Sulawesi Black Racer

The Sulawesi black racer is Ptyas dipsas, a colubrid described from Celebes, the former name for Sulawesi. Older literature placed it in Herpetodryas, Zamenis or Coluber before later authors settled on Ptyas. The species epithet derives from a Greek word associated with thirst and was chosen because the original author thought its large-headed form recalled snakes once called Dipsas (Reptile Database).

Its accepted range includes Sulawesi and Halmahera, and it lays eggs. A published study recorded a remarkable aggregation of ectoparasites, while regional surveys list the snake from Sulawesi. The accessible species account withheld the detailed diagnosis and provided no dependable colour pattern, adult length, habitat, prey, activity, clutch size or incubation period. Those gaps remain explicit rather than being filled from other racers (Reptile Database reference list).