Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
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Family : COLUBRIDAE
Species: Dendrelaphis formosus
Maximum Size : 1.4 metres
A species of lowland
rainforests, the beautiful Elegant Bronzeback is almost exclusively
arboreal in habits, rarely descending to the ground. It feeds mainly on
tree-dwelling geckoes and skinks, and is diurnal.
Its body is long, and extremely slender. Its distinguishing features include
the large eye, which is at least half the diameter of the thickness of the
head, and larger in the male than in the female. A thick, black stripe
extends from the tip of the snout, through the eye, to some distance along
the upper flank.
The top of the head is brown, and this continues as a broad, brown stripe
which extends along the length of the vertebral line. The flanks along
the anterior half of the body are bright pale green to yellow-green.
The species is easily
confused with the Blue Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis cyanochloris, however the presence of narrow, black stripes
towards the tail (see Figure 3) is the most reliable feature by which to
separate the two species in the field.
The Elegant Bronzeback occurs in southern Thailand, Peninsular
Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and Java.
Figs 1 to 4 : Male, photographed at Taman Negara, Pahang,
Peninsular Malaysia. Note the dark stripes on the posterior part of the
body in Figure 3, which help to distinguish the species in the field.
Figs 5 and 6 : Example from Lambir Hills, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo found
resting on a narrow branch at night.
References :
Das, I., 2010. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-east Asia. New Holland
Publishers (UK) Ltd.
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