My chosen reptile is the Xenopeltis Unicolor, commonly known as the Sunbeam Snake. What caught my attention was its iridescent scales which shines magnificently under the light.
It is native to Singapore (Nparks, n.d) and can also be found in other parts of Southeast Asia and Indonesia (Inaturalist, n.d). It is a fully terrestrial species that prefers a humid and damp habitat. It can live in grasslands, lower montane forest and urban environments (Ecologyasia, 2020).
Sunbeam snakes are burrowers, which means that they spend much of the day underground. Therefore, they are solitary creatures that appreciate their personal space (Britannica, n.d.). Being nocturnal, they would likely only emerge from underground when it is time to prey at night. They prey on a variety of animals including but not limited to frogs, snakes, birds, and small mammals (Inaturalist, n.d). As they are constrictors, they kill their prey by coiling around them and suffocating them (Inaturalist, n.d). They are not known to defend a specific space that it occupies.
They are best spotted during nights of rainy days, usually hidden beneath piles of leaves. Past sightings have been found at Tampines Eco-Green, Lorong Halus Wetland among others.
Bibliography:
Asian Sunbeam Snake. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/32407-Xenopeltis-unicolor
Reptile. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/biodiversity/wildlife-in-singapore/species-list/reptile
Sunbeam Snake. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/snakes/sunbeam_snake.htm
Wallach, V. (n.d.). Sunbeam Snake. Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/animal/sunbeam-snake
BFF Biodiversity Challenge 2020 
Good write-up! And nice photo that clearly shows the snake’s iridescence 🙂 It’s interesting that they prefer humid and damp habitats, given that many reptiles enjoy warmth and sunlight.
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