Pareidae
Pareas andersonii
HarmlessThis species has no widely used English common name.
3 photographs of the Pareas andersonii. (c) longarms, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Pareas andersonii is a non-venomous snake in the Pareidae family, recorded in 4 countries.
- Family
- Pareidae
About the Pareas andersonii
Pareas andersonii, also known as Anderson's slug snake, is a small, non-venomous snake found in India (Nagaland), northern Myanmar, and China (Yunnan).
Description
Mostly dark grey with a bluish sheen, vertical black and white stripes color the dorsum and sides of P. andersonii, but lose their form closer to the posterior end to instead become random speckling.
The top of its head is dark grey with many black spots, lacking a nuchal spot or collar. The sides of its head have dense white mottling, including mostly-white labial scales with black spots around the edges. The ventral part of its head is white or beige with black mottling while the rest of the ventrum white or beige with many black rectangular spots across the ventral shields.
Behaviour
Like others in Pareas, P. andersonii is a semi-arboreal, nocturnal snake primarily preying upon land snails and slugs.
Etymology
Named in honor of John Anderson (1833–1900).
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Pareas andersonii
- Is the Pareas andersonii venomous?
- No. The Pareas andersonii 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 Pareas andersonii poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Pareas andersonii is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Pareas andersonii dangerous?
- The Pareas andersonii is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Pareas andersonii live?
- The Pareas andersonii has verified records in 4 countries, including India, Myanmar, China. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Pareidae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.