Oreocryptophis porphyracea kawakamii

黃頜蛇科, 游蛇亞科

110 cm

遍佈全台，主要分布於海拔1000公尺以下的地區，較為稀有。

台灣特有種

Medium-sized snake; total length up to 110 cm. There are 17-21 rows of smooth and shiny scales. Head is a narrow, elongate oval and not distinct from neck; body is long, streamlined and round; tail is medium in length. Eye is medium-sized; iris is red brown flaked with black, and a broad, black, diffuse horizontal band runs across middle of eye and appears as continuation of the prominent dark band behind eye; pupil is jet black, may be surrounded by ring of light yellow. Tongue is red, darkened by diffuse black, fork tips dark gray to black. Upper head is dark red or rusty brown with three distinct black longitudinal lines; one located on mid dorsal part of head extending from posterior union of parietals anteriorly to end of nose and the others extend posteriorly from each eye to join a transverse band on neck. The labials are lighter in color. Upper body and tail are red to rusty or bronze brown, iridescent, darkened by scattered or diffuse fine black pigment. There are two very narrow longitudinal lines of dark brown or black, continuous or discontinuous, extending length of body and to tip of tail, and 11 to 14 transverse bands variable in shape, completeness and coloration. In the young, the upper body may be bright pink to red with prominent bands of dark gray or black and prominent longitudinal lines. Ventral surface is white to very light yellow gray. Anal scale is divided and subcaudals are paired.

為一溫和且害羞的夜行性蛇種，生長於亞洲中高海拔、佈滿樹林的山丘中，依亞科及局部性的不同，從熱帶常綠樹林至季節性乾燥樹林裡都可發現他們的蹤跡。台灣亞種O.p.kawakamii i居住在潮濕的樹林或是農田裡，大致上以捕食老鼠維生。母體於春季或夏季一次大約產三顆5x1.7公分的蛋。剛出生之幼體總長大約 33 公分。

其中文名字「紅竹蛇」指「如紅色竹子般的蛇」，它也暗指其花紋如同一種紅色的竹子。

其幼體黑色寬段會隨著年齡而淡化，直到原本寬段的位置剩下兩條細長的黑色條紋。