Javan Tubercle Snake

About the Javan Tubercle Snake

Xenodermus javanicus, also known as the dragon snake, Javan tubercle snake, Javan mudsnake, or rough-backed litter snake, is a small, non-venomous, semi-fossorial snake species belonging to the monotypic genus Xenodermus. This species is best known for their characteristic dorsal scales and interesting defense mechanism in which they stiffen their entire bodies when threatened. X. javanicus is nocturnal and subsists on a diet of frogs, tadpoles and small fish.

They most often perish once placed into captivity; only a few herpetoculturists have been successful in keeping them. Xenodermus javanicus is found in the Malay Peninsula (Malaysia, Thailand, and one old record from the southernmost tip of Myanmar) and parts of the Greater Sunda Islands (Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, as well as some smaller islands). It inhabits damp areas near water, including forests, swamps, marshes, and rice fields, at elevations below 1,300 m (4,300 ft), but most commonly between 500–1,100 m (1,600–3,600 ft) above sea level.

Xenodermus javanicus has a distinct head and long tail. The body is slender and compressed. The total length is about 50 cm (20 in). Males... Wikipedia →