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Family : COLUBRIDAE
Species : Oligodon signatus
Maximum Size : 52 cm
The Barred Kukri Snake is
considered to be a rare snake, or at least it is rarely encountered.
It inhabits lowland primary or mature secondary forest and is nocturnal.
Little is known of the ecology of this species but it appears to be
secretive in habits, remaining largely concealed under leaf litter,
treefalls and other
forest floor debris.
In Singapore, where the species was first described in 1864, roadkill
specimens are sometimes found in areas adjacent to the central nature
reserves, which are heavily forested. The specimen shown here was found
mid-morning, on a jogging trail through the forest : it is possible that
heavy rain the previous night forced the snake into the open.
The ground colour is dark brown (sometimes with a faint purplish tinge), and
the dorsum is adorned with red cross-bars which are either narrow and extend
onto each flank, or are truncated and triangular in shape (as in the example
shown here). Towards the head these bars assume a forward-pointing chevron
pattern, which is typical of many species of kukri snake. The underside is
reddish-pink.
The body is moderately slender and rounded in cross-section. The head is
short and of the same diameter as the neck.
The Barred Kukri Snake Oligodon signatus is recorded from Peninsular Malaysia,
Singapore, Sumatra and Java. A population of the species, or at least
a closely related species, occurs in parts of Borneo
(Sabah, Sarawak) where it is referred to by the synonym of Oligodon subcarinatus.
Tillack and Günther
(2009) consider O. signatus and O. subcarinatus to belong to
the same species.
Fig 1 : Barred Kukri Snake from Singapore's central forests, measuring an
estimated 45 cm. Note that part of the tail appears to have been lost in
this specimen. It was found mid- morning on a jogging trail through
the forest.
Photo thanks to Shrimathi Swaminathan.
Fig 2 : Mature secondary forest, Singapore - typical habitat of the
Barred Kukri Snake.
References :
Das, I., 2010. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-east Asia. New
Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.
Tillack, F., and Günther, R., 2009.
Revision of the species of Oligodon from Sumatra and adjacent
islands, with comments on the taxonomic status of Oligodon
subcarinatus (Günther, 1872) and Oligodon annulifer
(Boulenger, 1893) from Borneo (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae). Russian
Journal of Herpetology. Vol 16, no. 4, pp 265-294.
Tweedie, M., 1957. The Snakes of Malaya. Raffles Museum, Singapore.
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