All snakes all episode this fortnight, but not just any snakes. We are talking about snake-eaters. King amongst the snake-eaters is the king cobra, where do they roam and what threats are they facing? Jumping across to Africa we check out a newly described, and smaller, snake-eater. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Marshall, B. M., Strine, C. T., Jones, M. D., Artchawakom, T., Silva, I., Suwanwaree, P., & Goode, M. (2018). Space fit for a king: spatial ecology of king cobras (Ophiophagus hannah) in Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Northeastern Thailand. Amphibia-Reptilia. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-18000008

Marshall, B. M., Strine, C. T., Jones, M. D., Theodorou, A., Amber, E., Waengsothorn, S., … Goode, M. (2018). Hits Close to Home: Repeated Persecution of King Cobras (Ophiophagus hannah) in Northeastern Thailand. Tropical Conservation Science, 11, 194008291881840. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940082918818401

Species of the Bi-Week:

Portillo, F., Branch, W. R., Tilbury, C. R., Nagy, Z. T., Hughes, D. F., Kusamba, C., ... & Greenbaum, E. (2019). A Cryptic New Species of Polemon (Squamata: Lamprophiidae, Aparallactinae) from the Miombo Woodlands of Central and East Africa. Copeia, 107(1), 22-35.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Barnes, Curt & Strine, Colin & Suwanwaree, Pongthep & Major, Tom. (2018). Cryptelytrops albolabris (white- lipped viper): Behavior. Herp Review. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325251521_Cryptelytrops_albolabris_white-_lipped_viper_Behavior

Barve, S., Bhaisare, D., Giri, A., Shankar, P. G., Whitaker, R., & Goode, M. (2013). A preliminary study on translocation of “rescued” King Cobras (Ophiophagus hannah). Hamadryad, 36(6), 80–86.

Bhaisare, D., Ramanuj, V., Shankar, P. G., Vittala, M., Goode, M. J., & Whitaker, R. (2010). Observations on a wild King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), with emphasis on foraging and diet. IRCF Reptiles Amphibians, 17(2), 95–102.

Hart, K. M., Cherkiss, M. S., Smith, B. J., Mazzotti, F. J., Fujisaki, I., Snow, R. W., & Dorcas, M. E. (2015). Home range, habitat use, and movement patterns of non-native Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. Animal Biotelemetry, 3(8), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-015-0022-2

Hyslop, N. L., Meyers, J. M., Cooper, R. J., & Stevenson, D. J. (2014). Effects of body size and sex of Drymarchon couperi (eastern indigo snake) on habitat use, movements, and home range size in Georgia. Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(1), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.645

Kusamba, C., A. Resetar, V. Wallach, and Z. T. Nagy. (2013). Mouthful of snake: an African snake-eater’s (Polemon gracilis graueri) large typhlopid prey. Herpetology Notes 6: 235–237.

Strine, C. T., Silva, I., Crane, M., Nadolski, B., Artchawakom, T., Goode, M., & Suwanwaree, P. (2014). Mortality of a wild king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah Cantor, 1836 (Serpentes: Elapidae) from Northeast Thailand after ingesting a plastic bag. Asian Herpetological Research, 5(4), 284–286. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1245.2014.00284

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com