Dendrelaphis marenae, also known commonly as Gaulke's bronze-back tree snake and Maren's bronzeback, is a species of snake in the subfamily Ahaetuliinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Southeast Asia.

Etymology

The species Dendrelaphis marenae is named after German herpetologist Dr. Maren Gaulke, honoring her scientific contributions to the field of herpetology in the Philippines. She also helped collect some of the initial specimens.

Taxonomy

Dendrelaphis marenae belongs to the genus Dendrelaphis, which contains 48 other described species.

Dendrelaphis is one of five genera belonging to the vine snake subfamily Ahaetuliinae, of which Dendrelaphis is most closely related to Chrysopelea, as shown in the cladogram below:

Ahaetuliinaesharp‑nosed snakes Ahaetulla Proahaetulla Dryophiops broad‑nosed snakes Dendrelaphis Dendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi Dendrelaphis pictus Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris Dendrelaphis striatus Dendrelaphis formosus Dendrelaphis tristis Dendrelaphis subocularis Dendrelaphis schokari Dendrelaphis fuliginosus Dendrelaphis caudolineatus Chrysopelea
sharp‑nosed snakesAhaetulla Proahaetulla Dryophiops
Ahaetulla Proahaetulla
Ahaetulla
Proahaetulla
Dryophiops
broad‑nosed snakesDendrelaphis Dendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi Dendrelaphis pictus Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris Dendrelaphis striatus Dendrelaphis formosus Dendrelaphis tristis Dendrelaphis subocularis Dendrelaphis schokari Dendrelaphis fuliginosus Dendrelaphis caudolineatus Chrysopelea
DendrelaphisDendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi Dendrelaphis pictus Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris Dendrelaphis striatus Dendrelaphis formosus Dendrelaphis tristis Dendrelaphis subocularis Dendrelaphis schokari Dendrelaphis fuliginosus Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Dendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi Dendrelaphis pictus Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris Dendrelaphis striatus Dendrelaphis formosus
Dendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi Dendrelaphis pictus Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris Dendrelaphis striatus
Dendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi Dendrelaphis pictus
Dendrelaphis marenae Dendrelaphis haasi
Dendrelaphis marenae
Dendrelaphis haasi
Dendrelaphis pictus
Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris Dendrelaphis striatus
Dendrelaphis ngansonensis Dendrelaphis cyanochloris
Dendrelaphis ngansonensis
Dendrelaphis cyanochloris
Dendrelaphis striatus
Dendrelaphis formosus
Dendrelaphis tristis Dendrelaphis subocularis Dendrelaphis schokari Dendrelaphis fuliginosus Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Dendrelaphis tristis Dendrelaphis subocularis Dendrelaphis schokari
Dendrelaphis tristis Dendrelaphis subocularis
Dendrelaphis tristis
Dendrelaphis subocularis
Dendrelaphis schokari
Dendrelaphis fuliginosus Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Dendrelaphis fuliginosus
Dendrelaphis caudolineatus
Chrysopelea

Distribution

Dendrelaphis marenae is found in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Dendrelaphis marenae is forest, at elevations up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

Behavior

Dendrelaphis marenae is diurnal and fully arboreal.

Diet

Dendrelaphis marenae preys predominately upon frogs.

Reproduction

Dendrelaphis marenae is oviparous. Clutch size is two to ten eggs.

Further reading

  • Brown, Rafe M.; Bautista, Joward B.; Clores, Michael A.; Cuesta, Michael A. (2021). "DENDRELAPHIS MARENAE (Gaulke's Bronze-back Tree Snake). DIET". Herpetological Review. 52 (1): 153–154.
  • de Lang, R.; Vogel, G. (2005). The Snakes of Sulawesi: A Field Guide to the Land Snakes of Sulawesi with Identification Keys.Frankfurt Contributions to Natural History Volume 25. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Edition Chimaira / Serpents Tale. ISBN 3-930612-85-2. 312 pp.
  • Phangurha, Josh; Muhtianda, Iman Akbar; Karya, Adi; Analuddin, Kangkuso; Gillespie, Graeme; Jones, Stephanie Courtney (2019). "DENDRELAPHIS MARENAE (Maren's Bronzeback). PREDATION BEHAVIOR". Herpetological Review. 50 (3): 590–591.
  • Vogel, G.; van Rooijen, J. (2008). "Contributions to a review of the Dendrelaphis pictus (Gmelin, 1789) complex – 2. the eastern forms". Herpetozoa. 21 (1/2): 3–29. (Dendrelaphis marenae, new species).