Coloration

The overall ground color is yellowish-brown to olive, becoming darker at the end of the tail.^{[citation needed]} The skin on the back of the neck and head are uniform in color and the back is typically marked with two pairs of round black spots that meld together. Starting at the back corner of each eye, a black stripe reaches back to each corner of the mouth which is pale cream around the upper labial area.^{[citation needed]}

Subspecies

Subspecies of this species include:^{[citation needed]}

• Chinese beauty snake (Elaphe taeniura taeniura) – Native to China.^[4] This subspecies has 11 different morphs.^[5]
• Ridley's beauty snake, cave dwelling ratsnake, cave racer (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi) – Native to Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Bred in captivity in Cameron Highlands.^[6] Is listed as Vulnerable on the China Species Red List.^[6] (As the name implies, often lives deep within caves where its diet consists mainly of bats. They have a yellow to beige background color that darkens to a grey-black towards the tail. A white to cream mid-dorsal stripe starts about half of the way down the body and continues to the tip of tail. Both sides of the head are marked just behind the eye with a black stripe surrounded by blue.)
• Mocquard's beauty rat snake (Elaphe taeniura mocquardi) – Native to southeastern China and northern Vietnam, as well as the island of Hainan.
• Taiwan/Taiwanese beauty snake, stripe tail ratsnake (Elaphe taeniura friesei, previously Elaphe taeniura friesi)^[2] – Native to Taiwan.^[2]
• Vietnamese blue beauty/blue beauty snake (Elaphe taeniura callicyanous) – Native to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.^[7]
• Helfenberger's beauty snake (Elaphe taeniura helfenbergeri) – Native to Myanmar and Thailand.^[8]
• Elaphe taeniura grabowskyi – Native to Sumatra and the provinces of East Malaysia and Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.
• Elaphe taeniura schmackeri – Native to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.
• Elaphe taeniura yunnanensis – Native to China, India, Laos, Myanmar, eastern Thailand and Vietnam.
• Elaphe taeniura ssp. – Native to Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.

Etymology

The subspecific name, grabowskyi, is in honor of biologist Friedrich J. Grabowsky.^[9]

The subspecific name, mocquardi, is in honor of French herpetologist François Mocquard.^[9]

Geographic range and habitat

The range of the species covers much of southern and southeastern Asia, excluding western and northeastern China.^[1] Within these countries, these snakes can be typically found in rain forests as well as within caves.^{[citation needed]}

Behavior

Due to their preference for caves, beauty snakes have become able climbers and are known to move along cave walls. This ability becomes a strong asset for them when it comes to hunting. In addition, likely due to its cave-dwelling habits, beauty rat snakes are cathemeral, meaning that they are active at random times during the 24-hour day regardless of whether it is day or night outside.^{[citation needed]}

When upset the beauty rat snakes will "waggle" its tail in an attempt to make noises that may scare the source of its fear. Another defensive behavior it exhibits when frightened is to flatten its body vertically in an attempt to look larger or more intimidating.^[10]

As an invasive species

Though the overall species is native to Asia, certain subspecies have become invasive in regions of Asia to which they are not local. The cause of their invasion varies but one of the leading causes is individuals that have been transported by the pet trade and escaping or being released by owners. Another reason has been military movement of resources which has created routes along which serpents can move.^[12]

On the island of Okinawa one subspecies of beauty rat snake, suspected to be the Taiwanese beauty snake, has been established as an invasive species since the late 1970s. The Taiwanese beauty snake was originally brought onto the islands to be displayed at zoos as well as for medicinal purposes but now has spread through forests and urban locations. According to the article Invasive Species of Japan, the "spread of [the Taiwanese Beauty Snake] to northern part of Okinawa Island could threaten endemic and endangered birds and mammals, such as Gallirallus okinawae, Erithacus komadori namiyei, Diplothrix legata, Tokudaia muenninki, etc."^[3] As of yet, there is no further published information on the exact impact of the Taiwanese beauty snake's invasion into Okinawa.

Control strategies