Colubridae · Global account with Philippine editorial coverage
Coelognathus erythrurus(DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854)
Coelognathus erythrurus is a Colubridae snake included in the Philippine checklist. Its atlas account links 14 named island or island-group records to the source literature.
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Explore the island records ↓Species portrait
Coelognathus erythrurus
Image to followThe illustrated collection
Adult · study plate
Coelognathus erythrurus
Image to followJuvenile · study plate
Coelognathus erythrurus
Image to followLife stages will be labelled from the contributor’s information. Images alone do not establish identification or a locality record.
Media provenance
Contributor images are forthcoming. Photographs and illustrations will retain their individual credits, permissions and evidence notes.
One species · Across borders
Countries and territories named in the checked sources. Island links and country lists use these same occurrence records; a country record does not imply presence on every island.
Checked 7 October 2026. Listed, introduced and uncertain records remain distinct. Islands not yet indexed are not claims of absence. Broad references such as “Borneo” or “New Guinea” are not automatically assigned to every country sharing the island.
Sulawesi/Buton confirmed; Borneo rejected and old Java type locality erroneous.
A closer look
The species account records egg-laying reproduction. A verified Philippine clutch-size range, incubation interval and breeding calendar are not established here.
Literature documented · Reproduction field
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
The atlas records Coelognathus erythrurus from these named Philippine areas: Luzon, Palawan, Mindanao, Samar, Leyte, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Sibuyan, Jolo, Polillo, Calamian, Camiguin Sur, Balabac. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
Literature documented · Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
The original evidence level is retained.
A country listing cannot establish an island or a precise locality.
Coelognathus erythrurus is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Colubridae. The authority is (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854). Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
Literature documented · Checklist identity and nomenclatural trail
Checklist verified 2026-09-05; not a newly revised taxonomic backbone.
Historical names can cover different biological concepts; synonyms should not be used to transfer records automatically.
Across the archipelago
Documented islands: gold · island groups: dashed circles
Island-level records · not continuous habitat coverage. Dashed circles locate groups, not individual observations.
Philippine distribution
Select an island to read its distribution record and sources. Uncoloured islands are not evidence of absence.
Indonesia (Sulawesi, Buton, Borneo), Philippines (Balabac, Bongao, Busvanga, Cebu, Culion, Jolo, Leyte, Luzon , Mindanao, Mindora, Negros, Palawan, Calamian Islands, Panay, Polillo, Samar, Camiguin Sur) celebensis: Indonesia (Sulawesi) manillensis: Luzon, Type locality: “Manille” psephenoura: Philippine Islands (Panay, Cebu, Sibuyan); Type locality: “Barrio Asia, Negros Occidental Province, Negros Island, Philippines”. Type locality: original type locality (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854) in error, see comment; corrected to Philippines: Samar (Leviton, 1977)
The atlas records Coelognathus erythrurus from these named Philippine areas: Luzon, Palawan, Mindanao, Samar, Leyte, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Sibuyan, Jolo, Polillo, Calamian, Camiguin Sur, Balabac. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines: A Synthesis of Data from Biodiversity Repositories, Field Studies, and the Literature ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
References attached to this species account. Island-specific evidence is shown separately where available.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗
Coelognathus erythrurus — The Reptile Database species account ↗
Living with wildlife
Venom classification not yet added · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
WHO guidance on snakebite first aidSpecies record
