PRP : 12-07-25

Cantoria violacea, in Thai : งูปากกวางลาย ( Ngu Pak Kwang Lai) is a species of water snake belonging to the Homalopsidae family. These snakes are commonly known as Cantor's water snakes.

This family of snakes is commonly referred to as mud snakes or water snakes. They are primarily nocturnal and are found in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments in South and Southeast Asia.

Cantor's water snakes are typically found in mangrove areas and other coastal wetlands and are known to feed on snapping shrimps. They are typically dark in color (black or dark violet) with thinner white or yellow bands, though the bands fade with age.

They have a small head that is barely discernible from the neck, and are the longest and most slender of the water snakes with a maximum grow of 1m in length.

Some individuals can exhibit dark grey, light grey, and white blocthing on the lower half of the body when mature. Their tails are pointed and taper to the end. The pattern of their skin can resemble some sea snakes, but they lack the paddle-shaped tail of their venomous relatives.

Physically its body is slender and cylindrical, with a relatively small head barely discernible from the neck. It's coloration is typically yellow with thick black or brown saddle blotches, some individuals may have the rear half of their body almost entirely black.

Cantor's water snakes inhabit mangrove areas and are well-adapted to life in muddy, wet environments. 

They are occasionally found in forests and even freshwater areas. Their diet primarily consists of snapping shrimps (Alpheus species), but they have also been observed eating crabs.

 This species is mildly venomous.

Phylum : Chordata

Class  : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Cantoria

Girard, 1858

Species : C. violacea

Binomial name Cantoria violacea

Girard, 1857

Kranji : 06-03-25

Enhydris is a genus of slightly venomous, rear-fanged snakes in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is endemic to the tropical area of Indo-Australian region.

The Indo-Australian region includes the Indo-Australian plate, the Malay Archipelago, and the surrounding waters.

The Australian plate includes Australia, Tasmania, parts of New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Indian Ocean basin. The Malay Archipelago an archipelago of over 25,000 islands and islets between mainland Southeast Asia and Australia also known as Insulindia or the Indo-Australian Archipelago Includes Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.

The rainbow water snake (Enhydris enhydris) In Thai: งูสายรุ้ง, ngu sai rung is a species of rear fanged mildly venomous colubrid snake endemic to Asia.

This species found here is approx 25cm from snout to tail end. Tho mildly venomous, the intensity of venom effects may depend on the duration of its bites and in each individual body immunity. Hence, it should be handled carefully if needed.

Geographic range of E. enhydris is found in southeastern China, Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Sumatra, We), Bangladesh, Cambodia, central and eastern India, Laos, Malaysia (Malaya and East Malaysia, Borneo, Pulau Tioman), Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Pulau Bangka, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

In Singapore E. enhydris probably is an introduced species where it was possibly imported with ornamental plants. Enhydris enhydris (Rainbow Water Snake) inhabits freshwater habitats including marshlands, rural ponds, rice paddies and brackish water bodies. It is also found occasionally in terrestrial habitats.

The rainbow water snake (Enhydris enhydris) eats mainly fish, but also amphibians and other small vertebrates. They are carnivorous and are known for their specialized diet of eels.

This snake is easily identified by the two pale stripes running down the full length of the body and tail on either side of the vertebral line which converge these two stripes on the crown.

The body is medium brown to greenish brown, and the head and neck is generally more olive coloured than the body. The belly is pale, with a thin brown line running down the middle.

The head is much narrower than the thickset body, and is quite flattened. The snout is squarish. The eyes are small and located towards the top of the head, and the valvular nostrils are positioned above the snout. 

The tail is relatively short and tapers quickly.

In the adulthood, this species the whole body length (WBL) of gravid female reaches a maximum WBL of 86 cm or even 97.2 cm recorded in Nepal.

My personal perspective, the shape and stripes along the head and the eye of this species E. enhydris do somehow resembles a turtle head.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Enhydris

Species : E. enhydris

Binomial name : Enhydris enhydris

(Schneider, 1799)

Synonyms :

Hydrus enhydris Schneider, 1799

Homalopsis enhydris

Cantor, 1847

Hypsirhina enhydris

A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron &

A.H.A. Duméril, 1854

Enhydris enhydris

Barbour, 1912

Pasir ris mangrove : 07-01-25

Gerarda prevostiana, commonly known as the cat-eyed water snake, Gerard's water snake, and the glossy marsh snake, is a species of snake in the family Homalopsidae. (In Thai: งูปลาตาเล็ก, ngu plaa dta laek)

This friend here capture in photo had a total length of 39cm which there's still way to grow. The Maximum length of this species can reach to 58cm.

The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 30 genera and more than 50 species.

They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as ular air (lit. "water snake") in Indonesian. They are typically stout-bodied water snakes, and all are mildly venomous.

