Although I have long been interested in snakes, my encounters with them have been few and far apart. Perhaps this is partly due to my ignorance of them. My inability to determine whether they’re venomous or not means that when I do spot one, I’m more cautious in my approach than is necessary.
While in Malaysia in June 2014, I had the privilege of meeting with a fellow photographer whom I’d been following since 2009. He was so kind as to take me to one of his favourite “hunting grounds”; one of the several first encounters I had there was with this beautiful (juvenile?) Xenochrophis tranguligerus (Boie, 1827).
This species is commonly known as the Triangle or Red-sided Keelback, or sometimes the Triangle-spotted Keelback. Previously, this species was under the genus Natrix. Keelbacks are so known because their dorsal scales are “keeled”: close inspection reveals that rather than being smooth, the dorsal scales have a longitudinal “keel” or ridge.
The Triangle Keelback is common in Southeast Asia and India. It is usually found along the banks of rivers, forest streams and pools, and feeds on frogs, toads, lizards, and small reptiles and fish. These snakes are also found in areas that are exploited by humans such as rice fields and plantations.
The individual in these photographs was seen near a stream in Selangor, Malaysia.
References
- Ecologyasia.com, (2014). Triangle Keelback – Xenochrophis trianguligerus. [online] Available at: http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/snakes/triangle_keelback.htm [Accessed 6 Jul. 2014].
- Ghodke, S. (2014). Andaman & Nicobar Snakes – Xenocrophis trianguligerus( Triangle-spotted Keelback ). [online] Andamannicobarsnakes.com. Available at: http://www.andamannicobarsnakes.com/Xenocrophistringulagarus.html [Accessed 6 Jul. 2014].
- Iucnredlist.org, (2014). Xenochrophis trianguligerus (Red-sided Keelback Water Snake). [online] Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/192034/0 [Accessed 6 Jul. 2014].
- The Reptile Database, (2014). Xenochrophis trianguligerus. [online] Available at: http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Xenochrophis&species=trianguligerus [Accessed 7 Jul. 2014].
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