Herald snake, Red-lipped snake
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, commonly known as the herald snake or the red-lipped snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia can be identified by its olive green or grey body, multiple white speckles, distinctive black head, and red, yellow, white, or black upper lip. It can grow to an average total length (including tail) of 70 cm (28 in), but may reach up to 1 metre (39 inches) in total length.
Endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, the herald snake is present in Zambia, throughout South Africa (except for the Karoo and Northern Cape) as well as Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, southern and central Mozambique, and northern Botswana.
The herald snake favors marshy areas in lowland forest, moist savanna, grasslands, and fynbos.
C. hotamboeia feeds on amphibians (including rain frogs), lizards, and other snakes (only in captivity).
Adult females of C. hotamboeia lay between 6 and 19 eggs in early summer.
