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Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless otherwise stated

 EcologyAsia 2009
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Indo-Chinese Rat Snake
   

Photographed in southern Johor, Peninsular Malaysia

Family : COLUBRIDAE
Species : Ptyas korros
Maximum Size : 2.6 metres

References : H1, H2

A harmless snake of agricultural and forested areas, this species preys on rats, frogs and other small vertebrates. It is diurnal, and mainly a ground-dweller.  

It can be identified by the olive coloured tail with dark-edged scales, and the faint pale brown banding which occurs on the thickest part of the body (though this feature does not occur in mature adults). Its eyes are relatively large.   

 
 

Close-up of the body
and tail scales

The species ranges from India, through Burma, Thailand and Indo-China and down to West Malaysia, Singapore and the sundaic islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali.