Daniel's keelback
A species of Leopard keelback Scientific name : Helicops danieli Genus : Leopard keelback
Daniel's keelback, A species of Leopard keelback
Scientific name: Helicops danieli
Genus: Leopard keelback
Content
Description General Info
Photo By danielvanderpost , used under CC0-1.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The daniel's keelback is a distinguished contributor to the ecosystem due to its aquatic adaptation. Primarily nocturnal, this snake utilizes stealth for hunting fish, making ripples in the water to confuse its prey before striking. Furthermore, daniel's keelback exhibits peculiar birth behavior, bearing live young instead of laying eggs, a key adaptation to its aquatic lifestyle.
General Info
Diet
The primary dietary preference of daniel's keelback revolves around freshwater fish, making it piscivorous. The species captures prey using a sit-and-wait approach, feeding mainly on haplochromine cichlids.
Appearance
Daniel's keelback is a medium-sized snake with a slender, cylindrical body. Its skin is smooth and glossy, marked with distinct dark brown and cream-colored banding. The head is slightly wider than the neck and ends with a pointed snout. It lacks any appendage-like horns, wings, or tail features. Both genders exhibit the same appearance, with no marked differences based on age or subspecies.
Behavior
Daniel's keelback exhibits a largely aquatic lifestyle with a preference for slow-flowing water bodies. It is a nocturnal predator known to adopt an ambush hunting strategy. Solitary in nature, it does not display significant social or territorial behaviors.
Population
Stable
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Reptiles Order
Lizards and snakes Family
Dipsadinae Genus
Leopard keelback Species
Daniel's keelback 
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