User:Wildherp/Drysdalia mastersii

Drysdalia mastersii http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/759/mn021379.jpg&imgrefurl=http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/snakes-found-in-victoria/masters-snake/&usg=__-kIusS7tUd_DBH5O6rDWjnAvWAA=&h=200&w=300&sz=29&hl=en&start=0&sig2=E_K9V1ZO_YsYnImV7WxQwg&tbnid=gX13FvtfuXO1RM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=193&ei=-MRrTKqZBIOUvAPqud3WDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmaster%27s%2Bsnake%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1179%26bih%3D774%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=141&vpy=99&dur=1540&hovh=160&hovw=240&tx=155&ty=98&oei=-MRrTKqZBIOUvAPqud3WDw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0                                                                                                         Introduction Drysdalia mastersii which is also known as the Master's Snake is a small snake species that belongs to the family Drysdalia which has three species in the genus including the Master's Snake. It is a species of Elapid found in in the semi-arid areas of southern Australia where it is associated in Mallee and heath vegetation communities. The genus Drysdalia is a group of Elapids that are not dangerous to humans. Their diet consists of skinks so their venomous is designed to kill lizards. This species of snake is not a well known snake in Australia but nevertheless it certainly is a beautiful snake species. Description The Master's Snake has a dorsum colour range from a greyish brown with scales tinged with red, to a slate grey to a rather dark grey colour.Specimens from WA appear to have a darker colouration than the south-eastern specimens. It has the a dark coloured head with a whitish yellow, yellow or a orange broken stripe on its neck. It also has a white stripe that runs along the upper lip. On the central part of the ventrals it is a orange colour which in juveniles it is a reddish colour. It is distinguished from the White-lipped snake by having the broken stripe on neck. It is distinguished from the Crowned snake ( Elapognathus coronatus ) by it's truncated like snout it has.The Master's Snake is also smaller than the White-lipped Snake getting to a length of 33 cm long. The Mustard-bellied Snake ( Drysdalia rhodogaster by having a broken stripe on neck and a white conspicuous stripe on its upper lip. 15 mid-body scale rows a single anal scale and 34-43 subcaudal scales that are single.                                                                                                     Distribution and Habitat From Esperance region WA, through southern SA and the Big Desert area Vic. It's habitat consists of sandy areas that support heath, mallee/spinifex associations which habitat is throughout the mallee areas of australia. It also occurs in coastal dunes and limestone habitat which is throughout mostly WA.                                                                                                                 Biology Is a diurnal snake species that feeds on lizards and possibly its eggs. It has a secretive lifestyle as it shelters under fallen vegetation. It may bask in the early morning among spinifex and other communities of vegetation and then once it has thermoregulated it will forage for lizards. It is possible that may be a ambush predator by waiting under fallen vegetation for a lizard to come by. It is a live-bearer ( viviparous ) that gives birth from 2-3 young. A captive neonate measure at 115 mm long so wild specimens would be roughly around that size. The toxicity of the venom would not harm us humans but it may be possible that some people may have a reaction to the venom so always treat this snake with care.