Genus · Colubridae
Omoadiphas
2 species make up the genus Omoadiphas. None are considered dangerous to humans.
About Honduran dwarf ground snakes
A tiny, secretive genus of Central American ground snakes known from only a handful of specimens.
Omoadiphas is a small genus in the family Colubridae, the largest and most diverse snake family in the world. It belongs to the assemblage of New World dipsadine snakes, a group of mostly small, leaf-litter and forest-floor colubrids native to Central and South America. The genus contains just a few described species and is endemic to the cloud forests and montane regions of Honduras, making it one of the more geographically restricted and poorly known snake groups in the Americas.
These are small, slender, ground-dwelling snakes adapted to life in moist forest leaf litter and soil at mid to high elevations. Like many of their dipsadine relatives, members of Omoadiphas are secretive and rarely seen, spending most of their time hidden beneath logs, rocks, and decaying vegetation. They are known from very few specimens, so descriptions of their appearance rest on general dipsadine characters: a small head not much wider than the neck, smooth scales, and a modest body size measured in inches rather than feet. Precise color and pattern details vary by species and are best confirmed against a regional field guide.
Members of this genus are not considered dangerous to people. Like the great majority of small dipsadine ground snakes, they feed on tiny invertebrate prey such as soft-bodied insects, worms, and other small soil animals, and they pose no threat through a bite. As with any wild snake, the responsible practice is to observe rather than handle, and to leave identification of obscure species to qualified herpetologists. If anyone is ever bitten by a snake they cannot confidently identify, contact emergency services or US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Omoadiphas 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 (2)
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