Japanese rat snake

Japanese rat snake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Elaphe
Species:
E. climacophora
Binomial name
Elaphe climacophora
(Boie, 1826)
Japanese rat snake
Japanese rat snakes crawls into a pipe

The Japanese rat snake (Elaphe climacophora) is a medium-sized colubrid snake found throughout the Japanese archipelago (except the far South West) as well as on the Russian-administered Kunashir Island.[1] In Japanese it is known as the aodaishō[2] or "blue general". It is non-venomous. It is hunted by eagles and tanukis.

The snakes hibernate for three to four months, mate in spring and lay 7–20 eggs in early summer.

  1. ^ a b Kidera, N.; Ota, H. (2017). "Elaphe climacophora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T47755764A47755773. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T47755764A47755773.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference RDB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).