Simla Coffee Snake, Ninia franciscoi

A recently described species from the Arima Valley of Trinidad, and known from a single specimen. It is sympatric with Ninia atrata. To see more about this snake click here.

Trinidad Ribbon Coral Snake, Micrurus lemniscatus diutius (Family Elapidae)

Size: 1220 mm SVL; 100 mm tail; tail 8-10% SVL in males; 8-9% of SVL in females. Identification: A very distinctive snake with bright, bold colored rings, black bands in groups of three (triad). Snout blunt and rounded; rostral visible from above; nasal divided; loreal absent; six or seven upper labials; six or seven lower labials; one preocular; two postoculars; 226 or fewer ventrals in males; 239 of fewer ventrals in females; and 35−38 paired (usually) subcaudals in males, 32−41 paired subcaudals in females. Dorsal scales are smooth and in 15 rows. Black rings in 7−13 triads, groups of three black rings each separated by a white or yellow ring form a single triad; each triad separated by a wide red ring. Tip of nose black followed by a white preocular ring, followed by a red collar. Red and white scales in this species have black pigment. M. circinalis lacks the triad pattern and has large red rings separated by short black bands; each of these black bands is outlined by a very short white ring.Oxyrhopus petolarius in Trinidad has a black and red pattern without white. The ringed pattern ofHydrops consists of numerous rings of black separated by red or orange rings that are about equal in length. Distinguishing this coral snake from its colubrid mimics (or models), Erythrolamprus aesculapii and E. bizona, at a distance is difficult; Erythrolamprus have a loreal scale, the coral snake lacks it; Erythrolamprus have paired or single black annuli, instead of the triad found in this species. Only two specimens of the mimics have been found on Trinidad, and caution is always the best approach when collecting coral snakes. Distribution: M. l. diutius inhabits Trinidad, eastern Venezuela, and the Guianas and northern Brazil; on Trinidad it is widespread, usually at elevations below 300 m. Habitat: Forests and savannas, frequently in or near bodies of water. Biology: Nocturnal, but may be active on overcast days. Diet: Snakes, lizards, synbranchid eels. Reproduction: A female collected in early July contained two eggs.

Trinidad Coral Snake, Micrurus circinalis (Family Elapidae)

Size: 540 mm TL maximum 800 mm TL. Identification: Head small, about same width as neck; rostral visible from above; nasal divided; one preocular; two postoculars; seven upper labials; seven lower labials; males 174-193 ventrals; females have 194–209 ventrals; cloacal plate divided; males 40–50 subcaudals females with 30–35 subcaudals; smooth dorsal scales in 15 rows. Black rings 21–31; black rings edged with yellow and separated by long red interspaces. Female's tail with 5–8 black rings, male's tail with 8–12 black rings. Tail coloration is predominately black with some narrow white bands separating the black rings. All red and white scales are tipped with black. Distinguished from the other coral snake Micrurus lemniscatus diutius because of the very short white rings, usually less than one mid-dorsal scale in length. The absence of a loreal will readily distinguish it from all the banded colubroid snakes on Trinidad except Hydrops, which has black and red-purple bands of about equal widths. Distribution:Restricted to Trinidad and its satellite islands of Gaspar Grande and Monos; on adjacent mainland Venezuela. Habitat: Forest and savanna; but present in urban habitats. Biology: Nocturnal. Diet includes small fossorial snakes and lizards. Reproduction: Mating reported from January to May, clutches of 2–6 eggs laid from July to September.

Yellow-necked Racer, Mastigodryas amarali (Family Colubridae)

It is unlikely this snake is present on Trinidad or Tobago, but a recent paper suggests that it on both islands. It is included here until the situation can be further investigated.

Leptophis stimsoni (Family Colubridae)

Size. 593 mm SVL, TL 832 mm. Diagnosis. Silver-gray above, tan below, dorsolateral stripe on each side, a dark post ocular stripe, labials white. A small, slender snake with 15 scale rows at mid-body, reduced to 13 rows posteriorly; ventrals number about 147, and subcaudals number about 135. The tail is about 40% of the body length. The coloration, pattern, and lower ventral count will readily distinguish this snake from other Trinidad and Tobago Leptophis. Distribution. Known only from Trinidad’s Northern Range. Life History. Known from only a few specimens, this snake life history remains to be described.