Gerarda prevostiana is terrestrial and nocturnal and is ovoviviparous. It is the only species in the genus Gerarda and is endemic to Asia.

The specific name, prevostiana, is in honor of French naturalist and illustrator Florent Prévost.

Gerarda prevostiana feeds almost exclusively on crabs, which it tears into bite-sized pieces by pulling them through its coils, in contrast to most other snakes which swallow their prey whole.

Gerarda prevostiana has the following scalation. The frontal is a little longer than broad, shorter than its distance from the end of the snout, or than the parietals. The loreal is slightly longer than deep, a little smaller than the nasal. There is one preocular and there are two postoculars.

The temporals are arranged 1+2. There are eight upper labials, the fourth entering the eye. Four of the lower labials are in contact with the anterior chin shields. The anterior chin shields are much larger than the posterior chin shields. The dorsal scales are in 17 rows at midbody.

The ventrals number 146–158. The anal is divided. The subcaudals number 31–34. The body is uniform dark olive above, with three outer rows of scales whitish.

The upper lip is white, and the rostral is dark olive. The ventrals and subcaudals are whitish with dark edges. The head is barely distinct from the body, and the small eyes are located towards the top of the head.

The maximum length of G. prevostiana is 58cm, it is found in coastal areas between western India (Mumbai) to eastern Philippines, it occurs in India (including the Andaman Islands) Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Peninsular, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia (Borneo: Sarawak), and the Philippines (Luzon).

The preferred natural habitat of G. prevostiana is coastal areas, especially those with mangrove forest.

This secretive snake has adapted to unique microhabitats, including the burrows inside the excavation mounds created by mud lobsters.

(Gerarda prevostiana) the Gerard's water snake and (Fordonia leucobalia) the Crab-eating water snake are both closely related mangrove-dwelling snakes that eat crustaceans and are part of the Homalopsidae family.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Gerarda

Gray, 1849

Species : G. prevostiana

Binomial name Gerarda prevostiana

(Eydoux & Gervais, 1837)

Synonyms :

Coluber prevostianus

Eydoux & Gervais, 1837

Gerarda bicolor

Gray, 1849

Campylodon prevostianum

A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1854

Heleophis flavescens

F. Müller, 1884

Gerardia [sic] prevostiana

Boulenger, 1890

Gerarda prevostiana

Manthey & Grossmann, 1997

T7 : 29-11-24

Boiga is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus Boiga are oviparous and are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due to their extremely hardy nature and adaptability, have spread to many other suitable habitats around the world.

There are 38 recognized species in the genus. According to the study done by Jiří Smíd regarding Old World cat snakes, the ancestor of the cat snake originated in Africa, from where it diversified and expanded to other countries. Despite this diversity however, the different species have very similar needs in terms of temperature and precipitation.

The toxicity of Boiga venom varies from species to species, but is not generally considered to be life-threatening to humans. Since their venom does not usually harm humans, they are popular exotic pets. Boiga melanota, the western mangrove cat snake is one of the biggest cat snake species in Asia. It is found in Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (Sumatra).

B.melanota is shiny bluish black in colour, marked with 40-50 yellow stripes. The mouth and throat area are yellow, whereas the ventral part of the body is yellowish black. The eyes are greyish in colour, it is a species of mildly venomous snake. 

An adult mangrove snake can reach a length of 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in). It is active at night (nocturnal) and hunts for birds, rats and birds eggs as its main diet.

Its large head and mouth enables it to swallows its prey easily. Recently reclassed from within the Dendrophila family, they share some physical traits such as similar colouring and being rear-fanged. 

Due to their largely arboreal nature B.melanota the mangrove cat snakes is Nocturnal, arboreal and are generally found in forested areas, often close to some water source. They have also been observed hanging from branches over water possibly hunting for fish or amphibians. During the day they normally rest high up in trees.

The main difference between Boiga dendrophila and Boiga melanota is that the bands on the back of Boiga dendrophila meet, while the bands on Boiga melanota do not.

Boiga dendrophila the gold-ringed cat snake or mangrove snake, this rear-fanged colubrid has a shiny black body with 40–50 narrow yellow bands that meet over the back. The scales on the throat and lips are bright yellow with black edges, whereas Boiga melanota the western mangrove cat snake, this rear-fanged snake is shiny bluish black with 40–50 yellow stripes that do not meet over the back. The mouth and throat area are yellow, and the ventral part of the body is yellowish black.

Common names :

Western mangrove cat snake

Banded mangrove cat snake

Thai :

งูปล้องทอง, ngu plong thong

งูตามธาร, ngu tam than

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Boiga

Species : B. melanota

Binomial name Boiga melanota

(Boulenger, 1896)

Pasir ris mangrove 23-10-24

Fordonia is a genus of aquatic snakes in the family Homalopsidae. The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 30 genera and more than 50 species.

