Fauna of Billiton · Historical natural history
Snakes of Billiton (1937–1941)
A remarkable zoological survey by J. H. Westermann documented snakes collected across Billiton before the Second World War.
A historical record
J. H. Westermann, writing from Gantoeng, Billiton, published “Snakes from Bangka and Billiton” in Treubia, volume 18, part 3 (1942), pp. 611–619. He collected snakes on Billiton between 1937 and 1941. Earlier published records listed only nine species from the island. Westermann reported 22 additional species not previously recorded from Billiton, as well as a newly described form named Maticora intermedia.
These figures describe the state of zoological documentation in 1942; they should not be mistaken for a complete inventory of Billiton's present-day snake fauna.
Where specimens were recorded
The article preserves valuable historical place names, including Tandjong Pandan, Gantoeng, Lenggang, Klappa Kampit, Manggar, and several villages and rivers. The accompanying map is reproduced from the original article.
Historical map: J. H. Westermann, Treubia 18(3), 1942, p. 614. The map is reproduced for historical and educational context.
Selected records from Billiton
| Scientific name in the 1942 paper | Locality | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Python reticulatus | Pring, Klappa Kampit; Gantoeng | 1938–1941; a specimen measuring 410 cm was noted. |
| Cylindrophis rufus | Kampong A. Mali, Tandjong Pandan | 26 October 1937; a juvenile specimen. |
| Elaphe melanura | Manggar; Gantoeng | 1937 and 1941; described as common in Lenggang district. |
| Boiga dendrophila | Kampong A. Mali, Tandjong Pandan | 26 October 1937; a 173 cm specimen. |
| Laticauda colubrina | Company pier, Tandjong Pandan | 2 November 1937; found at night. |
| Naja hannah | Kampong Rembikang; Gantoeng | 1937 and 1941; one Gantoeng specimen measured 284 cm. |
| Maticora intermedia | Klappa Kampit | February 1941; described as a new species in this paper. |
| Chrysopelea ornata | Gantoeng | 4 September 1939; a 96 cm specimen. |
Scientific names are retained exactly as historical names used by Westermann; modern taxonomy may differ.
Snakes and the mining landscape
Westermann's observations offer glimpses of life around the tin-mining settlements. A Laticauda colubrina was found at night on the pier of the N.V. Gemeenschappelijke Mijnbouw Maatschappij “Billiton” in Tandjong Pandan. Another specimen, identified in the paper as Naja hannah, was caught near company employees' houses in Gantoeng. These records connect natural history with the built environment of colonial-era mining.
A notable discovery at Klappa Kampit
In February 1941, Westermann examined a 47.5 cm snake from Klappa Kampit that he described under the name Maticora intermedia. He compared its scales and coloration with specimens from Borneo. This is a historical taxonomic description, not a claim that the name remains valid today.
Source
Westermann, J. H. (1942). “Snakes from Bangka and Billiton.” Treubia, 18(3), 611–619. Billiton records begin on printed p. 613; the historical map appears on p. 614.
Prepared for Simpur Talang from the historical article. Localities, dates, measurements and original scientific names are taken from the publication.