A beautiful Chinese ratsnake, named Wu Shao She in China. It belongs to the species Ptyas dhumnades [Syn. Zaocys dhumnades] (Colubridae), a snake only found in Southern China, Vietnam and Taiwan [1].

This snake is highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine for treating various ailments (rheumatoid arthritis, numbness in skin and muscles, TB in bones and joints, paralysis, blurry vision, rashes and rabies, leprosy, epilepsy, etc.) [2].

Photo credit: ©Skink Chen | Ptyas dhumnades from Taiwan.