They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as ular air (lit. "water snake") in Indonesian, typically stout-bodied water snakes, and all are mildly venomous.

Two monotypic genera are notable for their unusual morphology: Erpeton possesses a pair of short, fleshy appendages protruding from the front of the snout, and Bitia has uniquely enlarged palatine teeth. Cerberus species have been noted to use sidewinding to cross slick mud flats during low tide.

Fordonia and Gerarda are the only snakes known to tear their prey apart before eating it, pulling soft-shelled crabs through their coils to rip them apart prior to ingestion.

Fordonia is the only species in the monotypic genus of aquatic snake. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Fordonia leucobalia, commonly known as crab-eating water snake, white belly water snake and white-bellied mangrove snake.

The Nocturnal and semi-aquatic, ovo-viviparous snake Fordonia leucobalia is a common resident of mangrove swamps and tropical tidal wetlands from Southeast Asia to the coasts of Northern Australia.

F. leucobalia, body stout, thick, robust and covered with subequal smooth scales. Color and patterns variable according to geographical range. A strong, cylindrical body with head indistinct from neck. In south and southeast Asia it is a dull grey to black with some black spotting. Head short, slightly depressed and not broader than neck, snout obtusely rounded. Small eyes with vertically elliptical pupil.

Nostrils and eyes at the upper level of head which are dorso-lateral (more lateral). and the nostrils have valves that close when the snake dives. Top of the head either similar to ground dorsal color or darker. Upper lip whitish but in linear manner and usually more on posterior lips.

Belly yellowish-white which extends up to 3 dorsal rows. Rather short and thick tail ends with pointed tip. Males have slightly longer and more compressed tail with dorsal hump from 4th to 26th subcaudal while in females tail gradually tapers to a point. Color and patterns of both upper and lower side similar to rest of body. Subcaudal scales usually paired.

This above capture juvenile species Fordonia leucobalia measures at 17 inch/44cm from head to tail. Individual F. leucobalia reach up to a meter in length and are brown or gray in color with a white belly. There is significant color variation and some have spots.

The anatomy reflects the snake's water-living lifestyle: the eyes are located atop the head, and the nostrils have valves that close when the snake dives. This species is found in mangrove mudflats. During the day it hides in burrows in the intertidal region, often around mud lobster mounds.

The Crab-eating Water Snake is one of just 4-5 snakes in the world that are known to dismember their prey rather than swallowing them whole. F. leucobalia do preys on small fish, primarily on crabs, though it will also eat other crustaceans such as mud lobsters and shrimp.

Crab-eating Water Snakes will attack a crab by striking with its mouth closed to pin the crab to the ground with its chin and then wrapping its body around it, potentially injecting it with venom from its rear fangs. The especially strong head and robust fangs of the snake allow it to control a hard-shelled crustacean whereas the vast majority of snakes prefer softer prey.

When the crab’s movements have slowed, the snake will press the crab into the sand with its body while it pulls the legs off with its mouth and swallows them one at a time. The body may be left behind, or swallowed if it is small enough. Crab-eating Water Snakes sometimes use a similar technique to eat large mud lobsters, pulling off the tail and leaving the body behind.

The Crab-eating Water Snake is rear-fanged mildly venomous, behavior usually non-offensive but bites on mishandling which causes mild swelling sometimes, and is not a threat to humans, it had the ability to mimic play dead.

In Thai:

งูปลาหัวเทา, ngu plaa hua thao

งูกินเปี้ยว, ngu gin pieow

Phylum : Chordat

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Fordonia

Gray, 1836

Species : F. leucobalia

Binomial name Fordonia leucobalia

(Schlegel, 1837)

T7 : 13-10-24

The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 30 genera and more than 50 species.

They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as ular air (lit. "water snake") in Indonesian.

Phytolopsis is a genus of snakes belonging to the family Homalopsidae. The species of this genus are found in Southeastern Asia. Distribution from West Malaysia, Sarawak, Singapore, Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Kalimantan / Borneo, Sumatra) and Brunei Darussalam.

Phytolopsis punctata is an ovovivparous species of mud snake in the genus Phytolopsis, a species of snakes belonging to the family Homalopsidae. P. punctata is dark brown to greyish black in colour, it has patterned with thin broken bright yellow bands on the anterior part of the body.

They are typically stout-bodied water snakes, and all are mildly venomous. P. punctata common names are  Blackwater Mud Snake, or Spotted Water Snake, is a secretive species which inhabits muddy or silty streams and shallow ponds in lowland, freshwater swamp forest or peat swamp habitat.

There is round yellow spot in between the eyes, and numerous small yellow spots throughout the rest of the body and tail. The belly is bright yellow and the dorso reflects iridescent when lights is shine on it.

