Ninia sebae | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Ninia |
Species: | N. sebae |
Binomial name | |
Ninia sebae | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Ninia sebae, commonly known as the redback coffee snake [2] or the red coffee snake, [3] is a species of small terrestrial snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southeastern Mexico and Central America south to Costa Rica. [1] Although it resembles some venomous coral snakes in color and size, it is not venomous and seldom bites humans. [4] [5]
The specific name, sebae, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Albertus Seba. [6]
Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. [2]
Nota bene : A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Ninia.
The preferred natural habitats of N. sebae are forest and savanna, at altitudes from sea level to 2,200 m (7,200 ft). [1]
Coffee snakes (species in the genus Ninia) are thought to rely on concealment, flight and intimidation to avoid predation. [3] These snakes were observed either flattening their entire bodies when alarmed, [7] or remaining motionless in whatever position they were discovered. [8] In a more recent study these snakes, when touched, displayed a flattened head and neck, and raised their anterior third or half. [3]
N. sebae preys upon earthworms, [1] [2] slugs, small land snails, and caecilians. [1]
Coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups, the Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 27 species of Old World coral snakes, in three genera, and 83 recognized species of New World coral snakes, in two genera. Genetic studies have found that the most basal lineages have origins in Asia, suggesting that the group originated in the Old World. While new world species of both genera are venomous, their bites are seldom lethal; only two confirmed fatalities have been documented in the past 100 years from the genus Micrurus. Meanwhile, snakes of the genus Micruroides have never caused a medically significant bite.
Marie Firmin Bocourt was a French zoologist and artist.
Auguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. His father, André Marie Constant Duméril (1774–1860), was also a zoologist. In 1869 he was elected as a member of the Académie des sciences.
Gabriel Bibron was a French zoologist and herpetologist. He was born in Paris. The son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hired to collect vertebrates in Italy and Sicily. Under the direction of Jean Baptiste Bory de Saint-Vincent (1778–1846), he took part in the Morea expedition to Peloponnese.
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 South America. There are three recognized subspecies.
Field's horned viper is a species of snake in the family Viperidae. The species is native to the deserts of the Middle East. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It was previously considered a subspecies of the Persian horned viper. The main differences between this species and the Persian horned viper are in scalation and venom composition.
Hydrophis peronii, commonly known as the horned sea snake, Peron's sea snake, and the spiny-headed seasnake, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to the western tropical Pacific Ocean. It is the only sea snake with spines on the head. It is sometimes placed in its own genus Acalyptophis.
Leptophis mexicanus, commonly known as the Mexican parrot snake, is a species of medium-sized slender snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Americas.
Geophis is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae of the superfamily Colubroidea. Species in the genus Geophis are commonly referred to as Latin American earth snakes. The genus consists of 53 distinct species.
The Middle American indigo snake, also known commonly as the blacktail cribo, is a species of large, nonvenomous, snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. In addition to the nominate subspecies, it has four other recognized subspecies, including D. m. erebennus, commonly known as the Texas indigo snake.
Micrurus browni, commonly known as Brown's coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Guatemala and southwestern Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Micrurus diastema, commonly known as the variable coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to southeastern Mexico and northern Central America. There are seven recognized subspecies.
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.
Tretanorhinus is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae.
Scaphiodontophis annulatus, commonly known as the Guatemala neckband snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southern Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are four recognized subspecies.
Pituophis deppei, commonly known as the Mexican bullsnake and the Mexican pine snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Mexico. There are two recognized subspecies.
Anolis dollfusianus, also known commonly as the coffee anole and el abaniquillo de cafetal in Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native Guatemala and Mexico.