''Micropisthodon'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

created for the poorly-known rear-fanged snake

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

, ''Micropisthodon ochraceus'', found in eastern

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. No

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are currently recognized.

Description

Maximum recorded length is . Back is brownish, with alternating dark and light areas, and the dark areas sometimes forming chevrons. Dentition is apparently aglyphous. Pupils are circular. The species is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

. One dissected female contained 10 small eggs.

Habitat and conservation

''Micropisthodon ochraceus'' lives in low-elevation humid forest at elevations of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

, perhaps higher; it does not occur in disturbed habitats. It is

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...

. It is a locally common species, but the population is probably declining because of habitat loss and degradation caused by open cast mining, conversion of land for agriculture, and logging. It occurs in several protected areas.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13583133 Pseudoxyrhophiidae Monotypic snake genera Snakes of Africa Reptiles of Madagascar Endemic fauna of Madagascar Taxa named by François Mocquard Reptiles described in 1894