This 50cm female was seen on Lantau Island, Hong Kong at an elevation of around 500 metres. Despite the photographer, Kevin Moore, stepping on the snake, both survived the encounter unscathed.

Family : CROTALIDAE
Species : Trimeresurus albobrabis
Maximum Size : 100 cm

References : H1, H3

Photos thanks to Kevin Moore

The White-lipped Pit Viper occurs in forest and open grassland as well as urban areas. It is nocturnal, and when aroused is quick to bite though this is seldom fatal. By day it is less aggressive. It feeds on a variety of other vertebrates including small birds, rodents, frogs and lizards.

The body is short and stout and the head a typical triangular shape. The dorsal side is green, the ventral side yellow and the tail  brownish. The scales are strongly keeled. Males have a thin white stripe along the body.

The species ranges from India through Burma, Thailand, Indochina and southern  China to Malaysia and large parts of Indonesia including Borneo, Sumatra and Java.

Above : the brownish tail. Right : typical triangular head shape.