赤背松柏根

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說明/ 小型無毒蛇類,最長約90 公分,一般常見為60–70 公分,夜行性。吻部短,頭部後方有一道深褐色的人字形斑紋,身體中央有一條橙紅色的條紋從脖子延伸到尾巴。廣泛分布於臺灣全島和蘭嶼,棲息於低海拔山區、農墾地、海岸防風林中,主要以鳥類與蜥蜴的卵為食。在蘭嶼海岸,曾記錄到有吃綠蠵龜蛋的現象。根據自然科學博物館黃文山研究員對蘭嶼赤背松柏根的研究顯示,母蛇有時為防止公蛇爭奪綠蠵龜蛋,會以斷尾搶食方式爭取領域優勢。(李穎松攝)
A small-sized, nocturnal, non-venomous snake that can grow to 90 cm in length, usually about 60-70 cm. The snout is short. There is a dark brown A-shaped marking in the rear part of its head and an orange stripe running from its neck to tail at the center. Commonly distributed across Taiwan and Orchid Island, it inhabits low altitude mountains, cultivated lands, and windbreakers, feeding mainly on the eggs of birds and lizards. There are recorded cases of Formosa Kukri Snakes eating Green Sea Turtle’s eggs along the coasts of Orchid Island. According to the research of Huang Wen-shan, a researcher at the National Museum of Natural Science, the female sometimes breaks off its tail in competition with the male for the eggs of Green Sea Turtles. (Photo courtesy of Li Ying-song)