Photographed in the mangroves of Khatib Bongsu, Singapore


Emerging from a burrow on the mudflats of Sungei Buloh, Singapore. 

Family : COLUBRIDAE
Species : Cerberus rynchops
Maximum Size : over 1 metre

References : H2, H3

Link : Aquatic Snakes of Southeast Asia, Field Museum of Natural History ... follow this link

A very common, and sometimes abundant inhabitant of Southeast Asia's mangroves and mudflats, this species emerges in great numbers at night during low tide to feed on fish and invertebrates. Less commonly it can be found in inland freshwater. It is able to 'sidewind' across mudflats. 

	Hunting for small fish.
	A successful catch.

The dorsal colour is greyish brown, and the ventral surface brown with white patches or cream-coloured and mottled. There is a black line from the eye to the neck, and its eyes are located on top of the head, allowing it to maintain vision when half-submerged in the mud. Though a mildly venomous, back-fanged species it is generally not aggressive. 

It ranges from Sri Lanka and India to Vietnam, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra, across the Indonesian archipelago to New Guinea and northern Australia.