Psammodynastes pulverulentus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Psammodynastes pulverulentus, the common mock viper, is a species of snake native to Asia. It is a small snake (total length up to 65 cm (26 in), less in males), and it will form defensive coils and strike in a viper-like fashion when threatened, although it is harmless to humans.
The common mock viper is known from Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, China (Fujian, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong), north-eastern India (Assam, Sikkim, Darjeeling; Jalpaiguri; Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh), Bhutan, Indonesia (Bali, Bangka, Borneo, Butung, Enggano, Flores, Java, Kalimantan, Komodo, Lombok, Mentawai Archipelago, Natuna Archipelago, Padar, Riau Archipelago, Rinca, Sangihe Archipelago, Sulawesi, Sula Archipelago, Sumatra, Sumba, Sumbawa, Togian Archipelago), Laos, Malaysia (Malaya and East Malaysia, Pulau Tioman), Nepal, the Philippines (Balabac, Basilan, Bohol, Bongao, Busuanga, Dinagat, Jolo, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Polillo, Samar), Taiwan, Thailand (incl. Phuket), and Vietnam. It has been reported from Singapore.
Subspecies Psammodynastes pulverulentus papenfussi is endemic to Taiwan. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 3 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 6 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 7 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
No species of the same family or order lives in Kaohsiung, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mock Viper sighting in Kaohsiung on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 13th most-seen of the 23 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, August–October and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mock Viper in Kaohsiung on a given day, against under 5% in January, March–July and November, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Mock Viper sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Common Mock Viper sightings, Kaohsiung ranks 4th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Guangzhou (China, about 10%), Hong Kong (China, about 10%) and Taipei (Taiwan, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Mock Viper is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kaohsiung (7 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
