Malagasy Cat-eyed Snake

Madagascarophis colubrinus

Madgascarophis is a genus of small, mildly venomous colubrid snakes native to the island of Madagascar. They are commonly referred to as Malagasy cat-eyed snakes. Four species are in the genus.
Malagasy Cat-eyed Snake (night snake) at well in Tsingy, Madagascar Right at the start of our night tour in Tsingy, Madagascar we found this Cat-eyed snake stationed at the edge of a stone well. This snake is fairly common in Madagascar and hunts for rodents and chameleons. Like all snakes in Madagascar, this snake is not dangerous to humans. It has venom but it is so weak that it will not even kill a rodent. The snake therefore uses a combination of venom and constriction. Madagascar,Madagascarophis colubrinus,Malagasy Cat-eyed Snake,Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park

Appearance

Madgascarophis species are small snakes, rarely exceeding 100 cm in adult size. They are highly variable in color, greys, browns, yellows, greens, and oranges with darker colored blotches. They have large eyes with vertical pupils.
Madagascar Night Snake (Madagascarophis colubrinus) Another common name used for this species is the Malagasy Cat-eyed Snake, which is confusing, since that is also the name of its genus, which contains 4 different species. Some even refer to it as the Malagasy Common Snake, even more confusing. 

My girl Henriette spotted this one whilst we returned from dinner, on the way back to our lodge. Potential prey for this snake was found a few meters away, only one minute earlier:
http://www.jungledragon.com/image/33360/lowland_streaked_tenrec_in_maroantsetra_madagascar.html Africa,Geotagged,Madagascar,Madagascar North,Madagascarophis colubrinus,Malagasy Cat-eyed Snake,Maroantsetra,Spring,World

Behavior

Malagasy cat-eyed snakes are found in a wide variety of habitats throughout the island of Madagascar, from montane regions to rain forest. Primarily nocturnal and terrestrial, they are capable of climbing and are strong swimmers. They feed on a variety of prey, including chameleons and rodents. Their venom is mild and often not powerful enough to subdue their chosen prey items, so they also employ constriction as necessary.

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Status: Unknown
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusMadagascarophis
Species
Photographed in
Madagascar