Erythrolamprus cobellus (Family Dipsadidae)

Other common names: Mapepiri mangue, mangrove snake, mangrove mapepire. Size: 572 mm SVL, tail 222 mm.  A mostly black, semi-aquatic snake with a black-brown dorsum with white flecks, the belly has transverse bands. Dorsal scales smooth in 17 rows at mid-body reduced to 15 near the vent. Rostral visible from above; nasal divided; one preocular, loreal small and single; two postoculars; seven to nine upper labials; 8−11 lower labials; ventrals 130−147; cloacal plate divided; 37−56 paired subcaudals. All other Trinidad and Tobago Erythrolamprus have longitudinal stripes; transverse bands, or dorsal blotches. Because the dorsum may be almost entirely black, it could be confused with Clelia (19 scale rows and more than 200 ventrals) or Spilotes (16 or 18 scale rows, mostly keeled, and more than 200 ventrals). Widespread in northern South America - Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, the Guianas, Brazil, and Ecuador. Semi-aquatic in fresh and brackish water; present in mangroves swamps, herbaceous swamps, rice paddies, associated streams. Regularly travels overland and may be seen on roads. Active late afternoon and after dark. Diet: includes a variety of small vertebrates. Reported to lay eggs in June, clutch sizes less than six eggs.