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Viperidae

Sabah Bamboo Pitviper

Venomous

Trimeresurus sabahi

Sabah Bamboo Pitviper
Trimeresurus sabahi, © Tero Linjama
Sabah Bamboo PitviperSabah Bamboo PitviperSabah Bamboo PitviperSabah Bamboo PitviperSabah Bamboo Pitviper

6 photographs of the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper. © Tero Linjama.

The Sabah Bamboo Pitviper (Trimeresurus sabahi) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family, recorded in 5 countries.

If you are bitten

This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.

Family
Viperidae
Danger
high

About the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper

Trimeresurus sabahi, commonly known as the Sabah pit viper or Sabah bamboo pitviper, is a venomous pitviper species. If defined narrowly, it is endemic to the island of Borneo. If defined more broadly, it consists of five subspecies found in Southeast Asia.

Subspecies

There are five subspecies:

Trimeresurus sabahi barati Regenass & Kramer, 1981 – Sumatra, Mentawai Archipelago (Indonesia)

T. s. buniana Grismer, Grismer & McGuire, 2006 – Tioman Island (Malaysia)

T. s. fucatus Vogel, David & Pauwels, 2004 – Malay Peninsula (southern Myanmar, Thailand, West Malaysia)

T. s. sabahi Regenass & Kramer, 1981 – northern Borneo (Malaysia)

T. s. toba David, Petri, Vogel & Doria, 2009 – Sumatra

IUCN treats these as full species, respectively T. barati, T. buniana, T. fucatus, and T. toba, restricting T. sabahi to the nominotypical subspecies.

Description

Adults may attain a snout-vent length (SVL) of 62 cm (24 in).

Dorsally, it is uniform green, without crossbars. Ventrally it is pale green. There is narrow bicolor stripe on the first one and a half dorsal scale rows. In males this stripe is rust-colored or red below, and it is white above. In females it is yellow or white. The iris of the eye is red or orange in adults of both sexes, but in young specimens may be yellowish-green. There are no markings behind the eye.

The scalation includes 21 (23) rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 149–157/148–156 ventral scales in males/females or 148–159 in general, 72–76/59–65 subcaudal scales in males/females, and 9–11 supralabial scales (9–10 with the third being the largest).

Habitat

In Borneo, it inhabits mountainous regions at altitudes from 1,000 m (3,300 ft) to 1,150 m (3,770 ft), where it is commonly found on branches of shrubs and other low vegetation.

Reproduction

The reproductive biology of this species is unknown.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Sabah Bamboo Pitviper

Is the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper venomous?
Yes. The Sabah Bamboo Pitviper (Trimeresurus sabahi) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (viper). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
Is the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Sabah Bamboo Pitviper is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
Is the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper dangerous?
This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
Where does the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper live?
The Sabah Bamboo Pitviper has verified records in 5 countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia. See the distribution section below for its full range.

If you are bitten by the Sabah Bamboo Pitviper

A venomous snakebite is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number immediately. In the US, dial 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Do

  • Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
  • Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
  • Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
  • Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
  • Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
  • Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.

Do not

  • Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
  • Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
  • Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
  • Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
  • Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.

First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.

Where it is found

MalaysiaThailandIndonesiaIndiaMyanmar

More Viperidae 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
Viperidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
Trimeresurus
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Trimeresurus sabahi

Keep learning

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