Mandarin rat snake
species of reptile
The mandarin rat snake (Euprepiophis mandarinus) is a species of non venomous colubrid snake endemic to Asia. It is closely related to Euprepiophis conspicillata, the Japanese forest rat snake. Mandarin rat snakes are one of the most popular rat snakes found in the pet trade.
Description
The mandarin rat snake is identified by its grey body and diamond-shaped black and yellow markings along its back. It is a relatively small rat snake; their adult size is no more than 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) in total length (body + tail).
Distribution
India (Arunachal Pradesh), Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan, China (Anhui, Beijing, Chongqing, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shanghai, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin, Tibet, Yunnan, Zhejiang)
Type locality: China: Chekiang, Chusan island (modern transliteration: Zhejiang, Zhoushan) (Cantor, 1842).
Taxonomy
In recent years there has been some taxonomic controversy over the genera of rat snakes. Based on mitochondrial DNA, Utiger et al. (2002) argued for a splintering of the genus Elaphe and suggested a reworking of the genera.
Natural history
The mandarin rat snake is a secretive species, often using rodent burrows for shelter.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Mandarin rat snake” as species of reptile. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
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The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of reptile. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2569583. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1842 and 2002.
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This entry incorporates text from “Mandarin rat snake” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.