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Family : COLUBRIDAE
Species : Boiga jaspidea
Maximum Size : 1.5 metres
This rather uncommon
species inhabits lowland forest and swamp forest. It is arboreal and
nocturnal, and feeds mainly on geckos, young birds, birds eggs and
especially arboreal rodents.
Tweedie (1957) states that this species, in common with the
White-spotted Cat Snake Boiga
drapiezii, is known to lay its eggs in arboreal termite nests : this is
probably to afford the developing eggs some protection from scavengers.
Dorsally this snake is reddish brown on both the body and top of the head,
with scattered black and pink blotches, and ventrally it is white except for
the front portion of the belly. Low on the flanks are scattered, irregular
white patches. The throat and forward part of the belly is yellow.
The body is fairly slender, and laterally compressed. The head is somewhat
larger than the body, and the huge eyes are probably the largest amongst all
snakes of the Boiga genus.
The Jasper Cat Snake occurs in parts of Indochina (Vietnam), southern
Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and Java.
Fig 1 : Example from lower montane habitat at Fraser's Hill, Peninsular Malaysia. Photo thanks to Joseph Koh.
Figs 2 and 3 : Example from Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut), Perak,
Peninsular Malaysia at an elevation of 1190 metres. All photos thanks to Noel Thomas
References :
Baker, N. & K. Lim, (Vertebrate Study Group, Nature Society Singapore),
2008. Wild Animals Of Singapore. Draco Publishing and Distribution Pte. Ltd.
Das, I., 2010. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-east Asia. New Holland
Publishers (UK) Ltd.
Tweedie, M., 1957. The Snakes of Malaya. Raffles Museum, Singapore.
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