Boiga drapiezii

Boiga drapiezii
Boiga drapiezii (juvenile) - Khao Luang National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Colubrinae
Genus: Boiga
Species: B. drapiezii
Binomial name
Boiga drapiezii
(H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827)
Synonyms

Boiga drapiezii, commonly known as the white-spotted cat snake, is a species of long and slender rear-fanged colubrid that is common throughout its range.

Etymology

The epithet, drapiezii, is in honor of Belgian naturalist Auguste Drapiez.[2]

Description

There are two known phases. 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. This species is in need of urgent review, with possibly more subspecies awaiting discovery and subsequent description.

Geographic range

Indonesia, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines.

Habitat

The white-spotted cat snake, while arboreal, can often be found moving about on the forest floor in search of prey and travel. They are found in tropical rainforest, sometimes on branches near streams.

Diet

The white-spotted cat snake feeds on geckos, frogs and other smaller snakes in the wild.

References

  1. "Boiga drapiezii ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Boiga drapiezii, p. 75).

Further reading

External links


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