Ikaheka Snake

Micropechis ikaheca is endemic to New Guinea and adjacent islands, notably Karkar Island, Madang Province, in Papua New Guinea, where it is particularly common and referred to as the "white snake" due to its pale coloring. It is also found on neighboring Manam Island, and Walis Island in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. In Indonesia, other than Western New Guinea, they can also be found on the Biak Islands, Raja Ampat Islands, and Aru Islands.

M. ikaheca is a thick-bodied, smooth-scaled snake that grows up to 2.1 metres (6.9 ft) long. It has small eyes that are typical of other semi-fossorial burrowing snakes, and is either nocturnal or crepuscular. In common with most other elapids, M. ikaheca is oviparous. The name ikaheca means "land eel" in a local West Papuan dialect, indicating the snake's preference for damp or semi-aquatic habitats, such as swamps, creeks, wetlands, low-lying rainforest, and piles of discarded vegetation debris, i.e. oil palm windrows, and coconut palm husk piles. It may be encountered crossing roads following rain at night M. ikaheka hunts small vertebrates, including small rodents and bandicoots, ground-dwelling lizards such as skinks, and snakes, such as the New Guinea ground boa Candoia aspera. It is also cannibalistic.