Dendrelaphis caudolineatus caudolineatus (Gray, 1835)

(Fig. 6 c)

Material examined. MHLCLFE C167 (male; SVL 768 mm, TaL> 286 mm), Bayur, Province of Sumatera Barat, elev. 480 m.

Taxonomic comments. This specimen is typical for the species (Gaulke, 1994), with a back dark brown becoming lighter posteriorly and the presence of stripes on the body. Five subspecies are recognized of which only the nominate form is present on Sumatra.

Scalation: DSR 13-13-11, VEN 176, SC> 102.

Distribution on Sumatra. Provinces of Aceh, Sumatera Utara, Sumatera Barat, Riau, Jambi, Sumatera Selatan, and Lampung; also the islands of Bangka, Belitung, and Nias, and Mentawai Archipelago and Riau Archipelago (David & Vogel, 1996).

Biology. The specimen was collected at 0 930 hours during a clear day in August. The snake was lying on the ground at the foot of a bush in a rice field. It escaped at an incredible speed.