Brachyurophis fasciolatus is a species of snake from the family Elapidae, commonly named the narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake, or narrow-banded burrowing snake, and is a species endemic to Australia. Its common names reflect its shovel nose specialization, burrowing behaviour and banded body colour.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
A fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
Venom is a type of poison, especially one secreted by an animal. It is delivered in a bite, sting, or similar action. Venom has evolved in terrestr...
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starts withThe narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake is on average 30 cm (12 in) in total length, reaching to approximately 40 cm (16 in) in total length. 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.
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).
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. Little information is available on specific predators of this species, however there are likely opportunistic predators such as other snakes and avian species.
