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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.The abbreviation "sp." indicates a single species and the abbreviation "spp." indicates multiple species.), 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.

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Helminthophis cf. *flavoterminatus*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 VenezuelaYellow-headed ground puppy; Trinidadian dawn blind snake

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Epictia tenellaGround puppy

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Amerotyphlops brongersmianusBrongersma's worm snake
endemic]] to Trinidad and Tobago.Trinidad burrowing snake

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
*Anilus scytale scytale*Anilus scytale scytale is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Burrowing false coral; rouleau

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Boa constrictor constrictorMacajuel, boa constrictorBoa constrictor constrictor has been recorded from the islands of Monos and Gaspar Grande.
Corallus ruschenbergeriiCascabel dormillon; Cook's tree boa
Epicrates cenchria maurusRainbow boaEpicrates cenchria maurus has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare, but the report has not been confirmed with a specimen.
Eunectes murinus gigasGreen anaconda

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. 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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Liophis cobellus cobellusMangrove snake, mangrove mapepire
*Liophis melanotus nesos*Liophis melanotus nesos has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare and is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Beh belle chemin, doctor snake
Liophis reginae zweifeliHigh woods coral
Oxyrhopus petola petolaFalse coral
Pseudoboa neuwiediiRatonelPseudoboa neuwiedii has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare.
Siphlophis cervinusCheckerbelly
Siphlophis compressusMapepire de fe, false coral
Thamnodynastes ramonriveroiStriped swamp snake

Subfamily Dipsadinae

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

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Atractus fuliginosusHallowell's ground snake
Atractus trilineatusThree-lined ground snake?Atractus trilineatus has been reported from the island of Huevos, but Boos (2001) considered this record to be doubtful.
Atractus cf. *univittatus*Atractus cf. univittatus is known from a single collection in Tobago. It has affinities with A. univittatus, but may be an undescribed species.Tobago one-lined snake
Clelia clelia cleliaBlack cribo, mussuranaClelia clelia clelia has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare, but the report has not been confirmed with a specimen.
*Dipsas variegata trinitatis*Dipsas variegata trinitatis is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Snail-eating snake
*Erythrolamprus aesculapii*Erythrolamprus aesculapii is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.False coral
*Erythrolamprus bizona*Erythrolamprus bizona is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.False coral
Erythrolamprus cobellaMangrove snake
Erythrolamprus melanotusBlack-backed snake
*Erythrolamprus ocellatus*Erythrolamprus ocellatus is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Tobago false coral, red snake
Erythrolamprus pseudoreginaeTobago stream snake
Erythrolamprus zweifeliZweifel's ground snake
Helicops angulatusWater mapepire, brown-banded water snake
Hydrops triangularis neglectusWater coral
Imantodes cenchoa cenchoaMapepire corde violon, fiddle-string snake
Leptodeira annulata ashmeadiFalse mapepire, cat-eyed night snakeLeptodeira annulata ashmeadi has been recorded from the islands of Gaspar Grande and Huevos.
Ninia atrataRed-nape snake, ring neck snake
Ninia franciscoiTrinidad coffeesnake
Sibon nebulata nebulataClouded snakeSibon nebulata nebulata has been recorded from the island of Huevos.

Subfamily Colubrinae

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

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Chironius carinatus carinatusMachete savane, yellow machete
Chironius multiventris septentrionalisLong-tailed machete savane
*Chironius scurrulus*Chironius scurrulus is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Smooth machete savane
Drymarchon corais coraisYellow-tailed criboDrymarchon corais corais has been recorded from the island of Monos.
Leptophis ahaetulla coeruleodorusLora, parrot snake
*Leptophis stimsoni*Leptophis stimsoni is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Grey lora
Mastigodryas amaraliAmaral's tropical racerThe Reptile Database]
Mastigodryas boddaerti boddaertiMachete couesseMastigodryas boddaerti boddaerti has been recorded from the islands of Monos, Gaspar Grande, Chacachacare, Huevos, and Caledonia.
*Mastigodryas boddaerti dunni*Mastigodryas boddaerti dunni has been recorded from the island of Little Tobago and is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Machete couesse
Oxybelis rutherfordiHorsewhipOxybelis aeneus has been recorded from the islands of Chacachacare and Huevos.
Phrynonax polylepisOlivaceous bird snake, cutlah
Pseustes poecilonotus polylepisDos cocorite
Pseustes sulphureus sulphureusYellow-bellied puffing snake
Spilotes pullatus pullatusTigre, chicken snake
Tantilla melanocephalaBlack-headed snakeTantilla melanocephala has been recorded from the island of Huevos.

