Native Animals
Xenopeltis unicolor
Irridescent Earth Snake
LC
Least Concern
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
ver 3.1, 2012
Taxonomy
-
Kingdom
-
Phylum
-
Class
-
Order
-
Family
-
Genus
-
Specific Epithetunicolor Reinwardt in Boie, 1827
-
Common Name
- Asian Sunbeam Snake (English)
- Irridescent Earth Snake (English)
- Sunbeam Snake (English)
- Ular Pelangi (Malay)
-
ResidentialNative
The taxonomic status is pending for approval
Description
The body of Sunbeam Snake is black to chocolate brown above and very iridescent. The belly is white. This species is found in humid plains and hills up to 1,300m. The snake prefers a damp, cool habitat amongst leaf litter, where it hunts for prey at night. This snake feeds mainly on frogs and other snakes, but will also occasionally feed on rodents and fish.
Habits
| No | Part | Habit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Oviparous — Reproduction through production of eggs that have membranes and/or shells.
|
|
| 2 |
|
Sub-fossorial — Living under a substrate, such as in leaf litter, under fallen objects.
|
|
| 3 |
Terrestrial — An animal that lives on/near the ground or a plant that grows on/in/from land
|
Habitats
| No | Description | Suitability | Seasonality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Artificial - Terrestrial → Arable Land
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 2 |
Artificial - Terrestrial → Pastureland
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 3 |
Artificial - Terrestrial → Plantations
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 4 |
Artificial - Terrestrial → Rural Gardens
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 5 |
Artificial - Terrestrial → Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 6 |
Artificial - Terrestrial → Urban Areas
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 7 |
Forest → Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 8 |
Shrubland → Subtropical/Tropical Moist Shrubland
|
Suitable | Unknown |
| 9 |
Wetlands → Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands [generally over 8 ha]
|
Suitable | Unknown |
References : http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/habitats-classification-scheme-ver3
Assessment
| Year Published | Assessment | Red List Category | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Least Concern (LC)
|
3.1 |
| 2010 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Least Concern (LC)
|
N/A |
Location
by State Location
- Johore 1
- Kedah 1
- Kelantan 1
- Perak 1
Based on publications, specimens, and images
Specimen
| Collection Center | Dried | Live | Slide | Wet | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Biodiversity Experts
| Profile | |
|---|---|
|
Amirrudin Bin Ahmad (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Amphibians, Dragonflies and Damselflies, Fishes, Reptiles,
Biodiversity, Data Analysis, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Living Modified Organism (LMO), Marine & Coastal, Protected Areas & Invasive Alien Species
|
|
Chen Pelf Nyok (Dr.)
Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS)
|
Turtle, Tortoise, and Terrapin (Ecology), Reptiles (Ecology),
Biodiversity, Conservation, Education & Environment
|
|
Kaviarasu Munian (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Reptiles (Ecology), Amphibians (Ecology), Fishes (Ecology),
|
|
Lim Boo Liat (Dr.)
|
Reptiles (Ecology), Rodents (Ecology), Amphibians (Ecology),
Biodiversity, Ecosystems & Invasive Alien Species
|
|
Mohammad Shahfiz Azman (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Amphibians, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles,
Awareness, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Forest, Landscape, Law and Policy, Management, Protected Areas, Science, Systematics, Invasive Alien Species, Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC), National Policy on Biological Diversity, Policy, Research and Development (R&D) & Zoonotic
|
|
Mohd Abdul Muin Bin Md Akil (Mr.)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
|
Amphibians, Birds, Reptiles, Snakes,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Evolution, Genetics, Molecular, Protected Areas, Climate Change & Invasive Alien Species
|
|
Mohd Zulfadli Bin Mohd Arshad (Mr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
|
Rodents (Taxonomy), Reptiles,
Molecular, Biodiversity & Science
|
|
Norhayati Binti Ahmad (Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Frogs and Toads, Snakes, Amphibians, Reptiles,
|
|
Teo Eng Wah (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
|
Reptiles, Amphibians,
Invasive Alien Species
|
PM - Peninsular Malaysia; SBH - Sabah; SWK - Sarawak; SEA - Southeast Asia; W - World;
References
Article
- Chan, K.O., Mohd Abdul Muin, M.A., Shahrul Anuar, M.S., Andam, J., Razak, N. & Aziz, M.A. (2019). First checklist on the amphibians and reptiles of Mount Korbu, the second highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia. Checklist 15 (6), 1055-1069. https://doi.org/10.15560/15.6.1055 — [ Adobe PDF (PDF) ]
- Lim, B.L., Noor Alif Wira, O., Chan, K.O., Daicus, B. & Norhayati, A. (2010). An Updated Checklist of the Herpetofauna of Pulau Singa Besar, Langkawi, Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysian Applied Biology Journal 39 (1), 13-23. https://www.researchgate.net
- Murphy, J.C., Voris, H.K. & Karns, D.R. (1994). A Field Guide and Key to the Snakes of the Danum Valley, A Bornean Tropical Forest Ecosystem. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society , Vol. 29 (7), 133-151
- Quah, E.S.H., Mohd Abdul Muin, M.A., Nur Amira, A.R., Fatim Syakirah, M., Shahrul Anuar, M.S. & Lee Grismer, L. (2013). Species Diversity of Herpetofauna of Bukit Panchor State Park, Penang, Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal 64 (4), 193-211
- Shahriza, S., Ibrahim, J., Ibrahim, N.H., Ismail, A., Hurzaid, A., Awang, Z. & Shahrul Anuar, M.S. (2013). An Addition of Reptiles of Gunung Inas, Kedah, Malaysia. Russian Journal of Herpetology 20 (3), 171-180
Book
- Panduan Pengendalian Reptilia Berbisa (Ular). Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia. pp. 75.
