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Latest update: September 28th, 2024.
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Expanded account of the genus Gonyosoma
Reproduction: Oviparous. 2-12 eggs. Incubation time in captivity 107-146 days at 27-29 C. Hatchlings measure about 0.45 m. The youngs begin changing colouration after the 3rd shedding. Adult colouration is achieved after 18 months. Diet: A shy, but active hunter. Eats mammals, birds, bird eggs, and lizards. Habitat: Loweland and montane primary and secondary tropical forests, mangroves, marshes, riverbanks, wet shrublands, plantations (e.g., rubber, bananas), and even gardens. Altitude range: 20-1400 m ASL. Habits: Diurnal and but also active during sunset and at night. Arboreal or terrestrial. Defense: The snake inflates the body vertically and hisses while letting the air out of the body. The tongue is arched slowly. Longevity: A wild-caught female oxycephalum lived for 15 years, 1 month, and 25 days. Use and trade: Not included in CITES Appendices. G. oxycephalum is harvested for the international pet or skin trade. It is also eaten in some countries. Medical importance: Harmless to humans. |  Abbreviations and glossary | ||
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Gonyosoma jansenii
Reproduction: Oviparous. 2-9 eggs, 44-64 X 27-29 mm. Incubation time in captivity 107-146 days at 27-29 C. Hatchlings measure about 0.45 m. The youngs begin changing colouration after the 3rd shedding. Adult colouration is achieved after 18 months. Diet: A shy, but active hunter. Eats birds and mammals. Habitat: Lower primary and higher montane forests. Often found sleeping on mangroves and trees near rivers. May enter village houses. Also occurs in disturbed habitats including plantains, rural gardens, etc. Altitude range: 100-1000 m ASL. Habits: Diurnal. Partly arboreal. Defense: The snake inflates the body vertically and hisses while letting the air out of the body. The tongue is arched slowly. Use and trade: Not included in CITES Appendices. Although there is a pet trade market for the species, it is assumed to be rare in the herpetoculture, since it is difficult to get from Sulawesi in any quantity. Conservation: Least Concern (IUCN Red Lists). Justified in view of its wide distribution, there are no major threats and because the population is unlikely to be substantially declining. Other notes: Juveniles have dark green basic colour with oblique, dark lateral bands. Head and neck totally green. Supralabials are lighter. A dark streak runs through the eye. Tongue is blue. Belly white anteriorly, becoming darker posteriorly and grey to olive at the venter of the tail. References:  Lang & Vogel 2005
Rusli & Gillespie 2021
Schulz 1996
Schulz & Gumprecht 1999
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Gonyosoma oxycephalum
Reproduction: Oviparous. In captivity, clutches contained 2-12 eggs. Probably laid in tree cavities in the wild. Eggs measure 58-70 X 23-27 mm, weigh about 20 g, and hatch after 85-125 days in captivity (although one source report an incubation period of only 45 days). Hatchlings measure 39-55 cm TL and weigh 14-22 g. They grow to 1.00-1.40 m in the first year. Mating lasts 4-5 hours, occurs in trees, and apparently takes place several times during the year, depending on distribution and climate (i.e., monsoon seasons). Diet: Bats (e.g., Eonycteris spelaea, Hipposideros pomona, Taphozous melanopogon), rodents, birds, and lizards. Capable of catching bats and birds in flight. Snakes have been observed ambushing bats in caves or near cave entrances. When bats leave their caves at sunset in large numbers, the snakes stand a good chance of catching prey. Also bird eggs, tree rats and tree squirrels. Prey is killed by constriction. Juveniles probably feed mainly on lizards, but also crickets. A juvenile was observed deep inside a cave, where it had just preyed on a camel cricket or cave cricket (Rhaphidophoridae), large crickets which are extremely abundant in most Philippine caves. Habitat: Primary and secondary tropical forests, mangroves, marshes, riverbanks, wet shrublands, plantations (e.g., rubber, bananas), and even gardens. Usually found in bushes and trees or in tangled vegetation close to or overhanging water, including brackish water, but occasionally found far from water. Although some sources have claimed that it is rarely encountered close to villages, it is occasionally found in rural gardens. Altitude range: 20-1400 m ASL. Habits: Diurnal, but also active during sunset and at night. Almost exclusively arboreal, but juveniles show more terrestrial activity. Java population mainly terrestrial. Moves with great speed through the vegetation. Often curls up i branches up to 10 m above ground. Defense: As in G. jansenii, the snake inflates the body vertically and hisses while letting the air out of the body. The tongue is arched above the snout and slowly moved up and down. May defend itself fiercely when cornered. Readily bites, although this bite is not immediately released. May excrete a foul-smelling reddish-brown liquid from the postanal glands. Head may be swayed horizontally. Bites are painful, but harmless to humans. Longevity: A wild-caught female lived for 15 years, 1 month, and 25 days. Use and trade: Not included in CITES Appendices. It is harvested for the international pet trade. In the Indonesian pet trade, there is a particular demand for the grey and yellow colour morph known from Central Java. Being a large snake, it is eaten in some countries (e.g., Laos), but there is no evidence of this in other countries (e.g., Cambodia, Vietnam). It is heavily exploited in Java for its skin and meat and is opportunistically exploited throughout Indonesia for the pet trade, for skins and for sale in restaurants. Conservation: Least Concern (IUCN Red Lists). Justified on the basis that no major threats have been identified, and there does not appear to be any impact on the overall population from current levels of exploitation, it occurs in several protected areas, and is tolerant of a degree of habitat modification. Common in some places (e.g., Borneo), but uncommon in other places (e.g., Philippines, Vietnam). Due to high rates of harvesting in parts of its range, it is likely to be suffering local population declines, but the impact of this activity on the global population is unknown. Other notes: Colouration quite variable. Almost entirely yellow snakes are sometimes found in Thailand and in the Philippines. A very dark specimen was found in Nias. A greyish-brown variety is found in Java with same tail colour as body and yellow lip scales. Juveniles slightly darker than adults. References: Chakravarty & Saw 2014
Charlton 2020
Cox & al. 2012
Dieckmann & al. 2015
Grismer 2011
Lang 2017
Lang & Vogel 2005
Malkmus & al. 2002
Manthey & Grossmann 1997
Schulz 1996
Stuebing & al. 2014
Whitaker & Captain 2004
Wogan & al. 2012
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