Home  
覧覧覧覧覧  
   
SE Asia fauna ...   
Mammals
Mammals - Bats
Birds
Snakes
Lizards & Crocodilians
Turtles
Amphibians
Fishes
 
 
New Guinea fauna ...  
Snakes
Lizards
Frogs

Species Lists
 
覧覧覧覧覧  
Articles & Publications  
覧覧覧覧覧  
News Links  
覧覧覧覧覧  
Singapore sightings
Feedback
Image policy
 
覧覧覧覧覧  
 

Search this site ...

 
 


   

 
  覧覧覧覧覧  

Recently updated ...
 
 
     
 
     
 
 
覧覧覧覧覧  
    Links :  
    Cicada Tree Eco-place  
    Flora Singapura  
  Malaysian Nature Society  
    Nature Photographic Society  
    Nature Society (Singapore)  
  Traffic  
    Wild Singapore  
     
     
  Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless otherwise credited.
Copyright ゥ Ecology Asia 2012
   

 

   
   
 
Crab-eating Water Snake
   
   

This 60cm specimen from Pulau Sugi, Riau Archipelago, Indonesia was found stranded on a sandy beach.
 


Close-up of the head showing the small eyes, and typical scalation.


30 cm specimen from mangrove habitat, Singapore.   

The Crab-eating Water Snake, or Whitebelly Mangrove Snake as it is called in Australia, confines itself mainly to tidal habitats, where it preys on small fish and crabs. In particular it is locally common in mangroves.

There are several colour variations ranging from brown or grey with black spots, to purplish-black. The belly is pale in colour. The jaw is recessed under the head, and the eyes positioned towards the top of the head.

It is wide-ranging from India, Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand down through the Malay Peninsula through all the larger islands of Indonesia. In the extreme east of its range it is found in New Guinea and northern Australia. 

 

Family : HOMALOPSIDAE
Species : Fordonia leocobalia
Maximum Size : 95 cm

References : H1, H3

Link : Aquatic Snakes of Southeast Asia, Field Museum of Natural History ... follow this link