Rosy Chain Snake

1 Overview

The rosy chain snake is endemic to China, mainly distributed on Hainan Island in Hainan Province. It favors plains and hills, and was listed in 2000 in the ‘National Directory of Terrestrial Wildlife Under Special State Protection or of Important Economic and Scientific Value.’

Chinese Name: Rosy Chain Snake

Scientific Name: Dinodon rosozonatum

Alias: Snake-eyed

Binomial: Dinodon rosozonatum

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Colubridae

Genus: Dinodon (chain snakes)

Species: Dinodon rosozonatum

Distribution: Wuzhi Mountain, Diaoluo Mountain, and other localities on Hainan Island

2 Physical Characteristics

The rosy chain snake is endemic to China, mainly found on Hainan Island’s Wuzhi and Diaoluo mountains. It is fiercely tempered, nocturnal, though there are some records of captive keeping.

Adults are about 1 m long. The dorsum is blackish-brown with 28–35 + 19–13 pink crossbands on body and tail, and a pink inverted-V mark on the nape. The venter is grayish-white, with scattered dark brown flecks on the rear three-quarters; the tail underside is mostly dark brown. One very small loreal scale, occasionally entering the eye; one preocular, two postoculars; temporals 2(1)+3(2); upper labials 8 in a 2–3–3 formula, occasionally 3–2–3 on one side. Dorsal scales 19–19–15(17) rows, the central 3–9 rows weakly keeled; ventrals 218–234; anal scale single; subcaudals 80–92 pairs.

3 Natural Habitat

The adult rosy chain snake reaches about 1 m and is endemic to China; it was listed in 2000 in the National Directory of Protected Terrestrial Wildlife.

It is mainly found on Hainan Island, Hainan Province, inhabiting foothill plains, riverbanks, and areas near rice paddies, at elevations of 80–580 m. By day it hides in tree hollows and emerges at dusk. It prefers cool conditions and avoids heat, retreating into water to cool down when too hot, and feeds normally at 15°C.

4 Diet & Nutrition

The rosy chain snake is listed in the 2000 National Directory of Protected Terrestrial Wildlife; records of captive keeping are scarce.

It feeds normally at 15°C and is fiercely tempered, especially active on rainy nights. It hides by day and is active at night, feeding on frogs—mainly tree frogs, grass frogs, pond frogs, and rice frogs (but not the tiger frog)—and in captivity has been observed eating other snakes.