王锦蛇Elaphe carinata
地方名：菜花蛇、菜花蟒、大王蛇
形态特征：体型较大，成体全长1200～2400mm。幼体与成体色斑差异较大，幼体时背面浅黄褐色，有四道红褐色纵纹自颈后延伸至尾末，体背正中具若干红褐或深褐色短横纹，体中后段较不明显。成体体背黑色、褐色、黄色混杂斑驳，乃由于多数鳞片中央色黄而边缘色黑所致，黑色往往缀连呈短横斑或网纹，腹面前段色黄，后段灰青色，通体密布黑色点斑。头背鳞沟色黑，呈“王”纹，故名王蛇。上唇鳞多为8枚，呈3-2-3式，下唇鳞10枚或11枚，背鳞多为23-23-19行，除两侧最外各1～2行外，全具强棱。腹鳞206～228枚，尾下鳞65～103对，肛鳞二分。
生活习性：生活于平原、丘陵和山区，性情活泼，行动敏捷，是一种行动迅速而凶猛的无毒蛇。善于上树，昼夜活动，常在山地灌丛，田野沟边，山谷溪旁以及丘陵地带的灌草丛中觅食。以蛙类、蜥蜴、蛇类、鸟类及爬行动物卵和鸟卵为食。卵生，5—7月产卵，每产7～14枚。
地理分布：国内见于北京、天津、河北、山东、河南、陕西、甘肃、贵州、湖北、安徽、江苏、浙江、江西、湖南、福建、广东、广西、云南、四川、重庆、贵州。国外分布于越南北部。
环渤海地区分布：除辽宁未见报道外，均有分布。
生存现状：濒危（EN）。
注：王锦蛇与那国亚种E.carinata yonaguniensis分布于日本琉球群岛。
48.Elaphe carinata carinata
Description Adults up to1，200-2，400mm TOL， body size is relatively large.There are great difference between juvenile's and adult's spots； juvenile's dorsum is light yellowish brown， with four reddish-brown ventral stripes extending from the back of the neck to the tail end， with a number of reddish brown or dark brown short lateral stripes； sparse black，brown and yellow spots on the adult's dorsum； the center of scales are yellow， with black rim； black color is connected together with short lateral stripes or grid lines； the front part of the ventral is yellow， rear part is greyish blue； body is covered with black spots； scales groove on the back of the head are black， in “王” pattern， so being named “King”snake； 8 supralabials are arranged in 3-2-3 rows and 10 or 11 infralabials； dorsal scales are mostly arranged in 23-23-19 rows； 65-103 pairs of subcaudals； 2 anal plates on the anus.
Behaviour Elaphe carinata carinata live in plains, hills and mountains.Their characters are more lively and quick-moving.It is a fast-moving and fierce non-venomous snake.They are good at climbing trees, staying up late, and often grazing in the mountain shrubs,the fields, the valley creeks, and the shrubs in the hills.They feed on frogs, lizards, snakes,birds, reptile eggs and bird eggs.They are oviparous and lay eggs in May to July each year,and produce 7-14 eggs at a time.
Distribution China: in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu,Guizhou, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi,Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou.At abroad: in northern Vietnam.Distribution around Bahai Sea: in Bohai Sea except Liaoning Province.
Conservation Endangered (EN).