The head is slightly flattened and had the same width as the body, the body is cylindrical in cross-section and the tail is short tapers. The eyes are small and are situated on top of the head, as are the nostrils, and both features are typical of well-adapted, aquatic snakes.

It was found for the first time in Singapore in year 2014 in an area of freshwater swamp forest (Thomas et al, 2014). The wide geographical range of this species may conceal a complex of similar looking species. 

The major threats to this species are unknown.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Subclass : Lepidosauria

Order : Squamata

Subordinate : Snakes

Infra-order : Alethinophidia

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Phytolopsis

Gray 1849

Species : Phytolopsis punctata

Gray , 1849

Synonyms :

• Enhydris punctata (Gray, 1849)

• Eurostus heteraspis Bleeker, 1859

• Pythonopsis borneensis Peters, 1871

• Hypsirhina hageni Lidth de Jeude, 1890

Picture

Sedim forest 22-25-08-24

Boiga nigriceps (black-headed cat snake) is a species of colubrid snake from South-East Asia. They are large snakes; adults may attain a total length of 1.75 m (5+1⁄2 ft) B. nigricepsIt gets its name from the greenish to blackish coloration of its head. Neonates and juveniles do not exhibit this dark color on the head until adulthood.

The body color ranges greatly from brown, orange, red, and even black. The ventral region of the snake is yellowish below the neck and white for the rest. This species can be found in Indonesia, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand.

The black-headed cat snake is arboreal, frequently comes down to the ground in search of prey. They occupy lowland and mid-elevation tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. Black Headed Cat Snakes are largely arboreal and have long thin necks with exceptionally long thin tails. Head can flatten slightly when defensive appearing similar to vipers, light pink belly and an oval shaped body.

​As a technically rear fanged snake they are mildly venomous but there are no known cases of serious envenomation. ​This snake is rear-fanged with mild venom. Its bite may cause significant pain and swelling but is not likely to be dangerous or life-threatening.

Little is known about the black-headed cat snake's venom toxicity on humans, but it is thought to be comparable to the severity of a copperhead.

This rear fanged colubrid's bite rarely results in adverse effects due to its poor venom delivery system. Luckily their fangs' positioning doesn't result in any significant envenomation.

Symptoms tend to stay localized to the envenomation site, limiting the victim to minor pain. The black-headed cat snake feeds on lizards, frogs, birds, small mammals and other snakes in the wild.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptili

Orderv: Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genusv: Boiga

Species : B. nigriceps

Binomial name Boiga nigriceps

(Günther, 1863)

Sedim forest 22-25-08-24

Boiga is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae.

Snakes of the genus Boiga are primarily arboreal, nocturnal snakes. Species of the genus Boiga are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due to their extremely hardy nature and adaptability it have spread to many other suitable habitats around the world.

There are 38 recognized species in the genus. According to the study done by Jiří Smíd regarding Old World cat snakes. The ancestor of the cat snake originated in Africa, from where it diversified and expanded to other countries.

Despite this diversity however, the different species have very similar needs in terms of temperature and precipitation. Cat snakes are long-bodied snakes with large heads and large eyes. They vary greatly in pattern and color. Many species have banding, but some are spotted and some are solid-colored. Colors are normally black, brown, or green with white or yellow accents.

Boiga drapiezii (In Thai: งูดงคา, ngu dong ka) commonly known as Drapiez's cat snake and the white-spotted cat snake, is a species of long and slender rear-fanged mildly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is not known to be aggressive.

This species is one of the most slender of all Cat Snakes (Boiga spp.) with a laterally compressed body. The width of the bulbous head is two to three times that of the neck. The eyes are large, with vertical pupils. 

The species is native to Maritime Southeast Asia and is common throughout its range. The White-spotted Cat Snake, B. drapiezii is oviparous. There are two known phases of B. drapiezii. The green phase has a marbled green body with a more robust head and width.

The brown phase is much more slender with orange brown triangle-like bands across the body. The white-spotted cat snake is nocturnal and arboreal. It can often be found moving about on the forest floor in search of prey and travel. It is found in tropical rainforest, sometimes on branches near streams.

Boiga drapiezii, the white-spotted cat snake diet consists of small species of frogs, geckos, and other small lizards as well as insects, birds, and bird eggs.

The toxicity of Boiga venom varies from species to species, but is not generally considered to be life-threatening to humans. Since their venom does not usually harm humans, they are popular exotic pets.

Geographic range of this species occurs in Borneo, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, the southern Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Sumatra and Java.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Boiga

Species : B. drapiezii

Binomial name Boiga drapiezii

(F. Boie, 1827)

Cerberus rynchops, also known as the New Guinea bockadam, South Asian bockadam, bockadam snake, or dog-faced water snake, is a mildly venomous species of a snake in the family Homalopsidae. The generic name, Cerberus, refers to the dog-like Greek mythological creature Cerberus. It is native to coastal waters of South and Southeast Asia.

