Telescopus

{{Short description|Genus of snakes}} {{Italic title}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = ''Telescopus'' |image = Telescopus semiannulatus.jpg |image_caption = ''T. semiannulatus'' in an acacia, central Tanzania | taxon = Telescopus | authority = Wagler, 1830 | type_species = ''T. fallax'' | type_species_authority = Fleischmann, 1831 | subdivision_ranks = | subdivision = | synonyms = *''Tarbophis'' Fleischmann, 1831 }}

'''''Telescopus''','' the '''Old World catsnakes''', is a genus of 12 species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous snakes in the family Colubridae.

==Geographic range== Species of the genus ''Telescopus'' are found from the Balkans and Pakistan through to southern and western Africa, plus two species in northern Eurasia.

==Description== The genus ''Telescopus'' is characterised by having a slender slightly flattened cylindrical body and attaining a total length (including tail) of between 80–180 cm (about 2.5–6 feet). They have medium-large eyes with vertical pupils, a typical feature of nocturnal reptiles, and have smooth dorsal scales. The dentition of the genus is as follows; typically 10–12 maxillary teeth, with a space before a pair of grooved fangs at the rear of the mouth, approximately level with the eyes. The anterior mandibular teeth are usually longer than the posterior mandibular teeth, perhaps to aid the arboreal species in catching and holding prey whilst in trees. The species are mostly drab, spotted snakes, but include the spectacular tiger snake ''(T. semiannulatus)'', which is orange in color with black saddles along its back.<ref>Boulenger GA (1896). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ), ....'' London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I- XXV. (Genus ''Tarbophis'', p. 47).</ref>

==Habitat and Behaviour== The genus ''Telescopus'' includes both arboreal and terrestrial species, and can be found from sea level up to 2,000 metres (about 6,600 feet) above sea level. They are nocturnal hunting snakes with a distinct head and large eyes.

==Diet== The primary prey species of ''Telescopus'' are small lizards, including geckos, although some members of the genus may occasionally prey on small birds, rodents and amphibians.

==Reproduction== All species in the genus ''Telescopus'' are oviparous, laying clutches of 5–15 eggs.

==Venom== All species in the genus ''Telescopus'' are venomous, with the venom being of a neurotoxic nature; however, they are not considered particularly harmful to man. This is because the opisthoglyphous venom-delivery system is not as efficient as the delivery systems found in Elapidae and Viperidae. However, some members of the genus ''Telescopus'' such as ''T. dhara'' have particularly large venom glands, and the venom toxicity in some species has been compared to that of the ''Acanthophis'' species. For these reasons, it is advisable that all ''Telescopus'' species be handled with caution. It is also important to consider that allergic reactions are possible after a bite, and such reactions would significantly worsen the effects of an envenomation.

==Species== [[File:Beetz's Tiger Snake Telescopus beetzii.jpg|thumb|''Telescopus beetzi'' – Beetz's tiger snake, also known as the Namib tiger snake]]

*''Telescopus beetzi'' (Barbour, 1922) – Beetz's tiger snake, Karoo tiger snake, Namib tiger snake *''Telescopus dhara'' (Forskål, 1775) – Arabian cat snake, large-eyed cat snake, Israeli cat snake *''Telescopus fallax'' (Fleischmann, 1831) – European cat snake, Mediterranean cat snake *''Telescopus finkeldeyi'' Haacke, 2013 – Damara tiger snake *''Telescopus gezirae'' Broadley, 1994 - Blue Nile cat snake *''Telescopus hoogstraali'' K.P. Schmidt & Marx, 1956 *''Telescopus nigriceps'' (Ahl, 1924) - black-headed snake *''Telescopus obtusus'' (Reuss, 1834) – Egyptian cat snake *''Telescopus pulcher'' (Scortecci, 1935) - beautiful cat snake *''Telescopus rhinopoma'' (Blanford, 1874) - Indian desert tiger snake *''Telescopus semiannulatus'' A. Smith, 1849 - common tiger snake, tiger cat snake, western tiger snake, eastern tiger snake *''Telescopus tessellatus'' (Wall, 1908) – Soosan tiger snake *''Telescopus tripolitanus'' (F. Werner, 1908) *''Telescopus variegatus'' (J.T. Reinhardt, 1843) - variable cat snake

''Nota bene'': A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Telescopus''.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Wagler J (1830). ''Natürliches System der Amphibien, mit vorangehender Classification des Säugthiere und Vögel. Ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie.'' Munich, Stuttgart, and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta. vi + 354 pp. + 1 plate. (Genus ''Telescopus'', p. 182). (in German and Latin).

==External links== *Crochet P-A, Rasmussen JB, Wilms T, Geniez P, Trape J-F, Böhme W (2008). "Systematic status and correct nomen of the western North African cat snake: ''Telescopus tripolitanus'' (Werner, 1909) (Serpentes: Colubridae), with comments on the other taxa in the ''dhara-obtusus'' group". ''Zootaxa'' '''1703''': 25-46.[http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/z01703p046f.pdf (Abstract)]

Category:Telescopus Category:Snake genera Category:Taxa named by Johann Georg Wagler Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot