Puff-faced and proven – Masked Water Snake (Homalopsis buccata) in Captivity

Abstract

Herpetoculturists familiar with the family Homalopsidae will inevitably be acquainted with the puff-faced water snake (Homalopsis buccata Linnaeus, 1758). The author acquired an initial specimen of H. buccata in the summer of 2005; however, the broader herpetocultural potential of the species became apparent only after observing a leucistic or hypomelanistic phenotypic variant exhibited by herpetocultural pioneer Philippe de Vosjoli at a reptile exposition. The existence of such colormorphs suggested that this aquatic taxon possessed commercial propagation potential analogous to that of the corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus (Linnaeus, 1766)). Yet, over two decades later, the species remains largely neglected within private aviculture and herpetoculture.