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The Three-striped Ground Snake (Pseudoxyrhopus tritaeniatus) is certainly one of the most beautiful of Madagascan endemic snakes, but why is it colored this way? Bold red stripes are frequently used as an aposematic warning, indicating to other animals of severe danger. It is curious then that not only is this species completely non-venomous but there are in fact no other dangerous snakes in Madagascar that this could possibly be a mimic of. An interesting theory points to the co-occurrence of large red toxic millipedes in the same forests – could these actually be a mimicry model for this snake? On an island legendary for its biological curiosities, nothing seems beyond the realm of possibility. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.

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Reptiles, Madagascar
The Three-striped Ground Snake (Pseudoxyrhopus tritaeniatus) is certainly one of the most beautiful of Madagascan endemic snakes, but why is it colored this way? Bold red stripes are frequently used as an aposematic warning, indicating to other animals of severe danger. It is curious then that not only is this species completely non-venomous but there are in fact no other dangerous snakes in Madagascar that this could possibly be a mimic of. An interesting theory points to the co-occurrence of large red toxic millipedes in the same forests – could these actually be a mimicry model for this snake? On an island legendary for its biological curiosities, nothing seems beyond the realm of possibility. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.