Pareas margaritophorus (Jan, 1866)
White-spotted Slug Snake 橫紋純頭蛇
(Non-venomous)
Suborder
Serpentes 蛇亞目
Ventrals white, with irregular black speckles.
Head rounded and distinct from neck.
Lips whitish, mottled with black. Mental groove absent.
Snout blunt. Tail short. Scales smooth.
Found mostly in shrubland or broad-leaf woodland, but also on the edge of suburban gardens and cultivated fields.
Occasionally found in hill and mountain grassland, often hiding under objects. Frequently trapped inside catchwaters.
Nocturnal. Docile, never attempt to bite.
Very slow-moving.
Secretive, hide a lot in captivity.
When captured, rolls itself into a tight ball, with the head tucked inside the coils.
Remains still even when turned over.
Is preyed upon by the Coral Snake (Sinomicrurus macclellandi) and possibly other ophiophagous snakes.
Enlarged teeth are specialized for taking snails from their shells.
In captivity feed readily on small land snails.
Occurs in extreme southern China and most of Southeast Asia.
