Above and below : 18 cm juvenile from an
elevation of 1280 metres, Southern Highlands Province, PNG.
Above : 40 cm adult found at an altitude of
1200 metres in the Kutubu area, Southern Highlands Province, PNG. |
Muller's Crowned Snake is
an elusive, terrestrial, forest species inhabiting altitudes of up to 1500
metres.
The two specimens in these images were discovered in cleared areas adjacent
to dense,
primary forests on limestone karst at altitudes of 1200 to 1280 metres in the
Kutubu area of Southern Highlands Province. Though venomous, the species
appears to be of quiet temperament, and appears to be diurnal.
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Typical adult head and neck
patterning. |
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Though colouration can be
quite variable, the colours and patterning of the head and neck region
illustrated here are quite typical.
The species is widely distributed throughout mainland
PNG and the Bismarck Archipelago. Its range extends to the western half of
New Guinea (i.e. Papua, formerly Irian Jaya) and nearby islands. Family :
ELAPIDAE
Species : Aspidomorphus muelleri
Maximum Size : 66 cm
References : H6 |
