Rediscover 2 rare snake species in Hoang Lien

Two Oligodon lacroixi and purple-spotted serpentine Maculophis bellus chapaensis were described by French scientists in the first half of the twentieth century with specimens collected in Sa Pa and Lao Cai.

However, during the past 80 years, there have been no more records as well as specimens of the above two snakes collected in Vietnam. Through a number of trips to coordinate surveys on biodiversity between the Vietnam Museum of Nature and the Institute of Green-German Animals and the Tu-la Reptile and Amphibian Center (Russia), The team rediscovered specimens of the two very rare species of snakes in the area of ​​Hoang Lien Mountain, Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province.

Oligodon lacroixi has a quite colorful color: glossy brown back with four black stripes running along its back, along the middle of the back is a row of yellow spots, orange belly with black stripes across , on the top with an inverted V-shaped stripe, orange. This snake is only recorded in Lao Cai (Vietnam), Yunnan and Sichuan (China).

Purple spot stripes also have very beautiful colors with orange-red on their backs with yellow stripes and black edges running across the body, pale orange belly with black veins, above the head there are also yellow stripes running from the muzzle to the back. nape. This snake species has 2 subspecies, subspecies Maculphis bellus bellus distributed in South China, subspecies Maculophis bellus chapaensis currently only recorded distribution in Vietnam.

Roaring snakes.(Photo: Nikolai Orlov)

Purple-spotted striped snake.(Photo: Nguyen Thien Tao)