslands and shrubland areas, including spinifex dunes.How, R. A., & Shine, R. (1999). Ecological traits and conservation biology of five fossorial ‘sand-swimming’ snake species (''Simoselaps'': Elapidae) in south-western Australia. ''Journal of Zoology, 249'', 269-282.

Behaviour and reproduction

The narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake is a nocturnal fossorial species, burrowing in sandy habitats. This species emerges to the surface on warm nights to forage for food. Reproduction occurs via sexual reproduction. This snake is oviparous with an average clutch size of three to five eggs. Oviposition (egg-laying) and hatching occurs during the warmer months with late spring to early summer as the expected time of oviposition with eggs hatched by late summer to early autumn (January - March).

Diet and venom

The narrow-banded burrowing snake forages on the surface for small terrestrial lizards and their eggs. Prey preference appears to be towards small skinks and their eggs.Goodyear, S. E., & Pianka, E. R. (2008). Sympatric ecology of five species of fossorial snakes (Elapidae) in Western Australia. ''Journal of Herpetology, 42''(2), 279-285. Two genus of skink are considered to be preferred prey items are '' Lerista'' and ''

Ctenotus ''Ctenotus'' is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae). The genus belongs to a clade in the ''Sphenomorphus'' group which contains such genera as '' Anomalopus'' and the close relatives '' Eulamprus'' and '' Gnypetoscincus''. Lizards in the genus ...

''. These small skinks are long and slender, with often overlapping habitat use such as in ''Lerista sp.'' which are also fossorial. Whilst ''B. fasciolatus'' is a venomous snake its venom is generally considered mild to humans*. ''*Note: All snake bites should be treated as serious, regardless of envenoming.''

Predators and threats

The IUCN Red List considers threats to this species as minimal due to its large distribution in low human populated areas. Furthermore, in New South Wales its distribution covers a small area of its total range and threats are largely described as habitat fragmentation and damage to soil from undulates and farming practices.Narrow-banded snake - profile. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10757 Little information is available on specific predators of this species, however there are likely opportunistic predators such as other snakes and avian species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3484666 Snakes of Australia fasciolatus Taxa named by Albert Günther