Philippine Rat Snake
Philippine Rat Snake The Philippine Rat Snake ( Coelognathus philippinus ), also known as the Reddish Rat Snake and Palawan Rat Snake, is a nonvenomous colubrid endemic to several islands in the Philippines, specifically Palawan, Balabac, Busuanga, Culion, Bongao, Sanga-Sanga, Sibutu, and Tawi-Tawi. Its slender, cylindrical body can reach lengths of around 1.55 meters and has light brown to reddish brown dorsal coloration that darkens or becomes more reddish posteriorly. It typically has a series of black-edged light-colored markings on the sides that disappear towards the tail; these markings are more distinct in juveniles. The species was originally described as Elaphe philippina in 1909 based on specimens from Iwahig, Palawan, then long regarded as a subspecies of Coelognathus erythrurus . It was elevated to full species status as Coelognathus philippinus in 2001. Philippine Rat Snake This specie...
