Psammodynastes pulverulentus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
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 Kinabalu Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mock Viper sighting in Kinabalu Park on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 29th most-seen of the 69 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mock Viper in Kinabalu Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March, May and September, 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.
5th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Common Mock Viper sightings, Kinabalu Park ranks 5th at about 20%. The best odds are in Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam, about 40%), Cuc Phuong National Park (Vietnam, about 30%) and Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (Malaysia, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Mock Viper is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kinabalu Park (19 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
