List of snakes of Trinidad and Tobago

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Forty-seven species of snake have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago, making the snake population of this area the most diverse in the Caribbean. Forty-four of these snake species are found in Trinidad and twenty-one in Tobago. Many of these species are South American, most of which are present in Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and several smaller islands. The Bocas Islands, which lie between Trinidad and Venezuela, in the Bocas del Dragón (Dragon's Mouths), consist of Chacachacare, Monos, Huevos and Gaspar Grande. Several smaller islands lie off Trinidad, but snakes have been recorded on only one of them, Caledonia Island. Snakes have been recorded on one island off Tobago, Little Tobago. Four species are venomous: two coral snake species (Micrurus spp.[note 1]), the fer-de-lance (Bothrops atrox) and the South American bushmaster (Lachesis muta). The common coral (Micrurus fulvius) is found on at least two of the Bocas Islands: Gaspar Grande and Monos. No venomous snakes inhabit Tobago.

A beige-colored snake slithers on a branch, among leafy vegetation.
Cascabel dormillon or Cook's tree boa (Corallus ruschenbergerii), Caroni Swamp, Trinidad

Anomalepididae

Anomalepididae is a family of nonvenomous snakes native to Central and South America. They are similar to Typhlopidae, except that some species possess a single tooth in the lower jaw. One possible species has been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

More information Species, Common name ...
Anomalepididae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Helminthophis cf. flavoterminatus[note 2][1] Yellow-headed ground puppy; Trinidadian dawn blind snake Yes[1] No No No
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Leptotyphlopidae

Leptotyphlopidae is a family of snakes found in North and South America, Africa, and Asia. All are fossorial and adapted to burrowing, feeding on ants and termites. One species has been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

More information Species, Common name ...
Leptotyphlopidae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Epictia tenella Ground puppy Yes[2] No No No
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Typhlopidae

Typhlopidae is a family of blind snakes found mostly in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. Two species have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

More information Species, Common name ...
Typhlopidae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Amerotyphlops brongersmianus Brongersma's worm snake Yes[3] No No No
Amerotyphlops trinitatus[note 3][4] Trinidad burrowing snake Yes[4] Yes[4] No No
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Aniliidae

Aniliidae is a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus Anilius, which means that there is only one species in the entire family. This species is A. scytale, found in South America.

More information Species, Common name ...
Aniliidae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Anilus scytale scytale[note 4] Burrowing false coral; rouleau Yes[5] No No No
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Boidae

Boidae is a family of non-venomous snakes found in America, Africa, Europe, Asia and some Pacific Islands, containing the boas. Four species have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

More information Species, Common name ...
Boidae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Boa constrictor constrictor Macajuel, boa constrictor Yes[6] Yes[6] Yes[note 5][6] No
Corallus ruschenbergerii Cascabel dormillon; Cook's tree boa Yes[7] Yes[7] No No
Epicrates cenchria maurus Rainbow boa Yes[8] Yes[8] Yes[note 6][8] No
Eunectes murinus gigas Green anaconda Yes[9] No No No
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Family Colubridae

Colubridae is a family of snakes comprising about two thirds of all snake species on earth. Colubrid species are found on every continent, except Antarctica.[10] Species from three subfamilies are found in Trinidad and Tobago.

Subfamily Xenodontinae

Xenodontinae is a subfamily of snakes within the family Colubridae that includes mud snakes and New World hognose snakes.

More information Species, Common name ...
Xenodontinae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Liophis cobellus cobellus Mangrove snake, mangrove mapepire Yes[11] No No No
Liophis melanotus nesos[note 7] Beh belle chemin, doctor snake Yes[12] Yes[12] Yes[12] No
Liophis reginae zweifeli High woods coral Yes[13] Yes[13] No No
Oxyrhopus petola petola False coral Yes[14] Yes[14] No No
Pseudoboa neuwiedii Ratonel Yes[15] Yes[15] Yes[note 8][15] No
Siphlophis cervinus Checkerbelly Yes[16] No No No
Siphlophis compressus Mapepire de fe, false coral Yes[17] No No No
Thamnodynastes ramonriveroi Striped swamp snake Yes[18][19] No No No
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Subfamily Dipsadinae

Dipsadinae is a subfamily of snakes within the family Colubridae that includes cat-eyed snakes, night snakes, and black-striped snakes.

More information Species, Common name ...
Dipsadinae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Atractus fuliginosus Hallowell's ground snake No Yes[20] No No
Atractus trilineatus Three-lined ground snake Yes[21] Yes[21] ?[note 9] No
Atractus cf. univittatus[note 10] Tobago one-lined snake No Yes[22] No No
Clelia clelia clelia Black cribo, mussurana Yes[23] No Yes[note 11][23] No
Dipsas variegata trinitatis[note 12] Snail-eating snake Yes[24] No No No
Erythrolamprus aesculapii[note 13] False coral Yes[25] No No No
Erythrolamprus bizona[note 14] False coral Yes[26] No No No
Erythrolamprus cobella Mangrove snake Yes[27] No No No
Erythrolamprus melanotus Black-backed snake Yes Yes No No
Erythrolamprus ocellatus[note 15] Tobago false coral, red snake No Yes[28] No No
Erythrolamprus pseudoreginae Tobago stream snake No Yes[29] No No
Erythrolamprus zweifeli Zweifel's ground snake Yes[30] No No No
Helicops angulatus Water mapepire, brown-banded water snake Yes[31] No No No
Hydrops triangularis neglectus Water coral Yes[32] No No No
Imantodes cenchoa cenchoa Mapepire corde violon, fiddle-string snake Yes[33] Yes[33] No No
Leptodeira annulata ashmeadi False mapepire, cat-eyed night snake Yes[34] Yes[34] Yes[note 16][34] No
Ninia atrata Red-nape snake, ring neck snake Yes[35] Yes[35] No No
Ninia franciscoi Trinidad coffeesnake Yes No No No
Sibon nebulata nebulata Clouded snake Yes[36] Yes[36] Yes[note 17][36] No
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Subfamily Colubrinae