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Indonesia (Sulawesi, Buton, Borneo), Philippines (Balabac, Bongao, Busvanga, Cebu, Culion, Jolo, Leyte, Luzon , Mindanao, Mindora, Negros, Palawan, Calamian Islands, Panay, Polillo, Samar, Camiguin Sur) celebensis: Indonesia (Sulawesi) manillensis: Luzon, Type locality: “Manille” psephenoura: Philippine Islands (Panay, Cebu, Sibuyan); Type locality: “Barrio Asia, Negros Occidental Province, Negros Island, Philippines”. Type locality: original type locality (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854) in error, see comment; corrected to Philippines: Samar (Leviton, 1977)
Names through time
Plagiodon erythrurus DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 175 Herpetodryas erythrurus MÜLLER (fide DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854) Coluber erythrurus — BOULENGER 1894: 62 Coluber walli WERNER 1924: 34 (fide GEMEL et al. 2019) Elaphe erythrura — SMITH 1931 Elaphe erythrura — SCHULZ 1996: 117 Elaphe erythrura — GAULKE 1999 Coelognathus erythrurus — HELFENBERGER 2001 Coelognathus erythrurus — UTIGER et al. 2002 Coelognathus erythrurus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 171 Coelognathus erythrurus celebensis (JAN 1863) Compsosoma melanurus var. B DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854 (nom. nud. fide SAVAGE & MCDIARMID 2018: 53) Elaphis melanurus var. celebensis JAN 1863 Elaphis melanurus var. celebensis — JAN & SORDELLI 1867 Elaphe erythrura celebensis — DE LANG & VOGEL 2005 Elaphe erythrura celebensis — WANGER et al. 2011 Coelognathus erythrurus celebensis — KOCH 2012 Coelognathus erythrurus celebensis — SAVAGE & MCDIARMID 2017: 53 Coelognathus erythrurus manillensis (JAN 1867) Elaphis melanurus var. manillensis JAN 1863 (see comment) Compsosoma melanurus var. C DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854 (see comment) [Elaphis melanurus] var. manillensis JAN & SORDELLI 1867: Livr. 21:2 Coelognathus erythrurus manillensis — MCLEOD et al. 2011 Coelognathus erythrura manillensis — DEVAN-SONG & BROWN 2012 Coelognathus erythrurus manillensis — BROWN et al. 2012 Coelognathus erythrurus manillensis — BROWN et al. 2013 Elaphis melanurus var. malinensis — HALLERMANN 2025: 276 (in error) Coelognathus erythrurus manillensis — HALLERMANN 2025: 276 Coelognathus erythrurus psephenourus (LEVITON 1979) Elaphe erythrura psephenoura LEVITON 1979 Coelognathus erythrurus psephenourus — GAULKE 2011: 264 Coelognathus erythrurus psephenoura — SUPSUP et al. 2016 Coelognathus erythrurus psephenourus — PILI & CAGUIMBAL 2018 Coelognathus erythrurus psephenourus — GAULKE 2019: 53
The occurrence of E. erythrura on Borneo is doubtful since it can be mixed up with E. flavolineata (SCHULZ 1996). Not on Borneo fide Stuebing et al. 2014. Synonymy: Jan described manillensis in 1863 although the figure (plate) was only published in 1867. Coelognathus erythrurus manillensis is a new name for Compsosoma melanurum var. C of C. Duméril et al. 1854:301. Jan gives credit for the name to the latter authors but they did not propose one. Schulz (1996:119) incorrectly cites Jan, 1863 as the source of this name (SAVAGE & MCDIARMID 2018: 53). In the 1863 TEXT Jan does not mention specimens from MNHN but only Amburgo (= Hamburg) and Neuchatel (Switzerland). Thus the specimen(s) examined by Duméril, Bibron and Duméril are not type(s) since not indicated in the 1863 publication. But note that this 1863 publication does not describe the species and is not valid - nomen nudum since name without description. The scalation characters indicated in the 1863 text refers to the whole species Compsosoma melanurum and not to the new subspecies manillensis. Thus 1867 should be the valid date since the 1867 plate allows recognition of the subspecies compared to others and can be considered as representing the holotype. What remains unclear is if the specimen on the 1867 plate is the one from Manilla in MNHN, the one from Manilla in Hambourg or the one from another locality in Neuchatel (pers. comm., J. Hallermann & I. Ineich, 4 April 2019). Distribution: not on Java (Indonesia) fide de Lang 2017. Original type locality (Indonesia: Java) (based on DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854) in error.
Uetz, P.; Freed, P.; Aguilar, R.; Reyes, F.; Kudera, J.; Hošek, J. (eds.)
Leviton, A. E.; Siler, C. D.; Weinell, J. L.; Brown, R. M.
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64(14): 399–568
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.