Oligodon formosanus

{{Short description|Species of snake}} {{Speciesbox | image = Oligodon formosanus.jpg | image_caption = | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=China Snakes Working Group |date=2014 |title=''Oligodon formosanus'' |volume=2014 |article-number=e.T191938A2018062 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T191938A2018062.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Oligodon | species = formosanus | authority = (Günther, 1872) | synonyms = ''Simotes formosanus'' Günther, 1872 ''Simotes hainanensis'' Boettger, 1894 }} '''''Oligodon formosanus''''', also known as the '''Formosa kukri snake''' or '''beautiful kukri snake''', is a species of snake in the family Colubridae.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /><ref name=RDB/>

The species epithet is named after its range in Taiwan (Formosa).

Formosa kukri snakes eat the eggs of Chinese box turtles.<ref>Cuora flavomarginata (Snake-eating turtle). Animal Diversity Web. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cuora_flavomarginata/</ref>

==Description==

The scale colorings range in the brown-red spectrum. The body is a tawny light brown with two darker russet stripes running down either side of the spine, where thin black lines that break into smaller dotted patterns occasionally diagonally intersect. The underbelly is off-white.

==Distribution== The snake is found in China (including Hong Kong and Hainan), Japan (including Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Miyako and Yaeyama), Taiwan, and northern Vietnam.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /><ref name=RDB/>

== References == {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name=RDB>{{NRDB species|genus=Oligodon |species=formosanus |accessdate=23 May 2017}}</ref> }}

formosanus Category:Snakes of China Category:Snakes of Vietnam Category:Snakes of Asia Category:Reptiles of Hong Kong Category:Snakes of Japan Category:Reptiles of Taiwan Category:Reptiles described in 1872 Category:Taxa named by Albert Günther