Black-and-yellow mangrove snake

reptile

Also known as: Boiga dendrophila, gold-ringed cat snake, mangrove cat snake, yellow-ringed cat snake(Show More)

Written by

Manjishtha Bhattacharyya

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 6, 2026 •History

Black-and-yellow mangrove snake, (Boiga dendrophila), species of mangrove snake native to Southeast Asia. The animal is named for the distinctive yellow-colored bands across its black body. Its venom is only mildly toxic to mammals but is highly lethal to birds, which constitute the snake’s main prey. Taxonomy Species of Least Concern Subspecies of Boiga dendrophila The nine recognized subspecies of Boiga dendrophila—which together form the informal Boiga dendrophila complex—are listed below. The countries or regions...