Oliver's Lora, Leptophis coeurleodorsus (Family Colubridae)

Size. 1.2 m. Diagnosis. A thin, bright green snake with a copper colored lateral stripe. Dorsal scales in 15 rows at mid-body, reduced to 13 rows near the vent. Scales on the mid back are slightly larger than lateral scales. It has a dark stripe that passes through the eye, and eight or nine upper labials. Distribution. Northern Venezuela, Isla Margarita, Trinidad, Tobago. Life History. An arboreal, forest, and forest-edge snake that will use agricultural and urban habitats. Diet is mostly frogs and lizards. Clutches of 3–5 eggs have been found in bromeliads high in in the forest canopy of related species. Other common names: parrot snake, green horse whip, machete, and whiplash.

Water Mapapie, Helicops angulatus (Family Dipsadidae)

Other common names: Banded Water Snake; Water Snake, Brown Banded Water Snake.
Size: Males 475 mm, female reach and probably exceed 625 mm; tail 31−43% SVL.
Identification: Head broad, eyes dorsolateral; body stout; dorsum red-brown with 20–27 dark brown cross bands on body and 15–20 blotches on tail; dark blotch on nape may fuse to first cross band. Venter tan or pink with dark brown bands that usually coincide with dorsolateral bands. Rostral visible from above pentagonal; nasal divided and separated by two internasals; prefontals paired; eyes small and directed more dorsally; loreal single and in contact with the second and third labials; one preocular; two postoculars; two primary temporals and three secondary temporals; 7–9 upper labials, sixth largest, and fourth enters the orbit; 7–10 lower labials; anterior chin shields longer than the second pair and the anterior pair contacts the first five lower labials; 114–121 ventrals; anal plate divided; 63–72 paired subcaudals. Keeled, striated and elongated dorsal scales in 19 rows at mid-body, reduced posteriorly to 17 rows; these characteristics distinguish this snake from all other Trinidad snakes. Juveniles with dark brown blotches four or five scale rows wide on dorsal midline and separated by light tan bands, one or two scale rows wide on mid-line. Dark bands narrow toward venter, light bands widen toward venter.
Similar Species: Trinidad and Tobago have few snakes that have a dorsal pattern of transverse bands and keeled scales, the coral snakes and their mimics have bands, but they tend to be slender, smooth scaled snakes. But, Linne’s Swamp Snake has bands when young but it has 17 scale rows, and the Water Coral has triangular-shaped markings and its pattern also contains red, but it has 15 rows of dorsal scales.

Habitat: An aquatic snake found in herbaceous swamps; ponds, ditches, slow moving; streams; rice paddies; flooded pastures.

Natural History: Nocturnal. Diet includes lizards, fish, and frogs. Reproduction clutch sizes are 8–18; some populations of this snake may be facultative ovoviviparous; incubation is 39−45 days. We found a clutch of eight eggs beneath corrugated tin about 10 meters from a water filled ditch in September.

Anaconda or Huilla, Eunectes murinus (Family Boidae)

Size. 7.6 m TL, females larger than males, neonates about 65 mm TL. The largest extant snake but not the longest. Diagnosis. The lack of labial pits, four symmetrical scales between eyes, and presence of subocular scales (between the eye and upper labials) will distinguish the anaconda from all other Trinidad and Tobago snakes. Loreal single; one preocular; one to four postoculars; usually two, sometimes one or three suboculars; 14–17 upper labials; 15–25 lower labials; 241–269 ventrals; anal plate single; 65–72 single subcaudals. Small, smooth dorsal scales in 53–69 rows at midbody. Dorsum olive brown with one or two rows of 36–45 dark brown or black blotches, and a lateral row of light-centered ocelli. Distribution. Widespread Amazonian species: Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, the Guyanas, Trinidad (not present on Tobago). Life History. A highly aquatic, nocturnal species that uses swamps, marshes, rivers, and quarries. Diet includes a variety of vertebrates: amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Reproduction. Courtship and copulation in December-January, 19–82 young born in July-August. Other common names: Anaconda, Huilla (pronounced 'weel') Water Boa,

Red Snake, Erythrolamprus ocellatus (Family Dipsadidae)

Size: 400–530 mm TL, hatchlings about 180 mm TL; tail 19.8% of SVL. Identification: The only Tobago snake with a red dorsum and a series of 21–28 dark ocelli on body with white-yellow center. Rostral visible from above; single loreal; divided nasal; one preocular; two postoculars; seven upper labials (3−4 enter orbit); nine lower labials; 168–179 ventrals; cloacal plate divided; 40–49 paired subcaudals; smooth dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody with no reduction posteriorly; anterior chin shields larger or equal in size to posterior pair. Head black, red scales tipped with black, belly is white with some red pigment intruding from the dorsum. Habitat: Uses forest and forest edge habitats as well as cacao plantations.Biology: Diurnal particularly in early morning. Diet: snakes: Atractus trilineatus, Tantilla melanocephala, and the lizard Hemidactylus mabouia.

