Dendrelaphis tristis (Common bronzeback or Daudin's bronzeback) is a species of colubrid tree-snake found in South Asia.

Taxonomy

Dendrelaphis tristis belongs to the genus Dendrelaphis, which contains 48 other described species. Dendrelaphis is one of five genera belonging to the vine snake subfamily Ahaetuliinae, of which Dendrelaphis is most closely related to Chrysopelea, as shown in the cladogram below:

Distribution

Dendrelaphis tristis is found in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Bhutan, although its presence is uncertain in Myanmar, Bhutan, and Pakistan.

Habitat

It is diurnal and fully arboreal. It lives in various types of forests, from dry deciduous to semi-evergreen, and has even been reported in urban gardens and parks.

Description

Dendrelaphis tristis is a long, slender snake with a pointed head and a bronze-coloured line running right down its back. It is camouflaged among the leaves because of its uniform ruddy brown skin.

Diet

Its diet includes geckos, garden lizards, frogs, and small birds. It is not venomous, and harmless to humans.

Reproduction

The snake has oviparous (egg laying) reproduction, and lays 6-8 eggs in April in tree hollows and rotting vegetation.

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