Ahaetulla fronticincta

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Serpentes
Infraordo: Caenophidia
Superfamilia: Colubroidea

Familia: Colubridae
Subfamilia: Ahaetuliinae
Genus: Ahaetulla
Species: Ahaetulla fronticincta
Name

Ahaetulla fronticincta (Günther, 1858)

Syntypes: BMNH 1946.1.8.24-26.
Type locality: “West Indies” (in error).

Combinations

Dryiophis [sic] fronticincta Günther, 1858: 158 [original combination]
Tragops fronticinctus — Günther, 1864: 304 [subsequent combination]
Ahaetulla fronticincta — Murthy, 1985 [subsequent combination]

References
Primary references

Günther, A. 1858. Catalogue of Colubrine Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum. British Museum (Natural History): London. xvi + 281 pp. BHL Reference page.

Additional references

Dowling, H.G. & Jenner, J.V. 1988. Snakes of Burma: checklist of reported species and bibliography. Smithsonian herpetological information service (76): 19 pp.
Sharma, R.C. 2004. Handbook Indian Snakes. Akhill Books: New Delhi. 292 pp.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2021. Ahaetulla fronticincta. The Reptile Database. Accessed on 17 November 2020.
Wogan, G. & Vogel, G. 2020. IUCN: Ahaetulla fronticincta (Least Concern) (amended version of 2012 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T192058A175775547. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T192058A175775547.en

Vernacular names
English: Burmese Vine Snake

Günther's whipsnake, Burmese vine snake or river vine snake (Ahaetulla fronticincta) is a species of snake found in bushes and other low vegetation along tidal rivers and mangrove in coastal parts of Myanmar (Burma).[1][2][3] There are also old records from neighbouring northeastern India (Assam and Darjeeling), but these are considered questionable and it has not been located there during recent surveys.[1][3] It is generally common in appropriate habitats within its known range.[1]

This diurnal, mildly venomous snake feeds only on fish.[1][2][3] It is slender, up to about 1 m (3 ft) long, and either green or brownish with a paler underside.[2] It is ovoviviparous.[2]
Food

Feeds only on fish.[1] It strikes at a fish in water while maintaining half of its body wrapped around a branch or twig. The mild venom of this snake renders the fish immobile.
References

Wogan, G. & Vogel, G. (2012). "Ahaetulla fronticincta". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2012: e.T192058A2034357. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192058A2034357.en. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
Das, I. (2010). A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-East Asia. Pp. 259-260. New Holland Publishers, UK. ISBN 978-1-84773-347-4

Reptile Database (2016). Ahaetulla fronticincta. Retrieved 15 April 2016.

Boulenger, George A. 1890 The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis, London, xviii, 541 pp.
Günther, A. 1858 Catalogue of Colubrine snakes of the British Museum. London, I - XVI, 1 - 281