Colubridae
Taiwan Kukri Snake
HarmlessOligodon formosanus
6 photographs of the Taiwan Kukri Snake. © Zheyuan LIU.
The Taiwan Kukri Snake (Oligodon formosanus) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 7 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Taiwan Kukri Snake
Oligodon formosanus, also known as the Formosa kukri snake or beautiful kukri snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae.
The species epithet is named after its range in Taiwan (Formosa).
Formosa kukri snakes eat the eggs of Chinese box turtles.
Description
The scale colorings range in the brown-red spectrum. The body is a tawny light brown with two darker russet stripes running down either side of the spine, where thin black lines that break into smaller dotted patterns occasionally diagonally intersect. The underbelly is off-white.
Distribution
The snake is found in China (including Hong Kong and Hainan), Japan (including Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Miyako and Yaeyama), Taiwan, and northern Vietnam.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Taiwan Kukri Snake
- Is the Taiwan Kukri Snake venomous?
- No. The Taiwan Kukri Snake (Oligodon formosanus) 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 Taiwan Kukri Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Taiwan Kukri Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Taiwan Kukri Snake dangerous?
- The Taiwan Kukri Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Taiwan Kukri Snake live?
- The Taiwan Kukri Snake has verified records in 7 countries, including Chinese Taipei, China, Hong Kong. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Colubridae snakes
Small-banded Kukri SnakeOligodon fasciolatus
Streaked Kukri SnakeOligodon taeniolatus
Banded kukri snakeOligodon arnensis
Eight-striped Kukri SnakeOligodon octolineatus
Striped Kukri SnakeOligodon taeniatus
Chinese Kukri SnakeOligodon chinensis
Brown Kukri SnakeOligodon purpurascens
Black Cross-barred Kukri SnakeOligodon cinereus
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
- Oligodon
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Oligodon formosanus
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.