Dasypeltis

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Serpentes
Infraordo: Caenophidia
Superfamilia: Colubroidea

Familia: Colubridae
Subfamilia: Colubrinae
Genus: Dasypeltis
Species (17): D. abyssina – D. arabica – D. atra – D. bazi – D. confusa – D. congolensis – D. crucifera – D. fasciata – D. gansi – D. inornata – D. latericia – D. medici – D. palmarum – D. parascabra – D. sahelensis – D. scabra – D. taylori
Name

Dasypeltis Wagler, 1830: 178 [conserved name]

Type species: Coluber scaber Linnaeus, 1758, by monotypy.
Gender: masculine.
Placed on the Official List of Generic Names in Zoology by Opinion 387 (1956: 243).

Synonyms

Anodon Smith, 1829: 143 [suppressed by Opinion 387 (1956: 243)]
Type species: Anodon typus Smith, 1829, by monotypy.
Placed on the Official Index of Rejected and Invalid Specific Names in Zoology by Opinion 387 (1956: 243).
Rachiodon Jourdan, 1834: 214 [substitute name for Anodon Smith, 1829]
Deirodon Owen, 1841: 220 [substitute name for Anodon Smith, 1829]

References
Primary references

Wagler, J.G. 1830. Natürliches System der Amphibien, mit vorangehender Classification der Säugetiere und Vögel. Ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie.. J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung: München, Stuttgart, & Tübingen. 354 pp. BHL Reference page.
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 1956. Opinion 387. Suppression under the Plenary Powers of the generic name Anodon Smith, 1829, for the purpose of validating the generic name Dasypeltis Wagler, 1830, for the African Egg-eating Snake (Class Reptilia) . pp. 241–250 In Hemming, F. (ed.). Opinions and declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature Volume 12, part 8. International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature: London. 452 pp. BHL Reference page.

Additional references

Saleh, M. & Sarhan, M. 2016. The egg-eating snake (Colubridae: Dasypeltis) of Faiyum, Egypt, with the description of a new species. Bulletin de la Société Herpétologique de France 160: 25–48. Reference page.
Bates, M.F. & Broadley, D.G.† 2018. A revision of the egg-eating snakes of the genus Dasypeltis Wagler (Squamata: Colubridae: Boigini) in north-eastern Africa and south-western Arabia, with descriptions of three new species. Indago 34(1): 1–95. ISBN 978-1-86847-176-8 Reference page.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2021. Dasypeltis . The Reptile Database. Accessed on 30 June 2021.

Vernacular names
Akan: Pampansrada
беларуская: Змеі-яйцаеды
Deutsch: Afrikanische Eierschlangen
English: African Egg-eating Snakes
日本語: タマゴヘビ属

Dasypeltis is a genus of colubrid snakes. It is one of only two taxonomic groups of snakes known to have adapted to feed exclusively on eggs (the other being the genus Elachistodon). Dasypeltis are non-venomous and found throughout the continent of Africa, primarily in forested or wooded habitats that are also home to numerous species of birds.

Species and subspecies

Dasypeltis has 17 recognized species, two of which have recognized subspecies:[1]

Dasypeltis abyssina (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
Dasypeltis arabica Bates & Broadley, 2018 - Arabian egg-eating snake
Dasypeltis atra Sternfeld, 1912 - montane egg-eating snake
Dasypeltis bazi Saleh & Sarhan, 2016
Dasypeltis confusa J. Trape & Mané, 2006
Dasypeltis congolensis Trape, Mediannikov, Chirio, & Chirio, 2021
Dasypeltis crucifera Bates & Broadley, 2018 - cross-marked egg-eating snake
Dasypeltis fasciata A. Smith, 1849 - Central African egg eating snake
Dasypeltis gansi J. Trape & Mané, 2006
Dasypeltis inornata A. Smith, 1849 - southern brown egg-eating snake
Dasypeltis latericia J. Trape & Mané, 2006
Dasypeltis medici (Bianconi, 1859) - East African egg-eating snake
Dasypeltis medici lamuensis Gans, 1957
Dasypeltis medici medici (Bianconi, 1859)
Dasypeltis palmarum (Leach, 1818)
Dasypeltis parascabra S. Trape, Mediannikov & J. Trape, 2012
Dasypeltis sahelensis J. Trape & Mané, 2006
Dasypeltis scabra (Linnaeus, 1758) - common or rhombic egg-eating snake
Dasypeltis scabra loveridgei Mertens, 1954
Dasypeltis scabra scabra (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dasypeltis taylori Bates & Broadley, 2018

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Dasypeltis.
Common egg-eating snake, Dasypeltis scabra, with an egg in its throat.
Etymology

The specific name, gansi, is in honor of American herpetologist Carl Gans (1923–2009).[2]
Description

The species of the genus Dasypeltis exhibit a wide variation in patterning and color, from mixtures of browns and greens, to solid black. Individuals in a specific locality tend to share similar color and pattern. They vary in size greatly, from 30–100 cm (12–39.5 in) in total length (including tail).
Behavior

Dasypeltis species tend to have a nervous disposition, and when threatened will perform what is called saw-scaling, where it will rub its scales together quickly to make a rasping noise that sounds vaguely like hissing. They are agile climbers, and have a keen sense of smell to tell whether an egg is rotten or too far developed to be comfortable to eat. They have extremely flexible jaws and necks for eating eggs much larger than their head, and have no teeth, but they do have bony protrusions on the inside edge of their spine which are used to aid in breaking the shells of eggs.

The process of consuming an egg involves wrapping their mouth around it and drawing it into the throat and then flexing their muscles pushing the egg into the bony protrusions on their spine, which causes the egg to collapse in on itself. Then the snake carefully squeezes every last bit of liquid out of the inside of the egg, ending with regurgitation of the completely crushed egg shell. They are remarkably efficient, and waste very little of the contents of an egg.
Gallery

A sequence of a montane egg-eating snake, Dasypeltis atra, consuming a quail egg: grasping egg, swallowing egg, breaking egg and ingesting contents, regurgitating shell.

In captivity

Dasypeltis species are readily available in the exotic pet trade, but due to their unique dietary needs they can be a challenge to keep in captivity. Most egg-eating snakes never get large enough to consume typical chicken eggs, so smaller ones must be provided, such as finch or quail eggs. Once a reliable source(s) of food is obtained, Dasypeltis make easy and hardy vivarium species. Captive breeding is virtually unknown, so almost all specimens available are wild caught.

Many owners have resorted to force-feeding their Dasypeltis because the animal seems not to be eating. However, evidence has shown that, like large constrictors, these snakes may go for very long periods (months) without eating after a large meal. As long as the snake is behaving normally and does not appear to be in physical distress, force-feeding is not advised. When a specimen seems to be "off" its food, offering it eggs approximately monthly is appropriate. If the snake does not eat but continues to drink, is active, and sheds, then it does not need to be force-fed.
References

"Dasypeltis ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Dasypeltis gansi, p. 97).