Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
| Striped Bronzeback | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
| Genus: | Dendrelaphis |
| Species: | D. caudolineatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) | |
Dendrelaphis caudolineatus is a common species of colubrid snake known commonly as the striped bronzeback or bronze tree snake. It is erroneously called 'garter snake' in the Philippines. It is not venomous and it is the most commonly sold snake as a pet. Though in captivity, they don't live as long as in the wild.
There are five subspecies which range in distribution from southern Burma to Sulawesi.
IUt is a rather small and thin snake, it can reach a length of 180 centimeters but is usually closer to 140 cm. The males are usually thinner than females but are more colorful, ranging from a reddish shade or bright chestnut brown, to a shiny bronze color. The females are usually dull-colored, and more stout-bodied than the males. It is also observed that females of this species tend to be less active than the males. It is mostly arboreal but rarely climbs higher than 4 meters and is mostly found in the open ground or on grassy plains. It has been recorded in most habitats in its range, from coastal lowlands to mountainous areas up to 1500 in elevation. It feeds mainly on lizards and tree frogs.
Subspecies
- D. c. terrificus (Peters, 1871) is found across northeast Sulawesi and into the southern Philippines.
- D. c. flavescens (Gaulke, 1994) is found in the Sulu Archipelago.
- D. c. caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) is fairly widespread from Burma and Thailand to Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Sumatra, and into the Philippines.
- D. c. appalachius (Piper, 1856), also known as the 'Appalachian striped tree snake', is found in the central part of the Appalachian Mountains.
- D. c. luzonensis (Leviton, 1964) is found on the southern islands of the Philippines.
- D. c. modestus (Boulenger, 1894) is found on the Maluku Islands.