''Elaphe bimaculata'', the twin-spotted ratsnake or Chinese leopard snake, is a small ratsnake (60–80 cm) found in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. It occurs as both blotched and striped

phase Phase or phases may refer to: Science *State of matter, or phase, one of the distinct forms in which matter can exist *Phase (matter), a region of space throughout which all physical properties are essentially uniform * Phase space, a mathematic ...

, with the blotched type being the more common or "typical" phase. Some specimens even exhibit a pattern of half blotched, half striped where the anterior half is usually blotched and the posterior half striped. They are found in many

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s ranging from the edge of forest to cultivated areas and seem to like cooler

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

s and higher

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

. This secretive snake prefers smaller food items such as young to half grown

mice A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

. ''E. bimaculata'' has been known to breed at different times of the year, usually with 3-10 eggs being laid in late spring; eggs require 35–48 days of incubation. A period of 2–3 months

hibernation Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...

is typical. Females are known to grow larger and heavier than males.

References

Reptilia-Denmark: ''Elaphe bimaculata''J. Craig Venter Institute: Reptile Database. ''Elaphe bimaculata'' BioLib. Chinese Leopard Snake ''Elaphe bimaculata''

External links

Image: ''Elaphe bimaculata''
Elaphe Reptiles of China Reptiles described in 1925 Taxa named by Karl Patterson Schmidt {{Colubrinae-stub