Genus · Colubridae
Bamanophis
The genus Bamanophis contains a single species. It is not considered dangerous to humans.
About Dorr's racer
A little-known African racer in the colubrid family, fast-moving and harmless to people.
Bamanophis is a small genus in the family Colubridae, the largest and most diverse snake family in the world. It contains Dorr's Racer, a slender, fast-moving snake found in dry parts of West and North-Central Africa. As a member of the broad group people call racers and whip snakes, it belongs to the same evolutionary neighborhood as many active, agile, daytime hunters that chase down their prey rather than ambush it. The genus is monotypic or nearly so, meaning naturalists recognize very few species within it, which is part of why it stays off most people's radar.
Like most colubrid racers, Bamanophis is built for speed and alertness: a long thin body, smooth scales, large eyes, and a tapering tail. It lives in arid and semi-arid landscapes, including dry savanna, scrub, and rocky desert-edge habitats across its African range. In general terms, you recognize a snake of this group by its lean racer build, its quick nervous movement, and its tendency to flee rather than confront. Precise color and pattern vary, so the safest field identification rests on overall body shape and behavior plus knowing the regional snake fauna, not on memorized markings.
Bamanophis is regarded as harmless to humans. It is not a front-fanged venomous snake like a cobra or viper, and there is no evidence it poses a medical threat to people; many harmless colubrids subdue small prey such as lizards and small rodents without endangering humans. Even so, any wild snake can bite if cornered, and species identification in the field is easy to get wrong, so do not handle wild snakes. If anyone is bitten by a snake they cannot confidently identify, treat it as a medical matter: stay calm, keep the bitten area still, and contact emergency services or, in the US, Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Bamanophis belongs to the Colubridae family (Colubrids). The largest snake family, and the one most snakes you meet belong to. Typically round pupils, a head only slightly wider than the neck, and no heat-sensing facial pit or rattle. Scales may be smooth and glossy or keeled and matte depending on the species.
Danger: Almost all colubrids are harmless. A small number are rear-fanged with medically significant venom, the boomslang and the twig (vine) snakes of Africa being the dangerous exceptions. Most colubrids will flee or bluff rather than bite.
All species (1)
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