Pareidae
Pareas berdmorei
HarmlessThis species has no widely used English common name.
5 photographs of the Pareas berdmorei. © observe-syz.
Pareas berdmorei is a non-venomous snake in the Pareidae family, recorded in 6 countries.
- Family
- Pareidae
About the Pareas berdmorei
Pareas berdmorei, also known as the Mengla snail-eating snake or Berdmore's slug-eating snake, is a non-venomous snake native to Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
Description
The dorsum of P. berdmorei is mostly yellow-brown to orange in color with variable dark markings. Thin stripes beginning at the upper postocular scales continue to the nape, often forming elongated dark markings. Its iris is uniform in color, which may vary from beige to bright red-orange. Its belly is white.
Behaviour
Like the other snakes in its genus, P. berdmorei is an oviparous, semi-arboreal, nocturnal snail and slug eater.
Distribution and subspecies
Pareas berdmorei is widely distributed across mainland Indochina north of the Kra Isthmus, with three major populations and three recognized subspecies.
Pareas berdmorei berdmorei inhabits northern Vietnam, northern Laos, northern Thailand, eastern Myanmar, and southern Yunnan, China.
Pareas berdmorei truongsonicus inhabits the northern Annanmites (Truong Son) Mountains in central Vietnam and Laos.
Pareas berdmorei unicolor inhabits southern Vietnam and adjacent eastern Cambodia.
Etymology
Its specific name refers to the collector of its holotype, Captain Major Thomas Matthew Berdmore (1811–1859).
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Pareas berdmorei
- Is the Pareas berdmorei venomous?
- No. The Pareas berdmorei 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 berdmorei poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Pareas berdmorei is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Pareas berdmorei dangerous?
- The Pareas berdmorei is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Pareas berdmorei live?
- The Pareas berdmorei has verified records in 6 countries, including China, Thailand, Viet Nam. 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.