Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report
Sibynophis collaris Collared Snake. South in Annamite
mountains (TNSM specimen). Wet evergreen forest. 1000 m.
Sinonatrix aequifasciata Mountain Keelback. Centre in
Annamite mountains (FMNH specimen). Along streams in
evergreen forest. 700 m.
Sinonatrix percarinata Chinese Keelback. North (as
Sinonatrix sp. in Stuart 1998c). In shallow water among vegetation
and debris at edges of rocky streams in evergreen
forest. 985 m.
Xenochrophis piscator Checkered Keelback. North (as
Xenochrophis sp. in Stuart 1998d, AMNH specimen, CAS
specimen, MCZ specimen, USNM specimen) and in vicinity
of Vientiane (photographed by R. Jelinek in 1998), centre in
limestone region (Stuart 1998b) and Annamite foothills
(FMNH specimen), south (as X. flavipunctata in Stuart
1998e). Near water bodies in open forest and in disturbed
areas such as paddies. 60-600 m. Taxonomic Issues: Some
authors have elevated the subspecies X. p. flavipunctatum to
the specific status of X. flavipunctatum (Taylor 1965), but
the conservative position is taken here of using only the name
X. piscator (Zhao and Adler 1993).
Elapidae: Elapid snakes (6 species)
Bungarus candidus Malayan Krait. North (Stuart 1998c,
FMNH specimen), centre in Annamite foothills (Stuart
1998a), south (Stuart 1998e). Along streams in evergreen
forest. 60-1200 m.
Bungarus fasciatus Banded Krait. North (photographed in
Phou Khaokhoay NBCA by JWKP in 1998, MCZ specimen,
USNM specimen), centre in limestone region (Stuart 1998b)
and Annamite foothills (FMNH specimen). Open forest or
agricultural lands, often near paddies. 200-600 m.
Bungarus multicinctus Narrow-Banded Krait. North (MCZ
specimen). Habitat not reported.
• Naja kaouthia Monocellate Cobra. Conservation Significance:
Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR; CITES Appendix II
(as N. naja WCMC 1998). Documented Range and Habitat:
Centre in Annamite foothills (see below), probably throughout.
Disturbed evergreen forest near human habitation. 600
m. Status Information: Centre in Annamite foothills (FMNH
specimen), probably throughout. Threats unclear but may be
heavily traded. Taxonomic Issues: Alternatively placed within
the species Naja naja.
• Naja siamensis Indochinese Spitting Cobra. Conservation
Significance: Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR. Documented
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Range and Habitat: Centre, probably south in lowlands of
Mekong floodplain. Status Information: Photographed captive
in village in Dong Phou Vieng NBCA by TC in 1997.
Threats unclear but may be heavily traded.
• Ophiophagus hannah King Cobra. Conservation Significance:
Potentially At Risk in Lao PDR; CITES Appendix II.
Documented Range and Habitat: North, centre in Annamite
foothills, south (see below). Found in most forest types, including
bamboo stands. Status Information: North: unspecified
(Boonratana 1997). Centre: in Annamite foothills, field
record (Tobias 1997). South: field record (Davidson et al.
1997); village record (Stuart 1998e; Plate 10); unspecified
(Boonratana 1998a). Hunted for food (Stuart 1998e) and sale
to Lao (Stuart 1998e) and Vietnamese traders, presumably
for the Vietnamese and Chinese consumption trade.
Viperidae: Vipers (6 species)
Calloselasma rhodostoma Malayan Pit Viper. North in vicinity
of Vientiane (AMNH specimen also road-killed specimen
near Ban Keun in March 1999 by BLS), probably
throughout. Near agricultural lands and probably most forest
types.
Ovophis monticola Mountain Pit Viper. South in Annamite
mountains (TNSM specimen). Wet evergreen forest. 1400 m.
Trimeresurus albolabris White-lipped Pit Viper. North (as
T. stejnegeri in Stuart 1998d, FMNH specimen, MCZ specimen),
centre in limestone region (Stuart 1998a) and Nakai
Plateau (Stuart 1998b), south (as T. stejnegeri in Stuart 1998e).
Disturbed and gallery evergreen or evergreen mixed with
deciduous forest, and agricultural lands. 60-570 m.
Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus Checker-backed Pit Viper.
Centre in limestone region (Stuart 1998a, Stuart 1998b) and
Annamite mountains (FMNH specimen, Plate 10). Evergreen
or evergreen mixed with deciduous forest. 200-600 m.
Trimeresurus popeiorum Popes’ Pit Viper. Centre in
Annamite foothills (FMNH specimen) and Annamite mountains
(FMNH specimen). Evergreen forest. 600 m.
Trimeresurus stejnegeri Bamboo Pit Viper. North (FMNH
specimen). Habitat not reported.
Crocodylidae: Crocodiles (1 species)
• Crocodylus siamensis Siamese Crocodile. Conservation
Significance: Globally Threatened - Critical; At Risk in Lao
PDR; CITES Appendix I. Documented Range and Habitat: