Thickhead ground snake

Thickhead ground snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Infraorder: Alethinophidia
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Xenodontinae
Genus: Atractus
Species: A. crassicaudatus
Binomial name
Atractus crassicaudatus
(A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A. Duméril, 1854)
Synonyms

Rabdosoma crassicaudatum A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A. Duméril, 1854[2]

The thickhead ground snake (Atractus crassicaudatus) is a nonvenomous colubrid snake species, with no recognized subspecies,[3] endemic to Colombia.

Description

The thickhead ground snake is dark purplish-brown or blackish both dorsally and ventrally, with small, yellowish spots dorsally, and larger ones ventrally. The first row of dorsal scales, next to the ventrals on each side, is yellowish. There is a yellowish blotch on each temple.

Its snout is obtuse. The rostral scale is small, the internasals are very small, and the prefrontals are as long as broad; The frontal is as long as or a little longer than broad, as long as its distance from the end of the snout, but much shorter than the parietals; The loreal scale is at least twice as long as it is high, Two postoculars are present; the temporals are 1+2; seven upper labials (rarely six) occur, the third and fourth (or third) of which enter the orbit; the three lower labials contact the single pair of chin shields. The dorsal scales are smooth, in 17 rows. The ventrals are 146-161 in count; the anal scale is entire, with 19-27 paired subcaudal scales.

Adults may attain 42 cm (16.5 inches) in total length. The length of the tail is about 1/10 of the total length.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Stafford, P.J. & Castro, F. (2009). "Atractus crassicaudatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2011-03-28.
  2. ↑ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ↑ "Atractus crassicaudatus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  4. ↑ Boulenger, G.A. 1894. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume II. London. p. 310.
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