Erythrolamprus ocellatus

Erythrolamprus ocellatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Xenodontinae
Genus: Erythrolamprus
Species: E. ocellatus
Binomial name
Erythrolamprus ocellatus
W. Peters, 1868
Synonyms
  • Erythrolamprus ocellatus
    W. Peters, 1868
  • Erythrolamprus aesculapii ocellatus Emsley, 1966
  • Erythrolamprus ocellatus
    J.C. Murphy, 1997[1]

Erythrolamprus ocellatus, commonly known as the Tobago false coral, is a species of colubrid snake, which is endemic to the island of Tobago (in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago).[2]

Description

Unlike other Erythrolamprus species, E. ocellatus is not sympatric with coral snakes and has a spotted rather than a banded pattern.[2]

Dorsally, it is reddish (with black scale tips), and has a series of about 25 large ocelli (round black spots with light centers) running down the middle of the back. The dorsal surfaces of the head and neck are black, and the tail is ringed with black.[3]

Diet

It probably feeds on other snakes.[2]

References

  1. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. 1 2 3 Boos, Hans E.A. (2001). The Snakes of Trinidad and Tobago. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas. xvi + 328 pp. ISBN 1-58544-116-3.
  3. Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ Aglyphæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ),... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, Printers.) London. xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. ("E. ocellatus, Peters", p. 204.)

Further reading


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