Identification:
This snake species is small in size. The head and the front of the upper lip are a dark blue color, while the rear of the lip and the chin are cream-colored. A yellow band is located directly behind the head, at the neck. The black body is segmented by 13-29 yellow bands and 8-18 alternating black and yellow bands on the tail. The black and yellow bands are wider towards the front of the snake. The yellow bands tend to narrow towards the tail, compared to the black bands. The underside is white.
Habitat and Ecology:
The snake is primarily a nocturnal forager. Its diet consists of lizards, frogs, toads, and occasionally small mammals. This species is considered beneficial to agriculture. Females typically lay around 5 eggs per clutch. This poorly understood nocturnal reptile often conceals itself under debris and in shady areas during the day. It typically inhabits lowlands and hilly regions, often seeking refuge in the hollows of ancient banyan and fig trees within forests.
Distribution:
- Vietnam: Quảng Nam – Đà Nẵng (Chu Lai), Lâm Đồng (Langbiang), Bình Dương, Bình Phước, Tây Ninh, Đồng Nai (Định Quán), Hồ Chí Minh City.
- Global: Widely distributed throughout Thailand, northern Peninsular Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.