Tantilla melanocephala

Tantilla melanocephala
Scientific 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

Tantilla melanocephala, commonly known as the black-headed snake, the neotropical black-headed snake, and la culebra de cabeza negra in Spanish, is a small species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Central America and South America.

Geographic range

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

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of Tantilla melanocephala are grassland, savanna, and forest, at altitudes from sea level to 2,750 m (9,020 ft), and it has also been found in artificial habitats such as pastures, gardens, and plantations.[1]

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]

Behavior

Tantilla melanocephala is terrestrial and diurnal.[1]

Diet

Tantilla melanocephala preys predominately upon centipedes.[1]

Reproduction

Tantilla melanocephala is oviparous.[1][5]

Taxonomy

Several species of snakes, which were originally described as species new to science, are synonyms of Tantilla melanocephala. The following is a partial list in chronological order.[5]

  • Elapomorphus mexicanus Günther, 1862
  • Tantilla pallida Cope, 1887
  • Homalocranium longifrontale Boulenger, 1896
  • Homalocranium hoffmanni F. Werner, 1909
  • Elapomorphus nuchalis Barbour, 1914
  • Tantilla equatoriana Wilson & Mena, 1980
  • Tantilla marcovani de Lema, 2004

Etymology

The synonym Tantilla marcovani was named in honor of Brazilian biologist Marcovan Porto.[6]: 168 

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b c d Boulenger, G.A. (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). 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. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 1-58544-116-3. 270 pp.
  5. ^ a b Species Tantilla melanocephala at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  6. ^ Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xiii + 296. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.

Further reading

  • Freiberg, M. (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 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. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (Coluber melanocephalus, new species, p. 218).
  • Oliveira, Felipe Araújo de; França, Rafaela Cândido de; França, Frederico Gustavo Rodrigues (2020). "Geographical ecology of Tantilla melanocephala (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae) in a Neotropical region: a comparison of northeastern Atlantic Forest and Caatinga populations". Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment. 57 (2): 11–120.
  • Wilson, L.D.; Mena, C.E. (1980). "Systematics of the melanocephala group of the colubrid snake genus Tantilla". Memoirs of the San Diego Society of Natural History. 11: 5–58.


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