Ptyas fusca, commonly known as the white-bellied rat snake or brown rat snake, is a species of colubrid snake. It is found in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
The white-bellied rat snake prefers forested habitats. They are known to prey on frogs and lizards and fish. It is known to remain still and hold neck erect when disturbed-a threatening posture.
The adults range from brown to brick-red colour on the upper surface. Ventral scales are white to pale yellowish in colour. Thick black stripes on either side of the posterior body and tail is a characteristic feature. Juveniles often greenish in coloration. The pupil is rounded and large.
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Scientific classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum
Vertebrata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Suborder
Serpentes
Family
Colubridae
Genus
Ptyas
Species
Ptyas fusca
Common names
German: Braune Rattenschlange
English:
White-bellied rat snake
Brown rat snake
Thai:
งูสิงใต้, ngu sing dtai
งูสิงทอง, ngu sing thong
Synonyms
Ptyas fusca, Van Stanley Bartholomew Wallach et al. (2014)
Ptyas fusca, Patrick David & Indraneil Das (2004)
Ptyas fuscus, Rudolf Malkmus et al. (2002)
Ptyas fuscus, Merel J. Cox et al. (1998)
Ptyas fuscus, Patrick David & Gernot Vogel (1996)
Zaocys fuscusv, Ulrich Manthey (1983)
Zaocys fuscus, Ulrich Manthey (1983)
Zaocys fuscus, Alice Georgie Cruickshank Grandison (1978)
Ptyas fuscus, Frank Wall (1923)
Zaocys fuscus, George Albert Boulenger (1893)
Zaocys (Zapyrus) fuscus, Oskar Boettger (1887)
Zapyrus fuscus, George Albert Boulenger (1885)
Zaocys fuscus, Albert Charles Lewis Günther (1864)
Coryphodon fuscus, Albert Charles Lewis Günther (1858)