Beauty Ratsnake

The beauty rat snake (Elaphe taeniura), also called the beauty ratsnake, the beauty snake, or the cave racer, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the eastern and southeastern regions of Asia. It is a long, thin, semi-arboreal species of snake with several recognized subspecies. This constrictor feeds on rodents, and though it is favored in some locations as a natural pest control or pet, it is also considered an invasive species in other locations.

Description

Living about 15–25 years, the average length of the beauty rat snake (including the tail) is about 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m).

Coloration

The overall ground color is yellowish-brown to olive, becoming darker at the end of the tail. The skin on the back of the neck and head are uniform in color and the back is typically marked with two pairs of round black spots that meld together. Starting at the back corner of each eye, a black stripe reaches back to each corner of the mouth which is pale cream around the upper labial area.

Subspecies and distribution

Subspecies

Subspecies of this species include:

Chinese beauty snake (Elaphe taeniura taeniura) – Native to China. This subspecies has 11 different morphs.

Ridley's beauty snake, cave dwelling ratsnake, cave racer (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi) – Native to Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Bred in captivity in Cameron Highlands. Is listed as Vulnerable on the China Species Red List. (As the name implies, often lives deep within caves where its diet consists mainly of bats. They have a yellow to beige background color that darkens to a grey-black towards the tail. A white to cream mid-dorsal stripe starts about half of the way down the body and continues to the tip of tail. Both sides of the head are marked just behind the eye with a black stripe surrounded by blue.)

Mocquard's beauty rat snake (Elaphe taeniura mocquardi) – Native to southeastern China and northern Vietnam, as well as the island of Hainan.

Taiwan/Taiwanese beauty snake, stripe tail ratsnake (Elaphe taeniura friesei, previously Elaphe taeniura friesi) – Native to Taiwan.

Vietnamese blue beauty/blue beauty snake (Elaphe taeniura callicyanous) – Native to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

Helfenberger's beauty snake (Elaphe taeniura helfenbergeri) – Native to Myanmar and Thailand.

Elaphe taeniura grabowskyi – Native to Sumatra and the provinces of East Malaysia and Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.

Elaphe taeniura schmackeri – Native to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

Elaphe taeniura yunnanensis – Native to China, India, Laos, Myanmar, eastern Thailand and Vietnam.

Elaphe taeniura ssp. – Native to Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.

Etymology

The subspecific name, grabowskyi, is in honor of biologist Friedrich J. Grabowsky.