The species was re-delimited in 2012, allocating populations east and south of the west coast of Thailand to other species. The dorsal colour of C. rynchops is greyish brown, and the ventral surface brown with white patches or cream-coloured and mottled. There is a black line from the eye to the neck, and its eyes are located on top of the head, allowing it to maintain vision when half-submerged in the mud.

The species has other physical and behavioural adaptations to its ecological niche, such as nostrils which can be closed by a valve-like structure to exclude water, salt-secreting glands, and the ability to efficiently 'sidewind' across slippery mudflats.

The dog-faced water snake is commonly found in mangroves, mudflats, streams, ponds, tidal pools, on algae patches, and has even been found burrowing into the mud.

It is rear-fanged and is mildly venomous. An aquatic and nocturnal snake, it feeds mainly on fish and is known to consume eels.

Based on the experiment done by Alcock and Rogers (1902), the venom fluid from an adult snake is able to kill small mammals in full dosage.

A new group of snake venom proteins was also identified from this species and more research on the function of the snake venom is still ongoing

​(OmPraba et al., 2010).

In captivity, it is observed to move in a sidewinding direction on land. In the BBC series 'Life in Cold Blood' it was filmed adapting this sidewinding technique to jump across a mudflat in Singapore, up until then, no snakes were considered able to truly jump. It also has a prehensile tail that would suggest it could climb mangrove trees. It is now known to give birth to live young, numbering from 8 to 30, either in water or on land. It is a quite docile, mild-tempered and a hardy snake, in recent years it has become a welcome addition to snake hobbyists in the Philippines and it also owes its popularity to its bright yellow to orange belly coloring, mostly of females.

In the Philippines, particularly in the Central Visayas area, this snake is commonly known as the "tangkig". The visibility of upper jaw, giving it a dog-like appearance. Head long and distinct from neck. Eyes small and beady, with rounded pupils. Dorsum dark gray, with faint dark blotches and a dark line along the sides of the head, across the eyes. Center cream with two distinct rows of large, diffuse dark gray spots.

Scales are distinctly keeled. Midbody scale rows 21–25. Ventrals 132–160. Subcaudals 49–72. The snake's skin are also collected for used in the leather trade for ornamental purposes (Murphy, 2007).

This is a saltwater-tolerant species found in India (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and northwestern Malaysia. The eastern limit of

its distribution with Cerberus schneiderii is uncertain.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Cerberus

Species : C. rynchops

Binomial name :Cerberus rynchops

(Schneider, 1799)

OUTR : 06-12-24

Ahaetulla mycterizans (In Thai: งูเขียวหัวจิ้งจกมลายู (ngu khiaow hua jingjok malayu) common names include Big-eye Green Whip Snake, the Malayan green whipsnake or Malayan vine snake, is a slender arboreal snake found in Western Peninsular Malaysia, Java and Sumatra of Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and possibly Laos up to elevation of 350 m.

The Malayan green whipsnake is diurnal and mildly venomous, it occurs in primary and mature secondary forests near streams, its body colour is generally vivid green, but brown forms also occur. Diet of A. mycterizans, like other whip snakes, consists primarily of frogs and lizards. These slow moving snakes often appear like vines amongst foliage and are hard to detect.

The anterior part of the body can expand when threatened exposing the dark scales. It is often confused with the oriental whipsnake (Ahaetulla prasina). The Malayan whipsnake can be distinguished from the oriental whipsnake by the former having larger eyes, more slender body and the base of flanks lacking a thin yellow line and it does not occur in disturbed areas or parks or gardens, especially in its distributional range of Singapore.

A. mycterizans is also smaller, its maximum size is up to 1 m snout to vent length as compared to the oriental whipsnake which can grow up to 2 m.

Very little is known about the ecology and natural history of this species.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Ahaetulla

Species : A. mycterizans

Binomial name : Ahaetulla mycterizans

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Mandai T7

Homalopsis is a genus of snakes of the family Homalopsidae. The genus is restricted to South East Asia and includes five currently recognized species. Like all members of the family Homalopsidae, Homalopsis are rear-fanged and mildly venomous, though considered harmless to humans.

Homalopsis are a freshwater aquatic species that are found in a wide range of habitats including ponds, rivers, flowing streams, swamps, marshes and other wetlands. Human disturbance and activity does not seem to hinder this species as much as others and can be actively found in disturbed habitat such as man-made drainage ditches and irrigated agriculture fields.

This species is nocturnal and can be found in muddy bank holes or burrows during the day. It feeds primarily on fish but may also eat anurans and possibly crustaceans. Homalopsis are viviparous giving birth to live young.

