Manolepis

Manolepis is a genus in the family Colubridae, the largest and most diverse snake family in the world. It is a very small genus, represented in our database by a single species, the ridgehead snake (Manolepis putnami). Like most colubrids, it is a slender, non-constricting terrestrial snake rather than one of the front-fanged venomous lineages such as vipers or elapids. Its placement in Colubridae groups it with the huge assemblage of typical harmless and mildly venomous snakes found across the Americas.

The genus is associated with Mexico, where the ridgehead snake occurs in Pacific-slope lowlands and foothills. As with many small Neotropical colubrids, it favors warm, often seasonally dry habitats, spending much of its time low to the ground in leaf litter, under cover, or among vegetation. In general terms, members are recognized as small, smooth-scaled, modestly patterned snakes with the build typical of secretive ground colubrids rather than any bold or distinctive markings.

Members of Manolepis are not considered dangerous to people. Many colubrids in this part of the family are either harmless or rear-fanged, meaning any mild oral secretions are delivered through enlarged teeth at the back of the jaw and pose no serious threat to humans. Even so, no wild snake should be handled, and any bite that causes unexpected swelling, pain, or other symptoms warrants medical attention. In the United States, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or use local emergency services in your area. Like most small colubrids, these snakes are presumed to feed on small prey and to reproduce in the manner typical of the family, but precise details for this obscure taxon are not well documented and should not be assumed.