Mole snake

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Species of snake

title: "Mole snake" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["snakes-of-africa", "reptiles-of-south-africa", "monotypic-snake-genera", "reptiles-described-in-1758", "animal-taxa-named-by-carl-linnaeus", "pseudaspididae"] description: "Species of snake" topic_path: "geography/south-africa" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_snake" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Species of snake ::

| image = Mole snake.JPG | genus = Pseudaspis | parent_authority = Fitzinger, 1843 | species = cana | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | range_map = Distribution Pseudaspis cana.png | range_map_caption = | synonyms = *Coluber cana Linnaeus, 1758

  • Duberria cana — Fitzinger, 1826
  • Coronella cana — A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
  • Pseudaspis cana — Cope, 1864 | synonyms_ref = The mole snake (Pseudaspis cana) is a species of snake. It has been placed in the family Lamprophiidae, and more recently in the family Pseudaspididae, along with the genus Pythonodipsas. It is native to much of southern Africa, and is the only member of the genus Pseudaspis. A study showed that P. cana is caught and consumed by the honey badger, among other species. Remains of the mole snake were found in the faeces, and suggest the consumed individuals were larger specimens.

Taxonomy

P. cana was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Its original binomial name was Coluber cana. Since then, it has also been called Coronella cana by André Marie Constant Duméril, Gabriel Bibron and Auguste Duméril in 1854, before being reclassified as Pseudaspis cana by Edward Drinker Cope in 1864.

Description

The mole snake can grow to a total length (including tail) of 2 m. A small head and pointed snout are characteristics of the species. It has a firm, tubular body. Like the majority of the Lamprophiidae, P. cana is not venomous.

In mature individuals, the body is mostly one colour, and may vary from yellow to brown to grey, and in some cases, solid black. The young have dark markings and spots that are gradually lost as the individual ages. Colour may be related to geography; in the south, most specimens are black, whereas specimens found in the northern part of their range are brown, reddish-brown, grey, or yellow.

Diet

The primary food source of P. cana is golden moles (hence the common name), rodents, and other small mammals. For this reason, it is considered useful for the natural control of problem rodents.

Its diet may also include the eggs of seafowl. At Robben Island, mole snakes were observed eating the eggs of Spheniscus demersus (African penguin), Larus hartlaubii (Harlaub's gull), and Numida meleagris (helmeted guinea-fowl). Juveniles were observed eating Strongylopus grayii (clicking stream frogs).

The mole snake is a nest predator of the Karoo prinia (Prinia maculosa). P. cana is one of at least six snake species which cause reproductive loss and decrease of nest success in P. maculosa.

Distribution and habitat

The range of the mole snake encompasses most of southern Africa. P. cana is common in Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. It is widely distributed, with a range stretching from Angola in the north to Kenya in the east to South Africa.

The mole snake lives in the abandoned burrows of other animals. It can be found in a variety of habitats, such as the scrublands of the South African Cape and the Highveld plateaux and grasslands. It has also been found in mountainous and desert areas.

Reproduction

The mole snake is viviparous, mating takes place in late spring (October), and the female gives birth to usually between 25 and 50 young, with as many as 95 possible. The young snakes are 20 to 30 cm in length at birth.

In captivity

The mole snake can be "quite ferocious". Though not venomous, they can cause severe bite wounds. Despite this, they are said to make good pets when sufficiently settled.

Gallery

File:Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa (6263333797).jpg|Illustration of a mole snake File:Pseudaspis cana.JPG|Juvenile mole snake (Pseudaspis cana) during sunbathing File:Pseudaspis cana, Rehoboth.jpg|A mole snake near Rehoboth, Namibia File:Juvenile Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) (7027018261).jpg|Juvenile mole snake, Auob River bed, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa File:Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) juvenile (6452886737).jpg|A mole snake, Nossob River, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park File:Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) (6868524868).jpg|A mole snake, Lijersdraal picnic site, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park File:Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa (6263333393).jpg|Illustration of a mole snake

References

References

  1. Beraduccii, J., Howell, K., Msuya, C.A. & Ngalason, W. 2021. Pseudaspis cana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44979717A44979726. Downloaded on 05 September 2021.
  2. {{EMBL species
  3. Kruuk, H.. (1983). "Notes on Food and Foraging of the honey badger ''Mellivora capensis'' In the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park". Koedoe.
  4. (10 May 2019). "Large-scale molecular phylogeny, morphology, divergence-time estimation, and the fossil record of advanced caenophidian snakes (Squamata: Serpentes)". PLOS ONE.
  5. "A Short Account of the Reptiles of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park".
  6. Junker, K.. (2009). "Post mortem identification of Kalicephalus colubri colubri (Nematoda: Diaphanocephalidae) in a captive Mole snake (''Pseudaspis cana'') in South Africa". Journal of the South African Veterinary Association.
  7. Dyer, B.M.. (June 1996). "Predation by snakes on seabirds at three South African islands (Abstract)". NISC Pty Ltd.
  8. Nalwanga, Dianah. (2004). "The influence of nest-site characteristics on the nesting success of the Karoo Prinia (''Prinia maculosa'')". NISC Pty Ltd.
  9. Skubowius, Bernd. (6 January 2008). "Keeping of the African Mole Snake". Pinesnake.de.
  10. (1998). "Field Guide - Snakes & Other Reptiles of Southern Africa". Branch, William R..
  11. Marais, Johan. (1999). "Snakes and snakebite in Southern Africa". Struik Publishers Pty Ltd.

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snakes-of-africareptiles-of-south-africamonotypic-snake-generareptiles-described-in-1758animal-taxa-named-by-carl-linnaeuspseudaspididae