Homalopsis buccata (puff-faced water snake or masked water snake) is a species of mildly venomous snake in the Homalopsidae family found in tropical areas of Southeast Asia.

The Puff-faced Water Snake is nocturnal and it inhabits fresh water bodies including swamps, ponds and forest streams. H. buccata have a banded pattern and usually reach 1 meter (3 feet) in length. They have a somewhat similar body build to the anaconda, but instead of constriction they use a mild venom from a grooved rear fang to subdue prey.

H. buccata ranges from northern Sumatra to Salanga Island, Indonesia and Borneo; it is present on the Malaysian peninsula and in extreme southern Thailand (vicinity of Pattani) and in Singapore.

H. buccata are ovoviviparous, meaning they do not lay eggs but rather give birth to live young. Females give birth to 2-20 live young, with an average of 9.26 young per breeding. Studies have shown this species breeds year round, with a peak season of October–March (though no distinctive breeding season was found)

Juveniles are dark brown to black, with orange, red or pale bands with black-edging. Adults are plain brown or grey in colour, and have less distinctive banding. The belly is whitish, and the body scales are keeled. The species can be easily identified by the patterning on top of the broad head.

H. buccata prey include : tilapia, guppy, catfish, Asian swamp eel, various other small fish, a variety of frogs, freshwater crustaceans.

This snake is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Homalopsidae

Genus : Homalopsis

Kuhl and Hasselt, 1822

Species : H. buccata

Binomial name :Homalopsis buccata

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Chrysopelea paradisi, paradise tree snake or paradise flying snake, is a species of snake found in southeastern Asia. The paradise tree snake, Chrysopelea paradisi, is a rear-fanged colubrid. Like other members of the genus Chrysopelea, it is able to glide through the air, and thus, is commonly known as a "flying snake."

Other names include, Paradise Gliding Snake, Paradise Flying Snake, or the Garden Flying Snake.

(In Thai: งูเขียวร่อน, ngu khieow ron)

Flying snakes make an undulatory motion to increase their gliding distance and maintain their balance as they descend. They are the only known limbless vertebrates that glide though the air. Like all species of its genus Chrysopelea, glide by stretching the body into a flattened strip using its ribs. It is mostly found in moist forests and can cover a horizontal distance of 10 meters or more in a glide from the top of a tree.

They are mildly venomous with rear fangs and also can constrict their prey, which consists of mostly lizards and bats. Although the flying snake does not display visible characteristics that contribute to its ability to glide, there are three aspects that have been studied and found to have great positive effects on this.

Their form of takeoff which is most commonly the anchored J-loop take-off, once airborne their cross sectional body is shaped into a triangle and their bodies use an aerial undulation to maximize the distance traveled.

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Chrysopelea

Species : C. paradisi

Binomial name : Chrysopelea paradisi

Boie, 1827

Boiga cynodon, commonly known as the dog-toothed cat snake, is a nocturnal species of rear-fanged colubrid snake endemic to Asia. The Dog-toothed Cat Snake inhabits lowland forests, particularly forest edge, and has adapted well to secondary, disturbed or open habitats. It is both terrestrial and arboreal.

Boiga cynodon is a large snake, reaching more than 2m (6+1⁄2 ft) in total length. The front teeth of the upper jaw and the lower jaw are strongly enlarged. The dogtooth Cat snake has a triangular head, much wider than its neck. This can be confused with the head of a viper.

As is typical with the Boiga genus, the head is distinct from the neck, and the body is compressed laterally. The snout is rounded and the eyes large with a vertical pupil. The body is orange-brown to yellowish-brown, with white-edged irregular dark bars which extend from the neck to the tip of the tail. The bars on the tail are more closely spaced than those on the body.

​A few may have extra black melanin pigments, resulting in a black looking snake. However they still have the distinctive thick dark streak behind each eye. Ventrally, its belly varies from whitish to light brown. An identifying feature is the thick dark stripe behind the eye.

It feeds mainly upon small birds and bird eggs, but may also take lizards and small Bat's. It is consideredas mildly venomous. Boiga cynodon is an oviparous species, with sexually mature females laying eggs, 6-12 per clutch.

The species is widespread in the region, occurring in Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Sumatra, Borneo, Java and island groups further east in Indonesia including Bali and Nusa Tenggara.

Colour morph : 

In the world of herpeteculture, the term “morph” refers to any animal that exhibits an external appearance different than the same animal would have in nature.

Non-morphs are typically called “normal” or “wild type,” referring to how they normally occur in nature.

A morph, or color phase, happens when animals of the same species regularly develop more than one color. In biology, polymorphism is the occurrence of two or more clearly different morphs or forms, also referred to as alternative phenotypes, in the population of a species.

To be classified as such, morphs must occupy the same habitat at the same time and belong to a panmictic population (one with random mating).

