Elaphe carinata carinata

King Ratsnake

臭 青公

保育等級: 非保育類

無毒

家族
黃頜蛇科 Colubridae
最大體長
240 cm
台灣棲地分布
台灣全島、馬祖及蘭嶼 2000公尺以下中低海拔區域。
世界棲地分布
北越南(紅河)、台灣、南中國(甘肅,廣東,廣西,福建,浙江,安徽,四川,雲南,貴州,河南,河北,湖南,湖北,江西,江蘇,山西,山東,陝西)、日本(琉球群島)。
外觀描述
Large snake; total length up to 240 cm. There are 17-25 (21-25 at mid-body) rows of scales, which are heavily keeled except for those in the first or second rows. Head is elongate, slightly triangular; body is moderately heavy or stout; tail is long. Eye is large; iris is light brown to rusty brown, dappled with very fine flecks of dark brown and pupil is round to vertically oval, jet black, surrounded by ring of golden orange. Tongue is flesh-colored to red, with stem usually red and fork tips dark gray to black. Upper head is olive gray to olive brown, and its dorsal shields are distinct due to black pigment in sutures or along margins. Upper body is olive yellow to olive brown, and most scales are distinct due to black pigment on margins; some individuals are uniforms in color, however, others possess ill-defined cross markings on back or ill-defined bands due to combination of scales with black margins and areas with black skin between scales, and in other areas white skin may show between scales. Posterior half of upper body and all upper tail are more uniform in appearance. Ventral head is white to cream; lower labials are usually well marked with black pigment on anterior margins. Ventral neck is cream white to light gray, and pigmentation of irregular size and shape is progressively greater and more intensive toward mid and posterior part of ventral body while spots on outer quarter or third of the ventrals tend to form broken longitudinal lines. Anal scale is divided and subcaudals are paired. In the young the head may be less distinctly marked than in adults. There is a minimum of black pigment along sutures of head shields and the body scales may lack the black margins so characteristic to adults. Some young individuals have dark cross bands anteriorly along the vertebral line, and one or two light brown longitudinal stripes on sides of body and extending onto tail while the ventrals may have little or no pigment.
生態描述
臭青公在台灣被農民視為重量級的傳奇滅鼠角色。
日、夜皆會出沒的蛇類,喜歡棲息在灌木、林地和農業用地周圍。經常在草原、稻田、甚至是農舍發現其蹤影。主要以補食鼠類、鳥類、鳥蛋或青蛙維生。也曾以蝗蟲、甲蟲、蜥蜴或其他蛇類為食。不過其實臭青公最愛食用的還是蛇。尤其是毒蛇類的蛇,不管是眼鏡蛇、雨傘節、或是龜殼花都是牠的美食。雖然目前的資料無法得知牠是否對這些物種的毒性有完全的免疫力,但是可以肯定牠擁有很高的抵抗力。
在空曠的環境牠的行動非常迅速。當受到侵擾的時候會發起攻擊;有些被人捕捉回家馴養的個體,過了好幾個月仍然是野性十足。臭青公的肛門線極為發達,會發出強烈的惡臭。
學名與俗名
"Elaphe 源自希臘語 elaphos 意思是 "stag(單身)"。 遺憾的是 Leopold Fitzinger (1833) 並沒有留下他命名的原因。 一個可能的原因是,因為臭青公頭頂有著類似鹿角形狀的圖案,與 四線錦蛇 Elaphe quatuorlineata sauromates 的花紋相似,除此之外還有其他類似的種類" (Source)
Carinata 是拉丁文,鋸齒狀的意思;形容蛇鱗。
臭青公又稱王錦蛇、臭青母、臭黃蟒、稜鱗錦蛇。
臭青 公/母 - "當蛇受到侵擾時,會由肛線釋放出強烈的臭味而得名". (Source)
相關連結
翻譯:周信甫