Amami odd-scaled snake
Squamata / Family: Xenodermatidae
- Total length
- approx. 20-50 cm
- Range
- Amami-Oshima, Edateku-jima, Kakeroma-jima, Tokunoshima, Okinawa Island, and Tokashiki-jima
It mainly feeds on earthworms. Although being a rare sight on Tokunoshima, in the diorama, you can spot one emerging onto the ground.
This snake is mostly black with a yellow underside. Its scales have an iridescent shine when exposed to light. It also has small eyes and a small mouth.
Primarily found in mountain forests, it prefers dark, humid environments such as damp, decaying logs and layers of humus. Rarely seen slithering along the ground, it lays eggs in early summer.
Habitat of This Animal:
B:Forest along the mountain ridge - B2:Deep forest
As time passes from the felling of trees, trees in the forest will grow taller and thicker. Tall trees like Castanopsis, a representative tree of forests in Tokunoshima Island, form the forest canopy. Different layers of plants are formed beneath it, including medium-to-small trees and bottom weeds, and the forest floor becomes gradually darker. Through such a process, the forest will become deeper, supporting the fauna of Tokunoshima Island.
This B2:Deep forest