🏷️
Classification
Reptile
🍽️
Diet
Carnivore
⏱️
Lifespan
7–12 years
⚖️
Weight
0.3–1.3 kg
Population Trend
➡️Stable
Description
A non-venomous burrowing snake known for its highly iridescent scales that shimmer like a rainbow in sunlight.
Habitat
🌿 tropical forest🌿 swamp🌿 rice paddy
Extended Data
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Family
Xenopeltidae
Genus
Xenopeltis
Fun Facts
1
Their scales produce structural iridescence — the color comes from microscopic structures, not pigment.
2
Sunbeam snakes are the only species in their family Xenopeltidae.
3
They spend most of their time underground, emerging mainly after rain.
4
They constrict prey like pythons but are more closely related to sunbeam snakes' primitive lineage.
5
Their iridescence fades after death, making preserved specimens look dull brown.