Put simply, polymorphism is when there are two or more possibilities of a trait on a gene.

For example, there is more than one possible trait in terms of a jaguar's skin colouring, they can be light morph or dark morph. Due to having more than one possible variation for this gene, it is termed 'polymorphism'.

However, if the jaguar has only one possible trait for that gene, it would be termed "monomorphic". For example, if there was only one possible skin colour that a jaguar could have, it would be termed monomorphic.

What is Melanism ?

Melanism is the congenital excess of melanin in an organism resulting in dark pigment which can affect the skin, feathers, or fur of an organism.

Melanistic means having more melanin than normal, resulting in a dark pigment. This can cause an organism to have dark skin, hair, or feathers or fur as mention above, reason to having very dark skin or hair is because it contains a higher than normal level of the pigment known as melanin.

(= a result of substance that gives colour)

Full melanism is a condition where an organism has an increased amount of melanin, resulting in a completely dark appearance.

Melanistic animals are animals with an increased amount of the dark pigment melanin in their skin, hair and feathers, etc., giving them a dark appearance.

Melanism is a genetic mutation that occurs in many different types of animals, including mammals, reptiles and insects. Among the best-known melanistic animals are the black leopards and jaguars known as panthers.

Melanism is a disorder that causes an abnormal increase in the production of the dark pigment melanin. It is a phenotype (an observable characteristic) arising from an organism’s genetic makeup. It can be seen as the opposite of albinism (which is a lack of pigment).

Melanin is a chemical produced by cells known as Melanocytes. It is naturally present in an animal’s skin, hair, feathers, scales, etc.

A melanistic individual will appear dark brown or black into its origin colour, where else a full melanistic is a condition where an organism has an increased amount of melanin, resulting in a completely dark appearance.

Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and reddish pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albinos.

Varied use and interpretation of the terms mean that written reports of albinistic animals can be difficult to verify. ​Albinism can reduce the survivability of an animal, for example, it has been suggested that albino alligators have an average survival span of only 24 hours due to the lack of protection from UV radiation and their lack of camouflage to avoid predators.

It is a common misconception that all albino animals have characteristic pink or red eyes (resulting from the lack of pigment in the iris allowing the blood vessels of the retina to be visible), however this is not the case for some forms of albinism. Familiar albino animals include in-bred strains of laboratory animals (rats, mice and rabbits)

Albinism is a well-recognized phenomenon in molluscs, both in the shell and in the soft parts. It has been claimed by some, e.g. that albinism can occur for a number of reasons aside from inheritance, including genetic mutations, diet, living conditions, age, disease, or injury. However, this is contrary to definitions where the condition is inherited.

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a clearly defined set of seven types of genetic mutations which reduce or completely prevent the synthesis of eumelanin or

pheomelanin, resulting in reduced pigmentation.

Type I oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1a) is the form most commonly recognised as 'albino' as this results in a complete absence of melanin in the skin, hair/fur/feathers, and pink pupils, however this has led many to assume that all albinos are pure white with pink pupils, which is not the case.

Albinism is a genetic mutation causing an inability to produce melanin. Albino animals have extremely pale skin, hair, feathers, etc., and often appear completely white.

The lack of pigment in an albino animal’s eye means that blood flowing in the blood vessels in the eye is visible, giving the eye a red color.

In snakes, partial absence of pigment is more common than absolute albinism. For snakes that are usually patterned in colours, they appear as a faint blue, peach or yellowish. In these cases, there has been a genetic mutation in the melanin and pigment delivery.

The appearance comes from the inability for full colours to be present, such as black, red, brown and others. The eyes of an albino snake are typically red or pink. Albino snakes can remain in the sunlight for several hours with minimal harm. Corn snakes and snakes of larger types, such as a boa or diamondback snakes, are the most commonly affected by albinism often appearing to be a pinkish or yellowish colour.

Leucism is a genetic condition that causes a partial lack of pigment in an animal. Leucistic animals may have white patches, or appear paler than other individuals.

Melanistic Animals Are The Opposite Of Albino Animals. While albino animals are mostly white, melanistic animals are dark and in most cases almost entirely black.

The word “melanism” itself is from a Greek word that translates to “black pigment”.

While rare in nature, albino animals are basically found everywhere from the sky to the seas. They have a loss of pigmentation, which results in white or pale fur or skin, especially in relation to other members of their species.

The key difference between the albino animals and the melanistic animals is that albino means loss of pigmentation whereas melanistic means an abundance of pigmentation.

Dog-toothed cat snake

Boiga cynodon

Heinrich Boie, 1827

In Thai: งูแส้หางม้า, ngu sae hang ma 

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Boiga

Species : B. cynodon

Binomial name : Boiga cynodon

(F. Boie, 1827)

Ahaetulla prasina is a species of snake in the family Colubridae native to southern Asia. Its common names include Asian vine snake, Boie's whip snake, Gunther's whip snake, Oriental whip snake. 

