Pope's Pit Viper

Southeast Asia Snakes

Snakes ~ Vipers ~ Pope's Pit-Viper

The Pope's pit viper is a generic name assigned to members of the Popeiorum complex which ranges throughout Southeast Asia in Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Borneo and Indonesia (Sumatra). In Malaysia, this is a semi-terrestial venomous species that has two distinct forms. From the mainland, Trimeresurus fucatus is green with faint dorsal crossbands while the tail is rusty brown and irregular, the eyes may be greenish, copper or yellow; from Langkawi and Southern Thailand, the populations are similiar in colouration but a postocular stripe may occur in males (always in Langkawi populations) while both genders have orange red eyes. Male popes have a red ventrolateral stripe while females are larger and more robust.

It is possible that that future research may split these two forms into different species, but for now, both forms are classed as Trimeresurus fucatus. Another species recently described from Tioman Island is Trimeresurus buniana, which is similiar to a Pope's pit viper but with blue colouration. Their body is also described as being more slender and dorsal spots are present, though the scalation remains the same as the mainland form.

The Pope's pit viper is an adept hunter of lizards, frogs, rodents and small mammals, travelling quite frequently to hunt during the night. They are often found coiled on low-hanging shrubs and trees in a striking position, along streams and pools of water in rainforest. Trimeresurus fucatus occurs throughout the Peninsular and can be found up to 900 m in elevation, occuring sympatrically with Trimeresurus nebularis at the lower points in the Cameron Highlands.