The Far Easf 



INTRODUCTION 



Zoogeographically, it is difficult to delimit or 

 characterize the Far East. Insofar as the snake 

 fauna goes, the southern part of this region 

 closely resembles southeast Asia. There are 

 archipelagoes (Philippines, Kyukyu) with more 

 or less remote and diverse connections with the 

 mainland. These have acted as secondary centers 

 of evolution fostering development of distinctive 

 island races of many snakes. Most of these races 

 are sufficiently similar to mainland forms that 

 they are not considered separately in this manual. 

 The moist tropical climate that characterizes the 

 southern part of the Far East excludes snakes re- 

 quiring an arid or semiarid environment. To- 

 ward the north and inland, the snake fauna rap- 

 idly diminishes to a very few species because of 

 the increasingly cold and dry climate. 



Many areas in the Far East are densely popu- 

 lated and people live under conditions which e.\- 

 pose them to snakebite. Many are engaged in 

 farming and related occupations which may take 



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Map. 10.— Section 9, the Far East. 



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them into the habitats of snakes. The incidence 

 of snakebite is high in some localities, however 

 the mortality is well below that reported in i^arts 



of India and Burma. The reasons for this are 

 not altogether understood. The most important 

 venomous snakes of the Far East are pit vipers, 

 especially those of the genus Trhneresurus. 

 Cobras are important toward the south. Sea 

 snakes are numerous, but cases of serious sea 

 snake bite are rare. 



GENERIC AND SPECIES DESCRIPTIONS 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Bungarus Daudin, 1803. 

 Kraits. 



Twelve species are recognized ; all inhabit the region 

 of southeast Asia. Occasional individuals of B. fascia- 

 tiis attain lengths of 7 feet. Most species are of mod- 

 erate (4 to '} feet) length, but all are considered ex- 

 tremely dangerous. .V single sjiecies. H. niiilti<iiiliis. 

 is found in this region (see pp. 12(t-121). 



Definition: Head small, flattened, slightly distinct 

 from neck ; no distinct canthus. Body moderately 

 slender, cylindrical ; tail short. 



Kyes small ; pupils round or vertically subelliptical. 



Headscales : The usual !• on the crown: frmilal luojiil. 

 Laterally, nasal in broad contact with single preocular. 



Body scales: Dorsals smooth, vcrlobral row eiilarged 

 and hexagonal (strongly so except in /J. lividus), in 

 l."?-!" oblique rows at midbody. Ventrals 193-2.37 ; anal 

 plate entire; subcaudals single or paired (all paired 

 only in some sjjecimens of H. Innifiarnidcs) . 23-.">(i. 



Maxillary teeth : Two large tubular fangs with ex- 

 ternal grooves followed, after an interspace, by 1-4 

 small, feebly-grooved teeth. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Calliophis Gray, 1834. 

 Oriental coral snakes. 



Thirteen species are recognized: all inhabit the region 

 of southeastern Asia. Most are small species but a few 

 exceed 3 feet in length. At least the larger individuals 

 are considered dangerous. Five species are known from 

 this region (see pp. 121-122). 



Definition: Head small, not distinct from body. 

 Body cylindrical, slender and elongated ; tail short. 



Eyes small to moderate in size ; pupils round. 



Head scales : The normal 9 on the crown ; rostral 

 broad and rounded, no canthus. Laterally, nasal in 

 contact with single preocular or separated from it by 

 prefrontal: preocular absent in C. bibroni. 



Body scales : Dor.sals smooth, in 13-15 nonoblique 

 rows throughout body. Ventrals 190-320 ; anal plate 

 entire or divided. ; subcaudals usually paired, occasion- 

 ally single in C. marrlrllaiKlii 12-44. 



Maxillary teeth : Two large tubular fangs with ex- 



133 



