''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. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. 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 mathematica ...
, 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, habitat refers to the array of resources, 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 manifestation of its ...
s ranging from the edge of forest to cultivated areas and seem to like cooler
temperature
Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...
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 (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...
. 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 reduction entered by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It is mos ...
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
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