Genus · Colubridae
Chapinophis
The genus Chapinophis contains a single species. It is not considered dangerous to humans.
About Guatemalan earth snake
A rare, secretive ground snake known from the cloud forests of Guatemala and nearby highlands.
Chapinophis is a small genus in the family Colubridae, the largest snake family on Earth and the one that contains most of the harmless, non-constricting snakes people encounter. The genus holds only the Guatemalan earth snake, Chapinophis xanthocheilus, a little-known species described from the highlands of Guatemala. Like many colubrids, it is a ground-dwelling snake that spends much of its life hidden in leaf litter, under logs, and in moist soil rather than out in the open, which is part of why so little is recorded about it.
The genus sits among the Neotropical colubrids of Central America, a region rich in earth snakes, ground snakes, and forest snakes that fill the role of small leaf-litter predators. Chapinophis is associated with mid to high elevation forest, including cool, humid montane and cloud forest habitat where rainfall is heavy and the ground stays damp. Snakes of this general type are typically modest in size, often well under a meter, with smooth or lightly keeled scales and patterning that helps them disappear against soil and dead leaves. In broad terms you would recognize a member by its small, slender body, its low profile near the ground, and its preference for cover over open ground.
On safety, members of this genus are not considered dangerous to people. Like the great majority of colubrids it is a small forest snake that poses no medical threat in normal circumstances. The honest framing is that many colubrids are technically rear-fanged, meaning any mild oral secretions sit at the back of the jaw and are not a hazard in the way a front-fanged venomous snake is, and there is no record of this genus being a danger to humans. Even so, no wild snake should be handled, both for the animal's sake and yours. As with most small ground colubrids, the likely diet is soft-bodied prey such as worms, slugs, and small invertebrates, and reproduction in this group is generally by laying eggs. If anyone is ever bitten by a snake they cannot confidently identify, treat it as a medical matter and contact emergency services or US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Chapinophis 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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