Hypsiscopus plumbea (Boie, 1827)

Common Name and Size Classification

Hypsiscopus plumbea, commonly called the rice paddy snake, is a relatively small species.

Maximum Recorded Length

Different sources report varying maximum sizes, with the largest recorded total length including the tail reaching up to 72 cm (28 in).

Diet Composition

This snake feeds readily on small fish and frogs, and will occasionally eat small lizards.

Baseline Coloration

It has countershading coloration: its dorsal body is dark brown to grey, while its ventral body is pale, ranging from white to yellowish.

Coloration Variations

In some populations, the upper body can have a greenish tint, and dark spots may be present along the vertebral line.

Activity Pattern

The species is primarily nocturnal.

Geographic Range

The rice paddy snake can be found in the Andaman Islands of India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, southern China, and Taiwan.

Habitat and Abundance

It is a common, abundant species that lives in a wide range of wet habitats.