| Mastigodryas boddapoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Mastigodryas |
| Species: | M. boddaerti |
| Binomial name | |
| Mastigodryas boddaerti (Sentzen, 1796) | |
| Synonyms [2] [3] | |
Mastigodryas boddaerti, commonly known as Boddaert's tropical racer, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to tropical South America including Trinidad and Tobago. [3] [4]
M. boddaerti occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. [3] [5]
The preferred natural habitat of M. boddaerti is forest, at altitudes of 24–2,600 m (79–8,530 ft). [1]
M. boddaerti changes coloration ontogenetically. Juveniles from Guyana have a brown dorsum with grayish tan bands, with white spots ventrolaterally on anterior ends of the tan bands. The chin and throat are white, with dark brown irregular spots. The venter is tan-colored. Adults are nearly uniform brown dorsally, with traces of bands anteriorly. There is a lateral light tan stripe on the anterior half of the body. The venter is light gray with darker gray smudges on the throat. [5] Individuals from Brazilian Amazonas measured up to 109 centimetres (3 ft 7 in) in snout–vent length. [6]
M. boddaerti is diurnal and mainly terrestrial, but it will occasionally climb low vegetation. [1]
M. boddaerti feeds on young birds, frogs, lizards, and mice. [4] [7] Specimens from Brazilian Amazonas fed mostly on lizards, followed by mammals and frogs. [6]
Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies. [3]
The specific name, boddaerti, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert. [8] The subspecific names, dunni and ruthveni, are in honor of American herpetologists Emmett Reid Dunn and Alexander G. Ruthven, respectively.
The Aniliidae are a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus Anilius that contains the single species Anilius scytale. Common names include the American pipe snake and false coral snake. It is found in South America. This snake possesses a vestigial pelvic girdle that is visible as a pair of cloacal spurs. It is ovoviviparous. It is non-venomous, and its diet consists mainly of amphibians and other reptiles. Two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Trinidad and Tobago are continental islands with a geologically very recent history of direct land bridge connection to South America. As a result, unlike most of the Caribbean Islands, Trinidad and Tobago supports a primarily South American flora and fauna and has greater diversity of plant and animal species than the Antilles. However, rates of endemism are lower than in the rest of the Caribbean because there has been less time for genetic isolation from mainland populations because of the history of land bridge connections and hence fewer opportunities for speciation, and so a greater proportion of the species in Trinidad and Tobago are also found on the South American mainland. Trinidad is nearer to mainland South America and has been directly connected to the mainland via land bridges more often and for longer periods than Tobago. This, as well as Trinidad's larger size and more varied topography and hydrology compared to that of Tobago allow greater species and ecosystem diversity on the former compared to that on the later of the islands.
Little Tobago is a small island off the northeastern coast of Tobago, and part of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Huevos is an island in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The island is 1.01 km2 in area. It is one of the "Bocas Islands", which lie in the Bocas del Dragón between Trinidad and Venezuela.
Spilotes pullatus, commonly known as the chicken snake, tropical chicken snake, or yellow rat snake, is a species of large nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to the Neotropics.
Oxybelis aeneus, commonly known as the Mexican vine snake or brown vine snake, is a species of colubrid snake, which is endemic to the Americas.
Leptophis ahaetulla, commonly known as the lora or parrot snake, is a species of medium-sized slender snake of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Central America and northern South America.
Oxyrhopus petolarius, commonly known as the forest flame snake, is a species of mildly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Central and South America. There are three recognized subspecies.
Hydrops triangularis, commonly known as the water false coral snake, triangle water snake, triangle watersnake, or water coral, is a species of snake endemic to northern South America and the Amazon Basin.
Erythrolamprus aesculapii, also known commonly as the Aesculapian false coral snake, the South American false coral snake, and in Portuguese as bacorá, or falsa-coral, is a species of mildly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South America.
Saint Giles Island is the largest in a group of small islands off the northeast tip of Tobago. It is very steep sided and hosts tropical dry forest and wind-swept littoral scrub.
Emmett Reid Dunn was an American herpetologist and educator noted for his work in Panama and for studies of salamanders in the Eastern United States.
Barbour's tropical racer is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Caribbean.
Shaw's dark ground snake, also known commonly as Shaw's black-backed snake, and in Spanish as candelilla, guarda caminos, and reinita cazadora, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to northern South America.
Oxyrhopus melanogenys, commonly known as Tschudi's false coral snake, is a colubrid snake species found in the northern part of South America.
Catesby's snail-eater, also commonly known as Catesby's snail sucker, is a nocturnal species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to northern South America.
Mastigodryas is a genus of colubrid snakes. Like some other colubrids, they are commonly called racers. It is a Neotropical genus, with members distributed from Mexico to Argentina and several islands in the Caribbean. Some authorities use the older generic name, Dryadophis, for these species.
The indigo snake, also known as the yellow-tail cribo, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. This large colubrid snake is nonvenomous.
