Home - Taxonomy - Geography - Biodiversity - Literature - Purchase RepFocus Recent updates
Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: April 12th, 2025.


Taxonomy of the family Xenopeltidae
Bibliography of the genus Xenopeltis
Biodiversity of the genus Xenopeltis








Genus
Xenopeltis

Asian Sunbeam Snakes

Regenbogen-Erdschlangen

Asiatiske Regnbueslanger

1827 Xenopeltis Boie (type species: Xenopeltis unicolor Boie 1827)
1992 Cryptophidion Wallach & Jones (type species: Cryptophidion annamense Wallach & Jones 1992; syn. Pauwels & Chérot 1997; Iskandar & Colijn 2001)
Contents: 3 species, of which 1 (33.3%) is endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Remarks: Correct authorship of Xenopeltis (incl. unicolor, concolor, and leucocephala), is Boie 1827, not "Reinwardt in Boie 1827", as often seen in the literature (Pauwels, David, Chimsunchart & Thirakhupt 2003). Zaher, Grazziotin, Cadle, Murphy, Moura-Leite & Bonatto (2009) listed Cryptophidion as a valid genus of the family Colubridae. Also Das (2010) and Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014) listed Cryptophidion annamense as a valid species, although the latter authors noted the synonymy with Xenopeltis unicolor suggested by others.
Distribution: Brunei, Cambodia, China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang), India (Andaman & Nicobar Islands [Nicobar Islands]), Indonesia (Bali, Bangka, Belitung, Buton, Java, Kalimantan, Natuna Islands, Nias, Riau Islands, Siberut, Simeulue, Sipura, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Weh), Laos, Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, West Malaysia [incl. Langkawi Archipelago]), Myanmar, Philippines (Balabac, Palawan, Sulu Islands [Bongao, Jolo, Sangasanga]), Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

Meristic and other data
of the world's snakes.
Compiled by
V. Wallach
Key to abbreviations


Head drawings of the
genus Xenopeltis.
Compiled by
V. Wallach

Xenopeltis hainanensis

Hainan Sunbeam Snake

Hainan-Regenbogen-Erdschlange

Hainan-regnbueslange

1972 Xenopeltis hainanensis Hu & Zhao
1995 Xenopeltis hainanensis jidamingae Zhao

Distribution: China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang), Vietnam.


Xenopeltis intermedius

Kon Tum Sunbeam Snake

Kon-Tum-Regenbogen-Erdschlange

Kon Tum-regnbueslange

2022 Xenopeltis intermedius Orlov, Snetkov, Ermakov, Nguyen & Ananjeva

Distribution: Vietnam.





Xenopeltis unicolor

Common Asian Sunbeam Snake, Iridescent Earth Snake, (Sunbeam Python)

Gewöhnlicher Regenbogen-Erdschlange

Almindelig Asiatisk Regnbueslange

1827 Xenopeltis unicolor Boie
1827 Xenopeltis concolor Boie (McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré 1999)
1827 Xenopeltis leucocephala Boie (McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré 1999)
1837 Tortrix xenopeltis Schlegel (McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré 1999)
1992 Cryptophidion annamense Wallach & Jones (Pauwels & Chérot 1997; Iskandar & Colijn 2001)

Other common names:
annamense: Annam Burrowing Snake
Remarks: Reports from the Andaman Islands, India, are considered erroneous, since no voucher specimens exist (Das 1999). Grismer, Neang, Chav & Grismer (2008) listed concolor as a valid species, presumably in error for unicolor, since no comments were made about this apparent revalidation of concolor. See remarks regarding authorship under genus.
Distribution: Brunei, Cambodia, China (Guangdong, Yunnan), India (Andaman & Nicobar Islands [Nicobar Islands]), Indonesia (Bali, Bangka, Belitung, Buton, Java, Kalimantan, Natuna Islands, Nias, Riau Islands, Siberut, Simeulue, Sipura, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Weh), Laos, Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, West Malaysia [incl. Langkawi Archipelago]), Myanmar, Philippines (Balabac, Palawan, Sulu Islands [Bongao, Jolo, Sangasanga]), Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.


Xenopeltis unicolor
© Henrik Bringsøe