Nguyenvansang’s Snake – Colubroelaps nguyenvansangi – Orlov, Kharin, Ananjeva, Thien Tao & Quang Truong, 2009

Science name: Colubroelaps nguyenvansangi – Orlov, Kharin, Ananjeva, Thien Tao & Quang Truong, 2009

Taxonomic:  Animalia>> Chordata>> Reptilia>> Squamata >> Colubridae >> nguyenvansangi

Species status: Endemic ; IUCN status: LC (Least Concern)

Description: Physical characteristics: This is a small, very thin colubrid snake with an elapsoid body shape. It reaches a total length of 500 mm, with a snout-vent length of 393 mm and a tail length of 107 mm. The body is round in cross-section and vermiform. The head is small, roundish, and indistinguishable from the body. It has large, regular shields covering its head, with very small eyes and a round pupil. The snake lacks a loreal shield. Its dorsal scales are uniform, rhomboid, tile-shaped, and smooth, arranged in 15 scale rows along the body, reducing to 13 rows near the anus. The anal plate is divided. It has 14 maxillary teeth, 7 teeth on the palatinum, 7 on the pterygoideum, and 12 teeth on each side of the dentale.

Distribution and habitat: Elevation: Found at elevations ranging from 500 to 720 meters.
Area: Endemic to southern Vietnam, with known records from Loc Bac Forest Enterprise in Lam Dong Province and Bu Gia Map National Park in Binh Phuoc Province. The species is known from only two locations.
Habitat: Colubroelaps nguyenvansangi inhabits secondary evergreen forest, often found under leaf litter. The type specimen was collected at 720 meters during the dry season. The habitat in Bu Gia Map National Park, where the second specimen was found, is primarily lowland secondary forest dominated by Fabaceae species.

Behaviour and ecology: Lifestyle: This species is fossorial, spending most of its time under leaf litter and in the forest floor substrate. The species is elusive, and very little is known about its behavior in the wild.

Reproduction: Information on the reproduction of Colubroelaps nguyenvansangi is currently unavailable due to the limited number of specimens and field observations.

Diet: The diet of this species is not well documented, but as a member of the colubrid family, it is likely to feed on small invertebrates or other similarly-sized prey found in its forested habitat.

Conservation and status: IUCN Red List Category and Criteria: The conservation status of this species has not yet been assessed by the IUCN.

Threats: Due to its limited known range and habitat, potential threats include deforestation and habitat degradation caused by human activities, such as logging or agricultural expansion in southern Vietnam. Further research is needed to determine its conservation status and population trends.