Bronzeback Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis tristis) | Snake | Wildkeeda

 Bronzeback Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis tristis) | Snake | Wildkeeda 

Bronzeback Tree Snake

NON VENOMOUS, COMMON

Dendrelaphis tristis

At hatching 150mm (6in) Adults 1000mm (39in) Maximum 1690mm (67in)

Description

Long, slim, smooth-scaled. Head distinctly broader than neck; snout bluntly rounded. Large eye has round pupil. Tail very long, thin and wire-like. Belly scales and those under tail have outer edges sharply folded upward (keel). Bronze-brown or purplish-brown back with a dark brown or black stripe on either side of body. Indistinct black streak behind eye. Underside usually white, gray or pale green. Young similar to adu but have a faint banded pattern that is in the first year. This species has a dark blue tongue. (A very similar looking species, the Painted Bronzeback Dendrelaphis pictus, has a bright red tongue). This is a useful field identification character. However, identification must be confirmed by examining the maxillary (upper jaw) teeth

Scalation/Dentition 

Scales in 15: 11 or 9 slanted lines, smooth. Vertebral scales somewhat developed neck. Ventrals 163-197, with sharp, indented sidelong fall; butt-centric partitioned: subcaudals 108-145, matched. Supralabials 9 (5 and 6 contacting eye): I pre-, 2 postoculars; temporals 2+2. Maxillary teeth 17-22, back normally littlest. 

Behavior

Diurnal. Arboreal; possesses low hedges, thistle trees, Indian date palms, and palmyra. Feeds on frogs, garden reptiles, geckos, and little birds, in any event, going into covered houses to take care of. One hostage ate 104 frogs in a year. Incredibly quick. Scored, strongly characterized edges of gut scales help it climb. Can jump from one branch to another. Females lay 6-8 long, slim eggs (around April) in tree openings and decaying vegetation. Apprehensive mien. Whenever cornered, some will strike consistently while growing forebody to show light blue/white tone at lower edge of each scale. 

Distribution

India: all through the greater part of peninsular India Gujarat downwards; northeastern India to Darjeeling. May not happen in Focal India. Likewise Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. Found from ocean level up to 2000m (6560ft) in the Himalayas. 

Clones 

Other bronzeback tree snakes. Sand snakes.