![]() ![]() These snakes are very easily agitated, and once they get going they are slow to calm down. Not found near homes much – but, here is one…īehavior: Diurnal, nocturnal, and arboreal. ![]() I haven’t seen it stated what these snakes eat, but I’m guessing lizards, geckos, gliding lizards ( Draco genus) rats, mice, birds, and possibly the mudskippers that cover the mangroves when the tide is out. Would having venom help them subdue crabs? Could they pierce the bony shell of a crab? Not sure about any of this. Do they eat crabs like the other non-venomous crab-eating snake? I’m not sure. Prey: I have seen them in the mud of the mangroves crawling down into crab holes. When found living like rattlesnakes on the ground on a hill, they can be black and white or other coloration that is a bit lighter and which blends in better with rocks. When on the mangrove trees, they tend to be dark to blend in with the very dark brown/black of the roots of the trees. There seems to be some difference in coloration depending where the mangrove pit viper is found. I have found this species in some abundance along the shore in mangroves in Krabi province and they are also plentiful in Phuket and Phang Nga. These snakes are found in high numbers on islands surrounding Thailand. They also can be found in hilly habitat and have been found as high as 2,000 meters elevation in bamboo jungles. They like stream banks with good cover – low lying plants that they can hide under. However, recently one was found on a sidewalk by a bungalow on the island of Koh Phi Phi in Krabi province, Thailand. ![]() Habitat: Usually near water and very wet areas like mangroves along the ocean or brackish water. The variety of coloration is interesting and greater than we see in Krabi province. Nenad Preradovic (Ned) has been finding a lot of Mangrove Pit Vipers on the Koh Phi Phi Islands. We never see this coloration in Krabi in the mangroves. White and black mangrove pit viper on the ground. Dark brown phase mangrove pit viper with light pattern. Brown and yellow phase, and quite light shades. Mangrove pit viper with lighter background color. These are short/thick snakes when adults. Length: Males grow to about 60 cm and females to 90 cm on average. Names in Thai are descriptive of what the snake looks like or does, so it helps little to ask if Thais know this snake unless you’re talking to a biologist. Please keep in mind almost no Thais you meet will know this name for the snake. In the past (2004-2011) this snake was called Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus. Mangrove Pit Viper – Trimeresurus purpureomaculatusĪlso known as mangrove viper, shore pit viper, Gray’s pit viper, purple-spotted pit viper, and shore pit viper. Photo courtesy of Carlton Wagner and Michael Miller, used with permission. Mangrove Pit Viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus) is Dangerous and Bites Frequently. ![]()
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