Yellow-tailed Cribo, Drymarchon corais (Family Colubridae)

Coluber corais Boie 1827: 537

Spilotes corais — Duméril & Bibron 1854: 223 (?)

Geoptyas collaris Steindachner 1867: 271

Geoptyas flaviventris Steindachner 1867

Drymarchon corais corais - Stejneger 1899

Phrynonax angulifer Werner 1923

Drymarchon corais — Wallach et al. 2014: 244

Other Common Names: Clibo or cribo noir, Yellow-tailed cribo.Size. 3 m TL. Diagnosis. The only Trinidad and Tobago snake with 17 scale rows at mid-body; scales have apical pits (difficult to see without magnification) a grey-brown dorsum that lightens posteriorly (yellow tail), ventrals about 195, subcaudals about 78; scales on the crown outlined in dark pigment and the labial seams outlined with brown; venter yellow.  Distribution. A widespread species found from the southern United States southward through Mexico, Central America, and southward to Argentina. On Trinidad and Tobago is is associated with forests but uncommon. Life History. A diurnal, forest snake. Diet includes virtually any vertebrate that can be overpowered and many invertebrates. Reproduction: Females reportedly produce clutches of 9–12 eggs. 

Trinidad Snail-eating Snake, Dipsas trinitatis (Family Dipsadidae)

Dipsas trinitatis Parker 1926: 206.
Dipsas variegata trinitatis — Peters 1960: 139.
Dipsas trinitatis — Harvey 2008.

Size: 638 mm SVL, 165 mm tail; tail 25–36% of the SVL. Identification: Slender, yellow, tan, and brown with 17–24 blotches on the dorsum; head significantly larger than the neck; the only Trinidad snake lacking a mental groove on the chin. Crown dark brown, sides of head tan, with dark brown pigment on seams of labials.  Similar species: Perhaps most easily confused with Sibon nebulata that is similar in body and head shape but is gray or brown and white and has a mental groove. Rostral barely visible from above; smooth scales in 15 rows with the vertebral row slightly enlarged, ventrals 168–189, subcaudals divided 81–92. Loreal single, one preocular, two postoculars, 7-9 upper labials, 9-12 lower labials, anal plate single 

Distribution: probably endemic to Trinidad but may also occur in the vicinity of Guarico, Venezuela. Habitat: A forest-edge snake that uses habitats disturbed by humans. Biology: Crepuscular, nocturnal; activity is sporadic. Diet: snails that lack an operculum; the snake uses a ratchet-like motion of its lower jaw to remove the snail from the shell.

Boos, H.E.A. 2001. The snakes of Trinidad and Tobago. Texas A&M University Press, 270 pp.

Harvey, Michael B. 2008. New and Poorly Known Dipsas (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Northern South America. Herpetologica 64 (4): 422-451.

Murphy, J.C. 1997. Amphibians and Reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago. Krieger Publishing, Malabar.

Murphy, J. C. and M. G. Rutherford.  2014. The first report of the snail-eating snake Dipsas variegata (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril) on Trinidad, its relationship to Dipsas trinitatis Parker (Squamata, Dipsadidae), and a discussion of microcephalic and macrocephalic ecomorphs in Dipsas. Herpetology Notes 7: 757-760.

Parker, H. W. 1926. A new snake from Trinidad. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (9) 18: 205-207

Peters, J. A. 1960. The snakes of the subfamily Dipsadinae. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool., Univ. Michigan (114): 224 pp.

Peters, J,A. Donoso-Barros, R. & Orejas-Miranda B. 1970. Catalogue of the Neotropical Squamata: Part I Snakes. Part II Lizards and Amphisbaenians. Bull. US Natl. Mus. 297: 347 pp.

Wallach, V. K. L. Williams, J. Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.

Ruschenberger's Treeboa, Corallus ruschenbergerii (Family Boidae)

Xiphosoma ruschenbergerii Cope 1876: 129.

Xiphosoma ruschenbergii -  Boulenger 1893: 99

Corallus cookei var. ruschenbergi -  Boettger 1898: 10.

Boa ruschenbergii - Stejneger 1902: 184.

Boa salmonidia Briceño Rossi 1934: 1141.

Corallus ruschenbergerii - Henderson 1997: 212.

Size. 1.87 m SVL, 2.2 m TL. Description. Deep labial pits, nasal scales in contact, and internasal scales in contact behind the nasals will separate this snake from all other T&T snakes. Body laterally compressed; head wide, distinct from neck. Rostral slightly visible from above; loreal divided; supraoculars and postoculars divided into small scales; 8–13 supralabials, 12–15 infralabials; 252–268 ventrals; anal single; single subcaudals 100–112. Smooth, dorsal scales in 38–45 rows at midbody. Dorsum khaki-brown to yellow-brown. Males with larger anal spurs than females. 