Colubrinae is the largest subfamily of colubrids, and includes rat snakes, king snakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes.

More information Species, Common name ...
Colubrinae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Chironius carinatus carinatus Machete savane, yellow machete Yes[37] No No No
Chironius multiventris septentrionalis Long-tailed machete savane Yes[38] No No No
Chironius scurrulus[note 18] Smooth machete savane Yes[39] No No No
Drymarchon corais corais Yellow-tailed cribo Yes[40] Yes[40] Yes[note 19][40] No
Leptophis ahaetulla coeruleodorus Lora, parrot snake Yes[41] Yes[41] No No
Leptophis stimsoni[note 20] Grey lora Yes[42] No No No
Mastigodryas amarali Amaral's tropical racer Yes[43] Yes[43] No No
Mastigodryas boddaerti boddaerti Machete couesse Yes[44] No Yes[note 21][44] Yes[44]
Mastigodryas boddaerti dunni[note 22] Machete couesse No Yes[45] No Yes[45]
Oxybelis rutherfordi Horsewhip Yes[46] Yes[46] Yes[note 23][46] No
Phrynonax polylepis Olivaceous bird snake, cutlah Yes No No No
Pseustes poecilonotus polylepis Dos cocorite Yes[47] No No No
Pseustes sulphureus sulphureus Yellow-bellied puffing snake Yes[48] No No No
Spilotes pullatus pullatus Tigre, chicken snake Yes[49] Yes[49] No No
Tantilla melanocephala Black-headed snake Yes[50] Yes[50] Yes[note 24][50] No
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Family Elapidae

Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Two species are found in Trinidad and Tobago.

More information Species, Common name ...
Elapidae
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Micrurus diutius Trinidad ribbon coral snake Yes[51] No No No
Micrurus circinalis Large coral snake Yes[52] No Yes[note 25][53][54] No
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Family Viperidae

Viperidae is a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except for Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii and the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Two species are found in Trinidad and Tobago.

More information Species, Common name ...
Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. Other
Bothrops atrox Mapepire balsain, fer-de-lance Yes[55] No No No
Lachesis muta muta [needs update][56] Mapepire zanana, mapepire z'ananas, bushmaster Yes[57] No No No
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See also

Notes

  1. [1]
    The abbreviation "sp." indicates a single species and the abbreviation "spp." indicates multiple species.
  2. [2]
    Helminthophis sp. is known from a single collection. It may represent an undescribed species since none of the three described species are known from adjacent portions of Venezuela
  3. [3]
    Typhlops trinitatus is endemic to Trinidad and Tobago.
  4. [4]
    Anilus scytale scytale is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  5. [5]
    Boa constrictor constrictor has been recorded from the islands of Monos and Gaspar Grande.
  6. [6]
    Epicrates cenchria maurus has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare, but the report has not been confirmed with a specimen.
  7. [7]
    Liophis melanotus nesos has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare and is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  8. [8]
    Pseudoboa neuwiedii has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare.
  9. [9]
    Atractus trilineatus has been reported from the island of Huevos, but Boos (2001) considered this record to be doubtful.
  10. [10]
    Atractus cf. univittatus is known from a single collection in Tobago. It has affinities with A. univittatus, but may be an undescribed species.
  11. [11]
    Clelia clelia clelia has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare, but the report has not been confirmed with a specimen.
  12. [12]
    Dipsas variegata trinitatis is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  13. [13]
    Erythrolamprus aesculapii is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  14. [14]
    Erythrolamprus bizona is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  15. [15]
    Erythrolamprus ocellatus is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  16. [16]
    Leptodeira annulata ashmeadi has been recorded from the islands of Gaspar Grande and Huevos.
  17. [17]
    Sibon nebulata nebulata has been recorded from the island of Huevos.
  18. [18]
    Chironius scurrulus is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  19. [19]
    Drymarchon corais corais has been recorded from the island of Monos.
  20. [20]
    Leptophis stimsoni is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  21. [21]
    Mastigodryas boddaerti boddaerti has been recorded from the islands of Monos, Gaspar Grande, Chacachacare, Huevos, and Caledonia.
  22. [22]
    Mastigodryas boddaerti dunni has been recorded from the island of Little Tobago and is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.
  23. [23]
    Oxybelis aeneus has been recorded from the islands of Chacachacare and Huevos.
  24. [24]
    Tantilla melanocephala has been recorded from the island of Huevos.
  25. [25]
    Micrurus circinalis has been recorded from the islands of Gaspar Grande (Boos 2001) and Monos (Charles & Smith 2009).

References

Bibliography

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