Acrochordus granulatus is a snakespecies found from India through Southeast Asia to the Solomon Islands. It is known as the little file snake, marine file snake,[3] and little wart snake.[4] It is completely aquatic and almost helpless on land. No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]
Description
Acrochordus granulatus is the smallest of the three members of the family Acrochordidae, and is commonly called the "little file snake". Acrochordus granulatus is also the only Acrochord that permanently inhabits estuaries as well as coastal seas, dawning its other common name the "marine file snake".[6] All members of Acrochordus are completely aquatic and nearly helpless on land, with the exception of A. granulatus. The file snake has hygroscopic skin that retards desiccation, allowing it to travel out of water.[7]
As with the other members of the genus, Acrochordus granulatus has uniquely spinose scales with an almost rough texture.[8] Members of Acrochordus also possess specialized tubercles with nerve endings on the skin between their scales which provide an extra sensory organ used to feel water movements of prey.[9]Acrochordus granulatus also have laterally compressed tails, and they can flatten dorsoventrally to assist in swimming.[8]Acrochordus granulatus are the most marine of the Acrochordidae and have specialized sublingual salt glands similar to those found in the true sea snake subfamily Hydrophiinae. Despite this, they are still susceptible to dehydration at sea and rely on freshwater lenses built up on the surface of marine water for freshwater. Members of the true sea snake subfamily Hydrophiinae have been shown to exhibit this same behavior.[10][11] Acrochordus granulatus are sexually divergent, with females being slightly larger than males.[12]
Harold Voris reports field studies revealing a diet of Gobiodei, Eleotridae, Trypauchenidae and small crustaceans in the straits of Malacca. Due to the species' extensive range, the diet likely varies regionally.[13] In captivity they have been known fairly non-preferential to take a variety of fish.[8]
^ abMcDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN1-893777-01-4 (volume).
^Shine, Richard (1991). "Intersexual Dietary Divergence and the Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism in Snakes". The American Naturalist. 138: 103–122. doi:10.1086/285207. S2CID84056277.
Greer, A.E. 2006. Encyclopedia of Australian Reptiles. Australian Museum Online. Accessed 16 August 2007.
Shine, R. 1991. Australian Snakes, a Natural History. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
Smith, M.A. 1943 The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-Region. Reptilia and Amphibia. 3 (Serpentes). Taylor and Francis, London. 583 pp.
Wall, Frank 1921 Ophidia Taprobanica or the Snakes of Ceylon. Colombo Mus. (H. R. Cottle, government printer), Colombo. xxii, 581 pages