Tantilla melanocephala

Tantilla melanocephala, commonly known as the black-headed snake or neotropical black-headed snake, is a species of small colubrid snake endemic to Central America and South America.

Tantilla melanocephala
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Tantilla
Species:
T. melanocephala
Binomial name
Tantilla melanocephala
Synonyms

Geographic range

In Central America it is found from Guatemala south to Panama.[3] In South America it is found from Trinidad and Tobago south to northern Argentina.[4]

Description

Tantilla melanocephala may attain a total length of 50 cm (20 in), which includes a tail 10 cm (3.9 in) long.[2]

Dorsally, it is pale brown or red, and some specimens also have 3 or 5 narrow brown stripes. The top of the head and neck are black or dark brown. Ventrally, it is yellowish white.[2]

The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and arranged in 15 rows at midbody.[2]

References
  1. Passos, P.G.H.; Powell, R. (2019). "Tantilla melanocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T203321A2763890. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T203321A2763890.en. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  2. Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ),... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, Printers.) London. xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Homalocranium melanocephalum, pp. 215-217.)
  3. Campbell, Jonathan A. "Reptiles and Amphibians of Guatemala - Checklist". University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Biology. Retrieved 2012-03-10.
  4. Boos, Hans E.A. (2001). The Snakes of Trinidad and Tobago. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, TX. ISBN 1-58544-116-3.

Further reading
  • Freiberg, M. 1982. Snakes of South America. T.F.H. Publications. Hong Kong. 189 pp. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Tantilla melanocephala, p. 111.)
  • Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. L. Salvius. Stockholm. 824 pp. (Coluber melanocephalus, p. 218.)
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