Back
Dendrelaphis formosus (Boie, 1827)
| Family Name: | Colubridae |
| Taxonomic Group: | Vertebrates (Reptile) |
| Common Name: | Elegant Bronzeback |
Name
Description
| Description | Head distinct from slender body, eye very large. Head sometimes bulges behind snout to accommodate the eye. Eyes of male individuals larger than those of female individuals. Scales along middle of back distinctly enlarged. Bronze brown above, a broad black stripe along the snout, across the eye, and partly down the sides of the body. Side of neck with blue skin between the scales. Underside yellowish green. Three black, narrow lines are present along the rear of the body. |
|---|
Ecology, Habitat & Location
| Ecological Notes | Inhabits mature forest where it appears to be diurnally active and primarily arboreal and feeds mainly on lizards and frogs. Oviparous. |
|---|---|
| Habitats | Forest, Terrestrial |
| Distribution | In Singapore, known only from the Central Nature Reserves. It occurs in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java. |
| Nature Reserves | Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve |
Conservation
| Trends & Threats | Habitat degradation and destruction. |
|---|---|
| Scientific Interest & Potential Value | Officially recorded from Singapore in 2005 as Dendrelaphis cyanochloris (Blue Bronzeback). The snakes previously referred to as Dendrelaphis formosus are now known as Dendrelaphis kopsteini, the Red-necked Bronzeback. |
| Conservation Notes | Continued habitat protection is essential. |
Status
| Species Status | Native |
|---|---|
| Conservation Status | Rare |
| Singapore Red Data Book Status | Endangered (EN) [2008] |
Photos
References
| References | Baker, N. & Lim, K. 2008. Wild animals of Singapore. Singapore: Draco Publishing and Distribution Pte Ltd. 180pp Davison, G.W.H., Ng, P.K.L. & Ho, H.C (Eds.). 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book (2nd Edition). Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). 285pp Vogel, G. & van Rooijen, Johan. 2007. A new species of Dendrelaphis (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Southeast Asia. Zootaxa. 1394. 25-45 |
|---|