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Micrurus diutiusTrinidad ribbon coral snake
Micrurus circinalisLarge coral snakelast=Charlesfirst=Stevland P.author2=Stephen Smithyear=2009title=A New Locality Record for the Coral Snake, Micrurus circinalis (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae) on Monos Island, Trinidad and Tobagojournal=Living World, Journal of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Clubpages=41–42url=http://ttfnc.org/livworld/lw2009/2009p41charles.pdfurl-status=deadarchive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/669WYWatR?url=http://ttfnc.org/livworld/lw2009/2009p41charles.pdfarchive-date=2012-03-14}}

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.

SpeciesCommon nameTrinidadTobagoBocas Is.Other
Bothrops atroxMapepire balsain, fer-de-lance
Lachesis muta mutaMapepire zanana, mapepire z'ananas, bushmaster

Notes

References

All information is based on Boos (2001) unless otherwise stated.

Bibliography

References

  1. Boos (2001), p. 43
  2. Boos (2001), p. 39
  3. Boos (2001), p. 44
  4. Boos (2001), p. 45
  5. Boos (2001), p. 46
  6. Boos (2001), p. 50
  7. Boos (2001), p. 60
  8. Boos (2001), p. 64
  9. Boos (2001), p. 67
  10. Bauer, Aaron M.. (1998). "Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians". Academic Press.
  11. Boos (2001), p. 98
  12. Boos (2001), p. 99
  13. Boos (2001), p. 100
  14. Boos (2001), p. 102
  15. Boos (2001), p. 103
  16. Boos (2001), p. 106
  17. Boos (2001), p. 109
  18. Boos (2001), pp. 107–109
  19. Bailey, Joseph R.. (2006). "A revision of the South American snake genus ''Thamnodynastes'' Wagler, 1830 (Serpentes: Colubridae, Tachymenini). II. Three new species from northern South America, with further descriptions of ''Thamnodynastes gambotensis'' Pérez-Santos and Moreno and ''Thamnodynastes ramonriveroi'' Manzanilla and Sánchez". Memoria de la Fundación la Salle de Ciencias Naturales.
  20. [http://portugal.inaturalist.org/taxa/27879-Atractus-fuliginosus Atractus fuliginosus · BioDiversity4All]
  21. Boos (2001), p. 110
  22. Boos (2001), p. 112
  23. Boos (2001), p. 85
  24. Boos (2001), p. 113
  25. Boos (2001), p. 88
  26. Boos (2001), pp. 89–93
  27. [http://portugal.inaturalist.org/taxa/539677-Erythrolamprus-cobella Erythrolamprus cobella · BioDiversity4All]
  28. Boos (2001), pp. 93–95
  29. [https://uk.inaturalist.org/taxa/889737-Erythrolamprus-pseudoreginae Erythrolamprus pseudoreginae · iNaturalist United Kingdom]
  30. [http://portugal.inaturalist.org/taxa/539708-Erythrolamprus-zweifeli Erythrolamprus zweifeli · BioDiversity4All]
  31. Boos (2001), p. 96
  32. Boos (2001), p. 97
  33. Boos (2001), p. 114
  34. Boos (2001), p. 115
  35. Boos (2001), p. 117
  36. Boos (2001), p. 118
  37. Boos (2001), p. 119
  38. Boos (2001), p. 121
  39. Boos (2001), p. 122
  40. Boos (2001), p. 123
  41. Boos (2001), p. 125
  42. Boos (2001), p. 126
  43. The Reptile Database]
  44. Boos (2001), p. 128
  45. Boos (2001), p. 130
  46. Boos (2001), p. 133
  47. Boos (2001), p. 136
  48. Boos (2001), p. 138
  49. Boos (2001), p. 140
  50. Boos (2001), p. 142
  51. [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1223343-Micrurus-diutius Trinidad Ribbon Coral Snake (Micrurus diutius) · iNaturalist]
  52. Boos (2001), p. 146
  53. Boos (2001), p. 144
  54. Charles, Stevland P.. (2009). "A New Locality Record for the Coral Snake, Micrurus circinalis (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae) on Monos Island, Trinidad and Tobago". Living World, Journal of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club.
  55. Boos (2001), p. 156
  56. [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14772000.2024.2366215#:~:text=Abstract,muta%20populations When a name changes everything: taxonomy and conservation of the Atlantic bushmaster (Lachesis Daudin, 1803) (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae)]
  57. Boos (2001), p. 167
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