| gold-ringed cat snake | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
| Genus: | Boiga |
| Species: | B. dendrophila |
| Binomial name | |
| Boiga dendrophila (Boie, 1827) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Dipsas dendrophila Boie, 1827 |
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The gold-ringed cat snake or mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila) is a species of rear-fanged colubrid. It is one of the biggest cat snake species, averaging 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) in length. It is considered mildy-venomous, but moderate envenomations resulting in intense swelling have been reported, though there have been no severe cases of hospitalisation or fatalities.
Contents |
Snout longer than eye; rostral more broad than deep, visible from above; internasals as long as or shorter than the prae-frontals; frontal as long as or slightly shorter than its distance from the tip of the snout; loreal as long as deep or more long; a praeocular extending to the upper surface of the head, not reaching the frontal; two postoculars; temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; eight (nine) upper labials, third to fifth entering the eye; four or five lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; latter as long as or longer than the posterior; anterior palatine teeth not much larger than the posterior. Scales in 21 (23) rows, vertebral row enlarged; ventrals 2O9-239; anal entire; subcaudals 89 no. Black above, with yellow transverse bands, continuous or not extending across the back; labials yellow, with black edges. Lower surface black or bluish, uniform or speckled with yellow; throat yellow. Total length 2310 mm.[1]
Feeds on small mammals, lizards, frogs, snakes, fish.
Mostly nocturnal. It is a very aggressive snake. Even captive bred specimens are too nervous to be handled and will strike repetitively at a distance.
Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi, Riau Archipelago, Sumatra), India, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippine Islands (Panay).
Ironically, the mangrove snake is found more often in lowland rainforests than mangrove swamps, from which it is named.
The mangrove snake feeds on reptiles, birds, and small mammals in the wild.