- Snake Farm Exhibition, 2010. Snake Farm, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, The Thai Red Cross Society, Thailand. pp. 97.
- Das, I. (2010). A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers (UK), England. pp. 369.
- Das, I. (2012). A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of South-east Asia : Including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. John Beaufoy Publishing, Oxford, England. pp. 70-71; 160 pg.
- Hazebroek, H.P., Adlin, T.Z. & Sinun, W. (2011). Danum Valley: The Rain Forest. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Malaysia. pp. 615.
- Maimon, A. (2008). Biodiversity of Sungai Pulai: Ramsar Site, Johor. Earth Observation Centre, Malaysia. pp. 97.
- Marlon, R., Supriatna, J., Liswanto, D., Baskoro, K., Putra, S. & Patty, H.R. (2014). Panduan Visual dan Identifikasi Lapangan: 107+ Ular Indonesia. Indonesia Nature & Wildlife Publishing, Indonesia. pp. 251.
- Nee, T. A. & Norhayati, N. (2018). Compendium of Facts and Figures. 3rd Edition, Volume 3. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Malaysia. pp. 174.
- Norhayati, A., Daicus, B. & Chan, K.O. (2021). Ular Darat Malaysia / Land Snakes of Malaysia. Penerbit UKM, Malaysia. pp. 100.
- Praveena, B.K. & Maria Arlene, J.A.S. (2013). Compendium of Facts and Figures. 2nd Edition. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Malaysia. pp. 161.
- Rusli, N., Marlon, R., Lilley, R., Ekariyono, W. & Laister, A. (2016). Mengenal Ular Jabodetabek - Snakes of Jakarta and Its Surroundings. Ciliwung Reptile Center, Jakarta, Indonesia. pp. 168.
- Shaharuddin, M.I., Dahalan, H.T., Abdullah Sani, Shafie, Jalil, M.S., Faridah-Hanum, I. & Latiff, A. (2005). Taman Negeri Gunung Stong, Kelantan: Pengurusan, Persekitaran Fizikal, Biologi dan Sosio-ekonomi. Jabatan Perhutanan Semenanjung Malaysia, Malaysia. pp. 442.
- Sibunruang, S., Suteparuk, S. & Sitprija, V. (2013). Manual of Practical Management of Snake-bites and Animal Toxin Injury. Bangkok: Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, The Thai Red Cross Society, Thailand. pp. 88.
Chapter in book
- Das, I. & Norsham, S.Y. (2007). Status of Knowledge of The Malaysia Herpetofauna. In Chua, L.S.L., Kirton, L.G. & Saw, L.G. (Eds.), Status of Biological Diversity in Malaysia and Threat Assessment of Plant Species in Malaysia: Proceedings of the Seminar and Workshop, 28-30 June 2005. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). pp. 31-81.
Acknowledgements :- Mr. Abdul Razak Mohd Nor Rasid, Ms. Aida Salihah Binti Abu Bakar, Mrs. Aziemah Binti Kinan, Mr. Badrul Amin Bin Jaffar, Ms. Noor Amira Aini Binti Noor Anwar, Ms. Nor Liyana Binti Hassan, Ms. Norazah Binti Norddin, Mrs. Nur Hazwanie Binti Abd Halim, Ms. Nurfarhana Hizan Binti Hijas, Ms. Nurul Aimi Amirah Binti Mohd Zaki, Ms. Siti Zubaidah Binti Abdul Latif, Mr. Tan Kok Kiat, Mrs. Wan Roniza Binti Ismil & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin
Photo credit :- Chan Kin Onn
Species Citation :- Xenopeltis unicolor. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Accessed via https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/9948. [Retrieved 21 March 2023].
Feedback :- If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback.
