An Observation on Fish Predation by Ornate Flying Snake, Chrysopelea ornata Shaw 1802 (Serpentes: Colubridae), from Southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India

Gnanaselvan Melvinselvan, Das Nibedita

Abstract


We firstly describe the fish feeding behavior by a Chrysopelea ornata Shaw, 1802. This species is diurnal and predominantly arboreal, seldom found on the ground. According to literature and published data, their diet mainly comprises of small lizards, geckos and frogs; small birds and bats are also reported to be consumed. The specimen described here was recorded constricting a freshly caught fish [unidentified; presumably a species of barb, Pethia sp. (Actinopterygii: Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)] on a Millettia pinnata (Fabales: Fabaceae) plant overhanging a stream near Sothuparai Dam (10°08’50’’ N 77°32’36’’ E, elevation 282 m a.s.l.), foothills, eastern slopes of Southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, Southern India. The specimen differs from the typical Western Ghat specimens by lacking prominent red or orange vertebral spots or rectangles which lie between the alternate pair of black cross bars.

Keywords


Chrysopelea ornata; Colubridae; flying snake; India; piscivours; Western Ghats

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2016-23-4-311-314

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