Distribution. Costa Rica, to Colombia and northern Venezuela, the Isla de Margarita; and Trinidad, Tobago. Life History. An arboreal, nocturnal, forest and forest-edge boid that occasionally descends to the ground. Readily seen at night using a flashlight and searching the canopy, common in Caroni Swamp and many locations in the Northern Range. Diet includes birds, mice, squirrels, bats, mongoose, porcupine rats, and mouse opossum. Reproduction. Courtship and mating in February; 20–30 young born August.

Acevedo-Charry, Orlando and Jose Rancés Caicedo-Portilla. 2016. Corallus ruschenbergerii (Rushcenberger Tree Boa) Diet. Herpetological Review 47 (1): 143-144

Boettger, O. 1898. Katalog der Reptilien-Sammlung im Museum der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Frankfurt/M. 2.Teil (Schlangen). Frankfurt/M (Gebr. Knauer), i-ix + 1-160.

Boos, H.E.A. 2001. The snakes of Trinidad and Tobago. Texas A&M University Press, 270 pp.

Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. London (Taylor & Francis), 448 pp.

Briceno-Rossi, A.L. 1934. El problema del ofidismo en Venezuela. Bol. Min. Salubr. Agric. Cria, Venezuela, Caracas, 1: 1079-1177

Cope, E.D. 1875. On the Batrachia and Reptilia of Costa Rica with notes on the herpetology and ichthyology of Nicaragua and Peru. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia N.S. (2) 8: 93-183.

Esqueda; L.F. & E. La Marca. 2004. Geographic Distribution (Serpentes): Corallus ruschenbergerii. Herpetological Review 35(2):190

Henderson, R. W. 2002. Neotropical Treeboas. Krieger Publ. Company, Malabar, 198 pp.

Henderson, R. W., Pauers, M. J. and Colston, T. J. 2013. On the congruence of morphology, trophic ecology, and phylogeny in Neotropical treeboas (Squamata: Boidae: Corallus). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 109: 466–475. doi: 10.1111/bij.12052

Henderson, Robert W. 1997. A Taxonomic Review of the Corallus hortulanus complex of Neotropical Tree Boas. Carib. J. Sci. 33 (3-4): 198-221.

Henderson, Robert W. and Michael J. Pauers 2012. On the Diets of Neotropical Treeboas (Squamata: Boidae: Corallus). South American Journal of Herpetology 7 (2): 172-180.

Henderson, Robert W.; Michael J. Pauers and Timothy J. Colston 2013. On the congruence of morphology, trophic ecology, and phylogeny in Neotropical treeboas (Squamata: Boidae: Corallus). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, DOI: 10.1111/bij.12052

Kornacker, Paul M.;Dederichs, Ursula 1998. Herpetologische Eindrücke einer Venezuelareise - Teil 2: Die Llanos. Elaphe 6 (3): 68-73

Markezich, A.L. 2002. New distribution records of reptiles from Western Venezuela. Herpetological Review 33 (1): 69-74. McDiarmid, R.W.; Campbell, J.A. & Touré,T.A. 1999. Snake species of the world. Vol. 1. Herpetologists’ League, 511 pp.

Natera-Mumaw, Marco; Luis Felipe Esqueda-González & Manuel Castelaín-Fernández 2015. Atlas Serpientes de Venezuela Santiago de Chile, Dimacofi Negocios Avanzados S.A., 456 pp.

Pérez-Santos,C. & Moreno, A.G. 1988. Ofidios de Colombia. Museo reegionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino, Monographie VI, 517 pp.

Rivas Fuenmayor, Gilson and Cesar Luis Barrio Amorós 2005. New Amphibian and Reptile records from Cojedes State, Venezuela. Herpetological Review 36 (2):205-209.

Sandoval, Luis and Gerardo Chaves 2014. Corallus ruschenbergeri. Behavior. Mesoamerican Herpetology 1 (2): 287.

 Solórzano, A. 2006. Snakes of the Osa Peninsula [Costa Rica]. Reptilia (GB) (48): 30-34.

Solórzano, A. 2006. Die Schlangen der Osa-Halbinsel [Costa Rica]. Reptilia (Münster) 11 (61): 28-31 Stejneger,L. 1902. An annotated list of batrachians and reptiles collected in the vicinity of La Guaira, Venezuela, with descriptions of two new species of snakes. Proc. US Natl. Mus. 24 [1901]: 179-192.