Erpeton
| Erpeton | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Head of Erpeton tentaculatum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Homalopsidae |
| Genus: |
Erpeton Lacépède, 1800 |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Rhinopirus Merrem, 1820 |
|
Rhinopirus Merrem, 1820
Herpeton Wagler, 1830
Homalopsis part. Schlegel, 1837
Erpeton is a genus of water snake of the family Colubridae, which includes a single known species, the tentacled snake, Erpeton tentaculatum, which is native to South-East Asia. They are aquatic and extremely fast in catching their prey, small fish. The snakes accomplish the capture of their prey by cheating on a C-start escape reflex of the fish: after a fish approaches, the snake bends, and makes a quick movement with a measured segment of its body, startling the fish exactly in the direction of snake's head.
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