Colubridae · Philippine record
Dendrelaphis flavescensGAULKE 1994
A conspicuous metallic orange-yellow stripe runs from the neck along the front of the body. The cited diagnosis reports no black striping on the back, head sides or underside of the tail. Its atlas account links 2 named island or island-group records to the source literature.
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Explore the island records ↓Species portrait
Dendrelaphis flavescens
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Adult · study plate
Dendrelaphis flavescens
Image to followJuvenile · study plate
Dendrelaphis flavescens
Image to followLife stages will be labelled from the contributor’s information. Images alone do not establish identification or a locality record.
Media provenance
Contributor images are forthcoming. Photographs and illustrations will retain their individual credits, permissions and evidence notes.
A closer look
A conspicuous metallic orange-yellow stripe runs from the neck along the front of the body. The cited diagnosis reports no black striping on the back, head sides or underside of the tail.
Literature documented · Diagnosis; Gaulke (1994), p. 138
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
Gaulke’s observations placed the snakes on the floor of primary and secondary forest. This conflicts with a broad arboreal classification also reproduced in the database; both should not be collapsed into a single habitat label.
Literature documented · Comment: Habitat; Gaulke (1994)
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
One animal maintained in captivity for about a year accepted live geckos but refused mice and locusts. This observation does not establish the diet of wild populations.
Literature documented · Comment: Diet; captive animal SMF 75174
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
The species account records egg-laying reproduction. A verified Philippine clutch-size range, incubation interval and breeding calendar are not established here.
Literature documented · Reproduction field
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
The atlas records Dendrelaphis flavescens from these named Philippine areas: Sulu, Tawi-Tawi. 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.
Dendrelaphis flavescens is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Colubridae. The authority is GAULKE 1994. 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
Documented islands: gold · island groups: dashed circles
Island-level records · not continuous habitat coverage. Dashed circles locate groups, not individual observations.
Philippine distribution
Select an island to read its distribution record and sources. Uncoloured islands are not evidence of absence.
Philippines (Sulu Archipelago: (Bongao, Bubuan, Sanga-Sanga, Tawi-Tawi) Type locality: Sanga Sanga, Sulu Archipelago,Philippines.
The atlas records Dendrelaphis flavescens from these named Philippine areas: Sulu, Tawi-Tawi. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines: A Synthesis of Data from Biodiversity Repositories, Field Studies, and the Literature ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
References attached to this species account. Island-specific evidence is shown separately where available.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗
Dendrelaphis flavescens — The Reptile Database species account ↗
Living with wildlife
Venom classification not yet added · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
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.
WHO guidance on snakebite first aidSpecies record
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Philippines (Sulu Archipelago: (Bongao, Bubuan, Sanga-Sanga, Tawi-Tawi) Type locality: Sanga Sanga, Sulu Archipelago,Philippines.
Names through time
Dendrelaphis caudolineatus flavescens GAULKE, 1994 Dendrelaphis flavescens — VAN ROOIJEN & VOGEL 2012 Dendrelaphis flavescens — WALLACH et al. 2014: 217 Dendrelaphis flavescens — LEVITON et al. 2018
Behavior: diurnal Habitat: fully arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018), but Gaulke 1994 says “all sighted specimens of D. c. flavescens were observed on the floor of primary and secondary forest.” Diet: SMF 75174 was kept alive in a terrarium for about 12 months, feeding on live geckos. Locusts and mice were not taken (Gaulke 1994). There seem to be no live photos. Gaulke 1994 says “not a rare snake. In all, 10 specimens were sighted, but as it is a very fast snake,few were caught”.
Uetz, P.; Freed, P.; Aguilar, R.; Reyes, F.; Kudera, J.; Hošek, J. (eds.)
Leviton, A. E.; Siler, C. D.; Weinell, J. L.; Brown, R. M.
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64(14): 399–568
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.