Dipsas

Dipsas is a genus of nonvenomous New World snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus Sibynomorphus has been moved here. Species of the genus Dipsas are known as snail-eaters.

Dipsas
Dipsas catesbyi in Ecuador
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Dipsadinae
Genus: Dipsas
Laurenti, 1768

Taxonomy

The genus Dipsas includes over 30 distinct species.[1] The following species are recognized as being valid.[2]

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Dipsas.

Description

Dipsas species are slender, small to medium-sized snakes, often no longer than 60 cm (24 in), and rarely longer than 100 cm (39 in). Coloration and color pattern may vary, but often consist of black and brown, frequently with alternating rings separated by white.

Distribution and habitat

Species in the genus Dipsas are found from southern Mexico through Central America and South America, as far as Argentina and Paraguay.[5][6]

Behavior and diet

Species in the genus Dipsas are mostly arboreal snakes that mainly feed on land snails and slugs.

References

  1. "Dipsas ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  2. Genus Dipsas at The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Ray, Julie M.; Sánchez-Martínez, Paola; Batista, Abel; Mulcahy, Daniel G.; Sheehy, Coleman M. III; Smith, Eric N.; Pyron, R. Alexander; Arteaga, Alejandro (2023-03-02). "A new species of Dipsas (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) from central Panama". ZooKeys (1145): 131–167. doi:10.3897/zookeys.1145.96616. ISSN 1313-2970.
  4. Fernandes DS, Marques OAV, Argôlo AJS (2010). "A new species of Dipsas Laurenti from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil (Serpentes: Dipsadidae)". Zootaxa 2691: 57–66. Preview
  5. de Lima, Ana Caroline; da Costa Prudente, Ana Lúcia (2009). "Morphological variation and systematics of Dipsas catesbyi (Sentzen, 1796) and Dipsas pavonina Schlegel, 1837 (Serpentes: Dipsadinae)". Zootaxa 2203: 31-48. Abstract & excerpt
  6. Cadle, John E. (2005). "Systematics of snakes of the Dipsas oreas complex (Colubridae: Dipsadinae) in western Ecuador and Peru, with revalidation of D. elegans (Boulenger) and D. ellipsifera (Boulenger)". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 158 (3): 67–136. doi:10.3099/0027-4100(2005)158[67:SOSOTD]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 33701271. Retrieved 2011-02-11.

Further reading

  • Freiberg MA (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Genus Dipsas, pp. 93–94).
  • Laurenti JN (1768). Specimen medicum, exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum. Vienna: "Joan. Thom. Nob. de Trattnern". 214 pp. + Plates I-V. (Dipsas, new genus, pp. 89–90). (in Latin).
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