Venom: Denmotoxin blocks nerve–muscle signalling in bird preparations, with much weaker activity in mouse preparations. This purified-toxin result is not a prediction of a human bite outcome.
Dashevsky et al. (2018), Abstract; Pawlak et al. (2006), Abstract and nerve–muscle experiments
Venom effects and medical significance are different from toxicity rankings. Do not handle a snake on the basis of this summary.
A striking tree snake associated with riverbank vegetation. In Palawan, resting animals have been documented on mangrove branches along the Iwahig River.
OccurrenceConfirmed
Islands named6
Natural history6 sourced topics
References6
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Boiga dendrophila adult Study plateMario Lutz · Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.Boiga dendrophila Juvenile Study PlateMario Lutz · Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Life stages will be labelled from the contributor’s information. Images alone do not establish identification or a locality record.
Media provenance
Every image carries its source.
Boiga dendrophila divergens
Type
Illustration
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Illustration; not a specimen or occurrence record.
Boiga dendrophila latifasciata
Type
Illustration
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Illustration; not a specimen or occurrence record.
Boiga dendrophila multicincta
Type
Photograph
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Species gallery photograph; not a verified occurrence record.
Boiga dendrophila levitoni
Type
Illustration
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Illustration; not a specimen or occurrence record.
Boiga dendrophila
Type
Photograph
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Species gallery photograph; not a verified occurrence record.
Boiga dendrophila adult Study plate
Type
Illustration
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Illustration; not a specimen or occurrence record.
Boiga dendrophila Juvenile Study Plate
Type
Illustration
Credit
Mario Lutz
Usage rights
Copyright Mario Lutz. Authorised for display in this atlas; no third-party reuse licence granted.
Evidence status
Illustration; not a specimen or occurrence record.
One species · Across borders
Global distribution
Explore the recorded countries and islands. Select a highlighted area to see its distribution evidence.
Recorded distributionN ↑
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ListedIntroducedUncertain
Click a highlighted country to zoom in and explore its records.
Shading identifies recorded countries or named islands, not continuous habitat coverage. Uncoloured areas do not establish absence.
Select a highlighted area to see its status, island records and sources. Each country and island links to the same shared species collection.
Use “Worldwide records” to include distant introduced and uncertain records in the map view.
Indonesian locality notes and qualifications
Sumatra
Sumatra, Nias, Babi and the Batu islands; also Bangka, Belitung, Riau and Natuna.
Java & Bali
Java and Bali.
Kalimantan
Kalimantan (accepted annectens subspecies)
Sulawesi
Sulawesi, including Togian.
RDB internally contradicts its accepted Bornean annectens subspecies with a not-Borneo comment. Primary Weinell et al. 2020/2021 retains annectens and Pui/Das field record confirms Sarawak; Borneo retained under that taxonomic concept. Continental records belong to melanota and are omitted.
Boiga melanota is treated separately; continental records under that former subspecies are not transferred to dendrophila.
A closer look
Natural history & identification
Ecology & habitat
Uses mangrove vegetation along the Iwahig River, including a semi-disturbed riverbank.
Literature documented · Account, Fig. 1 description
Direct resting-site observations.
Encounter frequency is not a population-density estimate.
Conservation pressures
Habitat degradation and illegal collection are local conservation concerns. The 2014 account highlights the need for habitat protection and trade monitoring.
Literature documented · Account, conservation discussion
Palawan; dated conservation context.
No current trade volume or Red List category is inferred.
Reproduction
The species account records egg-laying reproduction. A verified Philippine clutch-size range, incubation interval and breeding calendar are not established here.
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
Philippine distribution
The atlas records Boiga dendrophila from these named Philippine areas: Luzon, Palawan, Mindanao, Panay, Polillo, Balabac. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
Literature documented · Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
The original evidence level is retained.
A country listing cannot establish an island or a precise locality.
Taxonomic context
Boiga dendrophila is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Colubridae. The authority is (BOIE 1827). Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
Literature documented · Checklist identity and nomenclatural trail
Checklist verified 2026-09-05; not a newly revised taxonomic backbone.
