ງູສິງຫາງລາຍ, ມັຣ ບລອງ (ກືມຸ) ( Common rat snake, Oriental Ratsnake)

Coluber blumenbachii Merrem, 1820
Coluber dhumna Cantor, 1839
Coluber mucosus Linnaeus, 1758
Coryphodon blumenbachii Dumeril, 1854
Leptophis trifrenatus Hallowell, 1861
Natrix mucosa Laurenti, 1768
Ptyas blumenbachii Fitzinger, 1843
Ptyas mucosus subsp. maximus Deraniyagala, 1955
Ptyas mucosus subsp. nigricans (Chernov, 1949)
Zamenis mucosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Zaocys mucosus Wall, 1921

Colubridae

Ptyas mucosa, commonly known as the rat snake, displays a striking appearance characterized by a brownish-yellow body adorned with irregular black spots along its sides. Its head and neck are predominantly black, featuring a dark stripe that extends down its back. The underside of the snake is lighter in color, transitioning to darker shades towards the tail, and is marked by three distinct gray or brown spots. This slender bodied species has a well-defined head, with nostrils positioned laterally on its snout and small, round eyes. The scales on its back exhibit a pronounced ridge, and the scale covering the cloaca an opening used for waste and egg-laying is notably divided. Adult individuals can reach a total length of up to 370 cm.
In terms of behavior, Ptyas mucosa is known for its agility and quick movements. While in captivity, these snakes can exhibit protective tendencies towards their space, potentially attempting to intimidate or bite any intruders that venture too close. They are diurnal creatures, frequently observed basking in sunlight and occasionally spending time among the trees.
Mating typically occurs in late spring or early summer; however, in warmer climates, they may breed year-round. During the breeding season, male rat snakes engage in competitive displays for territory, often involving ritualized wrestling matches where they entwine their bodies. This behavior may be misinterpreted as a mating dance. Following mating, females lay clutches of 6 to 15 eggs several weeks later, contributing to the next generation of this fascinating species [4], [5], [6].

Native to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Viet Nam, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Global distribution between 2004 to 2024. Source: [7]

North Laos Highlands
Northern Mekong Corridor
Annamite Highlands and Xieng Khuang Plateau
Vientiane Plain
Lower Annamites
Southern Annamites
Southern Mekong Corridor
Boloven Plateau

Mixed deciduous forest
Rice paddy
Grasslands
Riparian vegetation
Rivers and streams

Native

Not invasive

Least concern

List II: Control species

Food

This species is large-bodied and common near human habitation, and therefore is consumed locally in parts of its range, especially in northeastern Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Viet Nam. It is often seen for sale as human food in markets in Lao PDR and Cambodia. It is also sold alive in markets and used in the snake wine industry in Viet Nam. It is traded for food, skins, and medicinal purposes in Indonesia. [8]

Wild

August
September
October
April
May
June
July

Habitat preservation: This snake might be in danger because people are catching too many of them for food, their skin, and medicine. It's traded a lot in many places, and its numbers have gone down a lot in some areas. [8]

Population monitoring: Density estimates Monitoring snake species through trapping. CPUE for estimates of how many snakes are caught are based on what harvester’s report. It's unclear if this includes all the snakes they saw or just the ones they caught. If they only caught certain types of snakes. Size estimates from this study are from different times of the year.
Source: [9]

N/A

N/A

Nutrient	/100g	Remark
Proteins	N/A	N/A
Carbohydrates	N/A	N/A
Fats	N/A	N/A
Vitamins	N/A	N/A
Minerals	N/A	N/A
Fibers	N/A	N/A

Oriental rat snake up close. [1] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 17 May 2021 by Saluni. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/79119610 [Accessed: 21 August 2024]
Oriental rat snake’s whole body. [2] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 20 April 2024 by: patrick-dons. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/368845688. [Accessed: 21 August 2024
Oriental rat snake from afar. [3] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 18 April 2024 by Vamax. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/207876552 [Accessed: 21 August 2024]

[4] I. D. Das, “Snake of Thailand and Southeast Asia,” 3rd ed. Bangkok, Thailand: Asia books. 2021
[5] ຄຳຫລ້າ ອິນຄະວິໄລ, ທະນັນ ໂຄດປະທຸມ, ໄພວຽງ ວົງຄຳແຫງ ແລະ A. D. starr. “ຄູມືຄວາມຫລາກຫລາຍທາງຊະນິດ ສັດເຄິ່ງບົກ-ເຄິ່ງນ້ຳ ແລະ ສັດເລືອຄານ ເຂດອະນຸລັກປ່າໂຄກ ໂອງ-ໂມງ ແຫ່ງຊາດ ແຂວງ ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ ສປປ ລາວ,” ນະຄອນຫລວງ ວຽງຈັນ: ໂຄງການຄຸ້ມຄອງທີ່ດິນ ແລະ ປ່າໄມ້ແບບຍືນຍົງ ຢູໃນລະບົບນິເວດປ່າໂຄກພາກໃຕ້ ຂອງ ສປປ ລາວ. 2021
[6] Thailand National parks [online]. Available: https://www.thainationalparks.com/species/ptyas-mucosa [Accessed: 21 August.08.2024]
[7] Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), “Ptyas mucosa (Linnaeus, 1758)” [Online]. Available: https://www.gbif.org/species/5224052. [Accessed: 04 October 2024].
[8] IUCN Red List, "Dremomys rufigenis," 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164644/1063584. [Accessed: Oct. 19, 2024].
[9] TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. [Online] “Conservation and impact of trade on the Oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa in Java, Indonesia,” Available: https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/3211/oriental-rat-snake-java.pdf [Accessed: 21.08.2024]