VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is home to many different species of snakes, including 5 endemic ones.

Ảnh: Raoul Bain
The Red River krait (Bungarus slowinskii) is a species of krait in the family Elapidae. This snake is endemic to northern Vietnam. Its common name is a reference to the Red River. This species is medium in length, moderately slender, cylindrical bodied snake with a short tail. Average adult length is approximately 0.9 meters, but it can grow to a maximum of at least 1.32 meters.
Not much is known about its venom, but like other Bungarus species, it consists of both pre- and post-synaptic neurotoxins and similar to other kraits, it is likely to be very potent. Bungarus species are the most venomous land snakes in all of Asia.

Smith's small-headed sea snake, Hydrophis parviceps, was originally described in 1935 from a single type specimen collected in southern Vietnam. Since this time there has been only one further record for the species—a specimen collected near the type locality in 1960 that has since been lost. Through field surveys in southern Vietnam in 2001, Three additional specimens of this poorly known sea snake from fisheries by catch were discovered.

Ảnh: AP.
Currently, Hon Son pit viper (Cryptelytrops honsonensis) is known only from the small island of Hon Son in Rach Gia Bay (61.2 km southeast of the Rach Gia city of Rach Gia Province), Kien Hai District, Kien Giang Province, Vietnam. It is endemic to this site, and has not been found in surveys of numerous other islands in the archipelago. Hon Son is a very small island (ca. 22 km²) with a maximum elevation of 405m. The island is composed of large granitic boulders that extend from the shoreline to its peaks, and there is little to no primary vegetation.
Ảnh: Nguyễn Thiên Tạo.
Trungkhanh Pit viper was recorded in karst region in Trung Khanh Nature Reserve, Cao Bang Province in northeastern Vietnam in 2009.

Rắn lục trường sơn. Ảnh: Vncreatures.
Viridovipera truongsonensis (Truong Son Pit Viper) is known with certainty only from the type locality, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province, in the Annamite Mountains of central Vietnam.

Compiled by Le Ha