Black Pipe Snake

The black pipe snake is Cylindrophis melanotus, a member of the Asian pipe-snake family Cylindrophiidae. Its recorded Indonesian range includes Sulawesi, Halmahera, Bacan, the Sula Islands, Tabukan and the Sangihe Islands. Older scientific literature applied several different names to these populations, including forms described from southern Sulawesi and Halmahera that were later placed in formal synonymy (Reptile Database taxonomic account).

Unlike egg-laying snakes, this species is live-bearing. Its scientific name combines Greek words for black and back, reflecting the dorsal coloration named by the original author. The accessible modern catalogue withheld the fuller diagnostic description and supplied no direct diet, habitat, activity, adult length, litter size or gestation information. This account therefore avoids transferring traits from other Cylindrophis species despite their similar body plan (Reptile Database).