Historical names can cover different biological concepts; synonyms should not be used to transfer records automatically.
Across the archipelago
Where this species is recorded
PhilippinesN ↑
Documented islands: gold · island groups: dashed circles
Island-level records · not continuous habitat coverage. Dashed circles locate groups, not individual observations.
Philippine distribution
Documented places
6 named islands / island groups
Select an island to read its distribution record and sources. Uncoloured islands are not evidence of absence.
Distribution record & sources
Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Riau Archipelago, Sumatra, Natuna islands); Cambodia, Myanmar,
W Malaysia (Malaya; Johor: Pulau Sibu); Thailand; Vietnam, Philippines (Panay)
annectens: Indonesia (Kalimantan, Borneo); Brunei Darussalam; Malaysia (East Malaysia). Type locality: Borneo.
dendrophila: Indonesia (Java); Type locality: Java [Indonesia]
divergens: Philippines (Luzon, Polillo); Type locality: Mount Makiling, Laguna Province, Luzon.
gemmicincta: Indonesia (Sulawesi, incl. Togian): Type locality: restricted to Sulawesi by BRONGERSMA 1934.
latifasciata:Philippines (Mindanao); Type locality: Zamboanga and Butuan, Mindanao.
levitoni: Panay (and probably other islands of the West Visayas region); Type locality: Sitio Batiw, Barangay Badiangan, Municipality of Pandan, Province Antique, Panay, Philippines.
multicincta: Philippines (Balabac, Palawan); Type locality: restricted to Puerto Princesa, Palawan by BRONGERSMA 1934.
occidentalis: Indonesia (Babi, Batu Archipelago, Nias, Sumatra); Type locality: Nias.
The atlas records Boiga dendrophila from these named Philippine areas: Luzon, Palawan, Mindanao, Panay, Polillo, Balabac. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
2018 Philippine synopsis treatment plus current RDB listing
Islands named
Luzon, Palawan, Mindanao, Panay, Polillo, Balabac
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Source distribution statement
Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Riau Archipelago, Sumatra, Natuna islands); Cambodia, Myanmar,
W Malaysia (Malaya; Johor: Pulau Sibu); Thailand; Vietnam, Philippines (Panay)
annectens: Indonesia (Kalimantan, Borneo); Brunei Darussalam; Malaysia (East Malaysia). Type locality: Borneo.
dendrophila: Indonesia (Java); Type locality: Java [Indonesia]
divergens: Philippines (Luzon, Polillo); Type locality: Mount Makiling, Laguna Province, Luzon.
gemmicincta: Indonesia (Sulawesi, incl. Togian): Type locality: restricted to Sulawesi by BRONGERSMA 1934.
latifasciata:Philippines (Mindanao); Type locality: Zamboanga and Butuan, Mindanao.
levitoni: Panay (and probably other islands of the West Visayas region); Type locality: Sitio Batiw, Barangay Badiangan, Municipality of Pandan, Province Antique, Panay, Philippines.
multicincta: Philippines (Balabac, Palawan); Type locality: restricted to Puerto Princesa, Palawan by BRONGERSMA 1934.
occidentalis: Indonesia (Babi, Batu Archipelago, Nias, Sumatra); Type locality: Nias.
Phylogenetics: DNA barcodes suggested multiple species within this species (Laopichienpong et al. 2016). Weinell et al. 2020 elevated Boiga dendrophila melanota (BOULENGER 1896) to full species status and indicated the future elevation of B. d. annectens, B. d. levitoni, B. d. divergens and B. d. occidentalis to full species. However, Weinell et al. 2021 did not follow through with the latter recommendation. They also found that gemmicincta is closely related to dendrophila and may not warrant subspecies status.
Habitat: partly arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018).
Distribution: Reports from Singapore represent D. melanota. See also Figueroa et al. 2023. Not in Borneo fide Das 2023.
References attached to this record
2026
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026
Explicit genus-wide venom ecology; directly samples B. cynodon and B. dendrophila. Species-specific toxin activity is not extrapolated across the genus.
Boiga dendrophila — The Reptile Database species account
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.