In Thai: งูเขียวหัวจิ้งจก, ngu khieow hua jingjok

​

The Oriental Whip Snake prefers forest edge habitats or their equivalent including parklands, wooded residential areas and rural agricultural areas. It is most commonly encountered whilst sunning itself on secondary growth along the forest edge.

Its body form is extremely slender, though fully-grown adults appear more robust. Adult colouration varies from light brown to dull yellow-green and often a startling fluorescent green. The species feeds mainly on vertebrates, including small nesting birds, lizards and frogs.

The young are born alive, and are brown with yellow and black flecks. The maximum length for A.prasina is about six feet in total length. It can be distinguished from the similar, and closely related, forest-dwelling Big-eyed Green Whip Snake on the basis of its smaller eye and, generally, the presence of a thin yellow line along the lower flank, just above the ventral scales.

Venom Toxicity : Weak. Although this is considered to be a rear-fanged and venomous snake it is not very dangerous to humans due to it’s non-aggressive nature and weak venom characteristics.

​The venom would need to be injected into the wound with time and chewing motion. Not many people bitten by a snake are going to let a snake hang off them for any amount of time, but some do, and they may have severe complications and require hospitalization.

This species. Ahaetulla prasina ranges from India to China and throughout Southeast Asia as far east as Sulawesi and the Philippines.

​

​Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Ahaetulla

Species : A. prasina

Binomial name : Ahaetulla prasina

(Boie, 1827)

Synonyms :

Dryophis prasinus Boie, 1827

The twin-barred tree snake (Chrysopelea pelias) is a species of snake found in Southeast Asia. It is also called the banded flying snake. It can glide, as with all species of its genus Chrysopelea, by stretching the body into a flattened strip using its ribs.

It is mostly found in moist forests and can cover a horizontal distance of about 100 metres in a glide from the top of a tree. It is an oviparous snake. ​This beautifully patterned snake is rarely seen. It is easily identified by the reddish upper body colour and the black-edged white bars.

The flanks are light brown speckled with white, and the ventral surface yellow-white. As with the Paradise Tree Snake, this species is able to glide considerable distances by inverting its ventral surface and launching itself from the tree tops.

This flying snakes are a small group of species of tree snakes that live in South and Southeast Asia. At rest they appear unremarkable, but on the move they're able to take to the air by jumping from the tree, flattening the entire body, and gliding or parachuting to the ground or another tree.

Chrysopelea pelias is a mildly venomous back-fanged species, with a quiet temperament. The species ranges from southern Thailand to Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, Riau and Java.

​Phylum : Chordata

Class : Reptilia

Order : Squamata

Suborder : Serpentes

Family : Colubridae

Genus : Chrysopelea

Species : C. pelias

Binomial name : Chrysopelea pelias

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Boiga dendrophila, commonly called the mangrove snake or the gold-ringed cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae.

The species is endemic to southeast Asia. It is one of the biggest cat snake species, averaging 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) in length.

Mostly nocturnal, B. dendrophila is a potentially aggressive snake. Even captive bred specimens can be nervous and may strike repeatedly.

Although many specimens will calm down and allow handling, it is normally easily stressed and may refuse food for extended periods of time if disturbed. Handling, of course, should involve safety precautions for the handler, due to the snake's nervous nature and the fact that a bite can cause pain and injury.

Despite one of its common names, mangrove snake, B.dendrophila is found more often in lowland rainforests than in the mangrove swamps from which its common name is derived, it feeds on reptiles, birds, and small mammals in the willd.

It is considered mildy venomous. Although moderate envenomations resulting in intense swelling have been reported, there has never been a confirmed fatality.

The venom of B.dendrophila is not considered life-threatening to humans, and it has been kept as a pet.

In common with other colubrids, mangrove snakes have a Duvernoy's gland on the posterior end of the eye with a duct that connects to the rear fangs.

The snake needs to chew in order to release the venom, which is released gradually. The venom of the mangrove cat snake is weak, the fangs in the rear are not large, and it is difficult for the snake to open its mouth wide enough to sink the fangs into a human leg or arm; as of 2016, there are no confirmed fatalities.

Denmotoxin is a three-finger toxin that has been identified in the venom of mangrove cat snakes, and is the first fully characterized bird-specific toxin.

Although envenomation of humans is mild, visually, because of the alternation of black and yellow crossbands and triangular body cross section, the mangrove cat snake can be confused with the banded krait, which is extremely venomous.

Mangrove snakes are egg layers that produce modest clutches of 4–12 eggs

​

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Colubridae

Genus: Boiga

Species: B. dendrophila

Binomial name Boiga dendrophila(F. Boie, 1827)