Blue-necked Keelback
Rhabdophis rhodomelas
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusRhabdophis
- SpeciesRhabdophis rhodomelas (Blue-necked Keelback)
About the Blue-necked Keelback
Rhabdophis rhodomelas, the blueneck keelback or blue-necked keelback, is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. It is found in the Malay Peninsula (southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore), Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah, Malaysia; Kalimantan, Indonesia), and in the western parts of the Indonesian Archipelago (Sumatra, Java, Bangka Island).
Rhabdophis rhodomelas is an uncommon species found in lowland forest near streams and rivers at elevations less than 200 m (660 ft) above sea level. It is oviparous, laying up to 27 eggs per clutch. In the popular book, Fascinating Snakes of South East Asia - An Introduction. By Francis Lim Leong Keng & Monty Lee Tat-Mong. 1989 ISBN 967-73-0045-8. Page 61 There is a photo and short description of this snake. It states that " When disturbed, the Blue-Necked Keelback will rear up and flatten its neck like the Cobra. A whitish discharge, secreted by glands under the skin, oozes onto the blue patch of the neck-the purpose of this phenomenon is still a mystery." After much research we cannot find any further reference to this phenomenon. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Sepilok
Red-bellied Keelback
Rhabdophis conspicillatus
Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi
Gray Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Red-tailed Green Ratsnake
Gonyosoma oxycephalum
Brown Whip Snake
Dryophiops rubescens
Gold-ringed Cat Snake
Boiga dendrophila
Brown Rat Snake
Ptyas fusca
(Eight-) Striped Kukri Snake
Oligodon octolineatus
Oriental Whipsnake
Ahaetulla prasina
Dog-toothed Cat Snake
Boiga cynodon
Samarinda Reed Snake
Calamaria hilleniusi
Orange-bellied Snake
Gongylosoma baliodeira
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blue-necked Keelback in Sepilok?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-necked Keelback sighting in Sepilok, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blue-necked Keelback in Sepilok?
November has the highest sighting rate for Blue-necked Keelback in Sepilok in our monthly data.