Assessment Results
Trimeresurus rubeus
Ruby-eyed Green Pitviper
Order:
Squamata
Family:
Viperidae
Synonym(s):
Cryptelytrops rubeus, Trimeresurus macrops, Craspedocephalus rubeus
Assessed for:
Viet Nam
on:
08 Sep 2022
by:
Daniel Kane
IUCN Global Red List:
Vulnerable (VU)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Cambodia, Viet Nam
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
8.234600065
Recommended Conservation Actions:
Assessment not yet complete
Additional Comments:
| Question # | Short Name | Question Text | Response | Comments |
| 1 | Extinction risk | Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] | Vulnerable (VU) | Listed as Vulnerable on the basis that this species has an estimated extent of occurrence slightly less than 20,000 km2, it is known from four locations where the threats include deforestation and overexploitation, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat as a result of plantation agriculture, and possibly in the number of mature individuals as a result of harvesting. Red List assessment will be considered in need of being updated as of 10 years following assessment completion. Trimeresurus rubeus was last assessed on 1st September 2011, therefore assessment is in need of updating. |
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? | No / unlikely | There are many records of this recently-described species from Mondolkiri Province in Cambodia, and it is thought to be common in Vietnam. In Vietnam, the population may be experiencing localized declines as a result of overharvesting for food and snake wine though is currently extant (Q.T. Nguyen pers. comm. September 2011). |
| 3 | Phylogenetic significance | The taxon’s Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) score, as generated by the ZSL EDGE program. (These data are not editable by Assessors). | ED value < 20 | |
| 4 | Protected habitat | Is a population of at least 50% of the individuals of the taxon included within a well-managed or reliably protected area or areas? | No / unlikely | Trimeresurus rubeus has been recorded from southern Vietnam in the vicinity of Ho Chi Minh City, and also from the low-elevation hills on the southern and western edges of the Langbian (Da Lat) Plateau in southern Vietnam and eastern Cambodía's Mondolkiri Province. It has also been confirmed from Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam (Geissler et al. 2011), from which it was known previously only from photographs (Malhotra et al. 2011). It has been found between 450 and 500 m asl. While T. rubeus is known to occur in protected areas, it is unlikely that >50% of the individuals of the taxon included within a well-managed or reliably protected area or areas. |
| 5 | Habitat for reintroduction, conservation translocation or supplementation | Does enough well-managed and reliably protected habitat exist, either within or outside of currently protected areas that is suitable for conservation translocation, including population restoration or conservation introduction? | Yes / probably | Trimeresurus rubeus occurs in evergreen forest, including lightly disturbed forest. Specimens from Cambodia have all been reported from sites near fast-flowing streams, often close to waterfalls, and the snake was recorded in Cat Tien near a pool. Such habitat is present across southern Vietnam so it is likely that enough habitat exists for reintroduction, conservation translocation or supplementation, should this be deemed necessary. |
| 6 | Previous reintroductions | Have reintroduction or translocation attempts been made in the past for this species? | No | |
| 7 | In situ conservation activities | Are any in situ conservation actions currently in place for this species? (Only required if a Red List Assessment has not been completed, or if new actions have been implemented since the last Red List Assessment. (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.). | No / unlikely | This species has been recorded from protected areas in Vietnam and Cambodia, with only one of the known localities (in Viet Nam) being unprotected (Malhotra et al. 2011, Geissler et al. 2011). |
| 8 | In situ conservation activities | Are additional in situ conservation actions required to help conserve this species in the wild (e.g. habitat restoration and/or protection, control of invasive species, national legislation etc.)? | Yes / probably | Effective protection of areas where Trimeresurus rubeus is known or suspected to occur is needed. This species has only been found in evergreen forest, and Cambodian sites are at risk from the development of rubber and cassava plantations, despite nominal protected status (T. Neang pers. comm. September 2011). There are no records of the snake from these habitats, although they have not yet been subjected to targeted surveys (T. Neang pers. comm. September 2011). There may be localized declines from exploitation for food and snake wine, however, this is only a threat in southern Viet Nam (Q.T. Nguyen pers. comm. September 2011). As a venomous snake, this species is subject to persecution by humans, and may be at greater risk in degraded, more accessible habitats. |
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | Yes | Surveys of degraded habitat, including plantations, are recommended to establish the limits of Trimeresurus rubeus' habitat tolerances and hence its susceptibility to threats. Taxonomic study is needed to establish the identity of animals from Phu Quoc. |
| 10 | Threat mitigation | Are the threats facing the taxon, including any new and emerging threats not considered in the IUCN Red List, potentially reversible? | Species is effectively protected | Trimeresurus rubeus has only been found in evergreen forest, and Cambodian sites are at risk from the development of rubber and cassava plantations, despite nominal protected status (T. Neang pers. comm. September 2011). There are no records of the snake from these habitats, although they have not yet been subjected to targeted surveys (T. Neang pers. comm. September 2011). There may be localized declines from exploitation for food and snake wine, however, this is only a threat in southern Viet Nam (Q.T. Nguyen pers. comm. September 2011). As a venomous snake, this species is subject to persecution by humans, and may be at greater risk in degraded, more accessible habitats. |
