Juvenile at Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei, Borneo.
Adult at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore.
Adult at Baku National Park, Sarawak, Borneo. |
Wagler's Pit Viper is
perhaps the most well-known of the various green, arboreal pit vipers to be
found in the region. This is a snake of primary forest, mature secondary
forest and mangroves. It is active by night; by day it generally lays coiled
high in the trees.
The term "pit viper"
refers to heat-sensing "pits" which occur on each cheek - these are used to
locate prey. As with other pit vipers, this species has haemotoxic venom,
meaning it is poisonous to the blood system.
The species can be
identified by the triangular head. Juveniles are mainly light green with
narrow pale bands, and adults are dark green with thicker yellowish bands.
Wagler's Pit Viper ranges
from Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to Borneo,
Sumatra, Sulawesi and the more southerly islands of the Philippines.
Family : CROTALIDAE
Species : Tropidolaemus wagleri
Maximum Size : One metre
References
: H2, H3
Bottom photo thanks to
David Haylock
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