Xenodermidae
Ziggy Stardust Snake
HarmlessParafimbrios lao
The Ziggy Stardust Snake (Parafimbrios lao) is a non-venomous snake in the Xenodermidae family.
- Family
- Xenodermidae
About the Ziggy Stardust Snake
The Ziggy Stardust Snake belongs to the Xenodermidae family, odd-scaled snakes. Forest snakes with strange, knob-like scales.
Odd-scaled snakes are secretive, harmless snakes of damp forests, named for the unusual raised or granular scales that give the skin a rough, beaded look. They are poorly known and rarely seen.
Its genus, Parafimbrios, covers Naga ground snakes. A tiny genus of secretive, rough-scaled ground snakes from the karst hills of Southeast Asia, named for the bizarrely textured skin of its species.
The Ziggy Stardust Snake is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Ziggy Stardust Snake
- Is the Ziggy Stardust Snake venomous?
- No. The Ziggy Stardust Snake (Parafimbrios lao) 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 Ziggy Stardust Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Ziggy Stardust Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Ziggy Stardust Snake dangerous?
- The Ziggy Stardust Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
More Xenodermidae snakes
Boulenger's Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus rufescens
Javan Tubercle SnakeXenodermus javanicus
Black Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus niger
Huang's odd-scaled snakeAchalinus huangjietangi
Peters' Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus spinalis
Formosa Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus formosanus
Achalinus ningshanensisAchalinus ningshanensis
Amami Takachiho SnakeAchalinus werneri
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
- Xenodermidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Parafimbrios
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Parafimbrios lao
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. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.