Psammodynastes pulverulentus (Boie, 1827)
Mock Viper 紫沙蛇
(Mildly venomous)
Suborder
Serpentes 蛇亞目
An additional lighter colour phase exist:
Back tan yellow, with irregular darker spots and two light-coloured lateral stripes extending from neck to tail.
Young snakes may be either the dark or the light colour phase.
Ventrals brown, with pale speckles.
Head angular somewhat like a viper, with pale lines forming a "V" on top.
A broad reddish stripe may be present on the underside of body.
Dorsal scales smooth.
Mildly venomous with rear fangs, harmless to humans.
Secondary forest in hilly areas, also shrubland or grassland.
May perched on bushes over streams at night.
A fierce-looking snake, sometimes strikes and bites when provoked, but mostly bluffs by assuming the S-shaped stance of a true viper ready to strike.
Also recorded from Shek Kwu Chau, the only local occurrence on a small island.
Ranges from India to southern China including Taiwan, and south throughout Malay Peninsula to Indonesia.
