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Colubridae

Haas's Bronzeback

Harmless

Dendrelaphis haasi

Haas's Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis haasi, © Ian Dugdale
Haas's BronzebackHaas's BronzebackHaas's Bronzeback

4 photographs of the Haas's Bronzeback. © Ian Dugdale.

The Haas's Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis haasi) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 5 countries.

Family
Colubridae

About the Haas's Bronzeback

Dendrelaphis haasi, also known commonly as Haas' bronzeback, Haas's bronzeback, Haas's bronzeback snake, and Haas's bronzeback tree snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Southeast Asia.

Etymology

The specific name, haasi, is in honor of Dutch herpetologist C.P.J. de Haas.

Taxonomy

Dendrelaphis haasi belongs to the genus Dendrelaphis, which contains 48 other described species.

Dendrelaphis is one of five genera belonging to the vine snake subfamily Ahaetuliinae, of which Dendrelaphis is most closely related to Chrysopelea, as shown in the cladogram below:

Geographic range

D. haasi is found in Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of D. haasi is forest, at altitudes near to sea level, but it has also been found in gardens.

Description

D. haasi is slender and has a very long tail, which is 34% to 38% of its total length. The holotype has a snout-to-vent length of 57.5 cm (22.6 in), plus a tail length of 33 cm (13 in).

Behavior

D. haasi is diurnal and fully arboreal.

Diet

D. haasi preys upon frogs and lizards.

Reproduction

D. haasi is oviparous.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Haas's Bronzeback

Is the Haas's Bronzeback venomous?
No. The Haas's Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis haasi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
Is the Haas's Bronzeback poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Haas's Bronzeback is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Haas's Bronzeback dangerous?
The Haas's Bronzeback is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Haas's Bronzeback live?
The Haas's Bronzeback has verified records in 5 countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand. See the distribution section below for its full range.
What does the Haas's Bronzeback eat?
D. haasi preys upon frogs and lizards.
Why is it called the Haas's Bronzeback?
The specific name, haasi, is in honor of Dutch herpetologist C.P.J. de Haas.

Where it is found

More Colubridae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
Colubridae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
Dendrelaphis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Dendrelaphis haasi

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.