| 11 | Over-collection from the wild | Is the taxon suffering from collection within its natural range, either for food, for the pet trade or for any other reason, which threatens the species’ continued persistence in the wild? | No / unlikely | There may be localized declines from exploitation for food and snake wine, however, this is only a threat in southern Viet Nam (Q.T. Nguyen pers. comm. September 2011). |
| 12 | Population recovery | Is the known population of this species in the wild large enough to recover naturally, without ex situ intervention if threats are mitigated? | Yes / probably | Trimeresurus rubeus has an estimated extent of occurrence of 19570 km2 suggesting that many individuals remain in the wild, though this does not take into account site connectivity and the decreasing population trend. |
| 13 | Action plans | Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? | No | Species does not feature in Vietnamese Red Data book. |
| 14 | Biological distinctiveness | Does the taxon exhibit a distinctive reproductive mode, behaviour, aspect of morphology or physiology, within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.)? | No aspect of biology known to be exceptional | |
| 15 | Cultural/socio-economic importance | Does the taxon have a special human cultural value (e.g. as a national or regional symbol, in a historic context, featuring in traditional stories) or economic value (e.g. food, traditional medicine, tourism) within its natural range or in a wider global context? | Yes | Trimeresurus rubeus is harvested for food and snake wine (Q.T. Nguyen pers. comm. September 2011). |
| 16 | Scientific importance | Is the species vital to current or planned research other than species-specific ecology/biology/conservation within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.) e.g. human medicine, climate change, environmental pollutants and conservation science? | No research dependent on this species | |
| 17 | Ex situ research | Does conserving this species (or closely related species) in situ depend upon research that can be most easily carried out ex situ? | No | |
| 18 | Ex situ conservation activities | Is any ex situ research or other ex situ conservation action currently in place for this species? (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.) | No / unlikely | There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for this species. |
| 19 | Husbandry analog required | If an ex situ rescue program is recommended for this species, would an analog species be required to develop husbandry protocols first? | No / unlikely | |
| 20 | Husbandry analog | Do the biological and ecological attributes of this species make it suitable for developing husbandry regimes for more threatened related species? i.e. could this species be used in captivity to help to develop husbandry and breeding protocols which could be used for a similar, but more endangered species at a later stage? | No | |
| 21 | Captive breeding | Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? | Not held in captivity to date | There is no readily-accessible data in literature, ZIMS or online forums regarding the keeping in captivity of Trimeresurus rubeus suggesting it has not been held in captivity to date. |
| 22 | Conservation education/ecotourism potential | Is the species especially diurnal, active or colourful, or is there an interesting or unusual aspect of its ecology that make it particularly suitable to be an educational ambassador for conservation of the species in the range country, either in zoos or aquariums or within ecotourism activities? | No | |
| 23 | Mandate | Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? | No | |
| 24 | Range State approval | If an ex situ initiative was proposed for this species, would it be supported (and approved) by the range State (either within the range State or out-of-country ex situ)? | Yes / probably | Shiryaev et al. (2007) brought in specimens of Protobothrops cornutus and P. sieversorum during 2003 - 2004 from karst areas in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam (at the elevation 200 - 600 m) to Tula Exotarium. Azemiops feae, another venomous Vietnamese snake, has also been brought out of Vietnam for captive purposes by researchers (https://venomland.forumotion.com/t404-azemiops-feae-fea-viper) suggesting that it is possible to have range state approval for ex-situ work on venomous snakes from Vietnam. |
| 25 | Founder specimens | Are sufficient animals of the taxon available or potentially available (from wild or captive sources) to initiate an ex situ program, if one was recommended? | Yes / probably | It is unknown how many specimens of Trimeresurus rubeus are held in captivity to date (0 recorded on ZIMS, accessed 18/8/2022) but potential founding specimens could theoretically be collected from the wild, as detailed with other Vietnamese vipers by Shiryaev et al. (2007). |
| 26 | Taxonomic status | Has a complete taxonomic analysis of the species in the wild been carried out, to fully understand the functional unit you wish to conserve (i.e. have species limits been determined)? | Yes | Thorpe et al. (2015) investigate cryptic speciation in the Trimeresurus macrops complex. Results concur with allopatric distributions and patterns of variation in individual morphological characters previously identified in the three proposed species: T. macrops sensu stricto, T. cardamomensis, and T. rubeus. The study provides evidence for reproductive isolation and genetic distinctiveness that define these taxa as full species. Captain et al. (2019) show a phylogenetic tree for Trimeresurus in which T. rubeus represents a single terminal branch.This suggests the phylogeny of T. rubeus is currently resolved. |
Citation:
Daniel Kane. 2022. Conservation Needs Assessment for Trimeresurus rubeus, Viet Nam.
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/6977
Accessed 25 Feb 2025
