Japanese odd-scaled snake; Peters' odd-scaled snake; grey burrowing snake
A small, non-venomous, burrowing snake native to Japan. Scientific name: Achalinus spinalis. The katakana name is the standard common name.
The Japanese odd-scaled snake is nocturnal and mainly eats earthworms.
The presence of the Japanese odd-scaled snake has been confirmed in this area.
Hiragana variant, less common than katakana but still used.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly found in older or formal taxonomic contexts.
Named after the Takachiho region in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, where the species was first discovered. The exact derivation of the name is uncertain.