Sinharaja Tree Snake

The Sinharaja tree snake is a diurnal, mainly tree-dwelling snake endemic to Sri Lanka. It was long treated as a synonym of the stripe-tailed bronzeback until it was revalidated in 2020, and at the same time the name D. sinharajensis was placed in its synonymy. It has prominent paired black and white cross bars along the body, a parietal stripe, and a dorsal colour that is bright red on the nape and fades towards the tail. The largest specimen measures 67 cm from snout to vent (Wikipedia, general species account).

It was described from a single specimen from Colombo, and has been recorded in Sinharaja and its lowland wet zone surroundings and in the Sabaragamuwa Province, at elevations of 50 to 350 m. It may once have been widespread in lowland rain forest. As a canopy dweller it is hard to encounter. No status is given for it in the Sri Lanka National Red List 2012 list checked.