flying snake

flying snake, (genus Chrysopelea), any of five species of nonvenomous snakes constituting the genus Chrysopelea in the family Colubridae. These slender arboreal snakes are found in South Asia and the Indonesian archipelago. They are able to glide through the air as far as about 100 metres (300 feet) from the tops of trees by drawing up their ventral scales to make their underside concave. Flying snakes make an undulatory motion to increase their gliding distance and maintain their balance as they descend. They are the only known limbless vertebrates that glide though the air.

Flying snakes are active by day, capturing rodents, bats, birds, and lizards. The Moluccan flying snake (Chrysopelea rhodopleuron), which can be found on several islands in the Banda and Ceram seas, is the largest species, growing to a maximum length of 120 cm (47 inches). The golden flying snake (C. ornata) of India and Sri Lanka, which is sometimes called the golden treesnake, can reach as much as 100 cm (40 inches) long. It is usually black or greenish, with yellow or reddish markings. The paradise tree snake (C. paradisi) of India, Southeast Asia, western Indonesia, and the Philippines grows to 91 cm (36 inches) in length. It is black and green, with orange diamond-shaped markings along its dorsal side. The Indian flying snake (C. taprobanica), found in southern India and Sri Lanka, is slightly shorter, ranging from 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 inches). The banded flying snake (C. pelias)—which inhabits peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo—is the smallest of the five species, with a maximum length of 75 cm (30 inches).

There are no substantial threats to flying snake populations. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has classified all flying snakes as species of least concern.