A bizarre Southeast Asian dragon snake with three rows of raised dorsal scales that look more like a row of small spines than ordinary scales.
Description
The Javan dragon snake is a slim, sooty-grey to black snake under 80 cm with three distinct longitudinal rows of raised, knobbly scales running the length of the back, suggesting tiny spines. The head is small and angular, and the eyes are bright with vertical pupils.
Behavior
A secretive nocturnal hunter of streams and flooded fields, the dragon snake takes frogs and tadpoles in shallow water and rests by day under rotting logs. The species is notoriously difficult to keep alive in captivity, with most wild-caught individuals refusing food and dying within weeks.
Range
Native to lowland Southeast Asia from southern Thailand through peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. It tolerates degraded rice-paddy habitats and is often found near villages despite its secretive habits.