Genus · Colubridae
Stichophanes
The genus Stichophanes contains a single species. It is not considered dangerous to humans.
About Ningshaan kukri snake
A single rare Chinese colubrid that long hid inside the larger kukri snake genus before getting its own name.
Stichophanes is a monotypic genus in the family Colubridae, meaning it holds just one recognized species, Stichophanes ningshaanensis, the Ningshaan kukri snake. Colubridae is the largest snake family in the world, a broad catch-all of mostly slender, agile, egg-laying snakes that are not closely tied to the front-fanged vipers and elapids. Within that family Stichophanes is one of the small, lesser-known lineages, described from a narrow part of central China and known to most people only through museum specimens and a handful of field records.
The single species is tied to the mountains of Shaanxi Province in central China, taking its name from the Ningshaan area. It lives in forested, hilly terrain at moderate elevation, the kind of cool, wooded habitat typical of many montane Chinese colubrids. Because so few individuals have been studied, much of its life history is described in general terms rather than detailed observation. In broad terms it is a slim, modestly sized terrestrial snake patterned for camouflage against leaf litter and forest floor, the recognition cues herpetologists rely on coming from scale counts and head shape rather than from one bold field mark.
There is no evidence that Stichophanes is dangerous to people. It is a small non-front-fanged colubrid with no medically significant venom and no record of harmful bites, so it is best understood as a harmless forest snake rather than a threat. As with any wild snake, the responsible approach is to observe it without handling and let it move on, and the conservative rule still applies that any unknown snake should be treated with caution rather than picked up. If a bite from any snake ever causes worrying symptoms, contact emergency services or US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 rather than trying to manage it alone. Like related colubrids it is presumed to hunt small prey such as soft-bodied invertebrates and other small animals and to reproduce by laying eggs, but specific dietary and breeding details remain poorly documented for this rare species.
Stichophanes belongs to the Colubridae family (Colubrids). The largest snake family, and the one most snakes you meet belong to. Typically round pupils, a head only slightly wider than the neck, and no heat-sensing facial pit or rattle. Scales may be smooth and glossy or keeled and matte depending on the species.
Danger: Almost all colubrids are harmless. A small number are rear-fanged with medically significant venom, the boomslang and the twig (vine) snakes of Africa being the dangerous exceptions. Most colubrids will flee or bluff rather than bite.
All species (1)
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