Is the African File Snake venomous?

No. The African File Snake (Limaformosa crossi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the African File Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The African File Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the African File Snake dangerous?

The African File Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the African File Snake live?

The African File Snake has verified records in 13 countries, including Benin, Ghana, Nigeria. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Lamprophiidae

African File Snake

Harmless

Limaformosa crossi

African File Snake — Limaformosa crossi, (c) Chloe Chesney, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

3 photographs of the African File Snake. (c) Chloe Chesney, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

The African File Snake (Limaformosa crossi) is a non-venomous snake in the Lamprophiidae family, recorded in 13 countries.

Family: Lamprophiidae

About the African File Snake

The African File Snake belongs to the Lamprophiidae family, african house snakes & allies. Common African snakes, including the familiar house snakes.

Lamprophiids are a largely African family that includes the house snakes often found around dwellings, where they hunt rodents, plus wolf snakes and many others. Most are non-venomous or only mildly rear-fanged.

Its genus, Limaformosa, covers African file snakes. Slender African snakes with a strange three-sided body and a ridged back that gives them the rasp-like texture of a metal file.

The African File Snake is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.

It has been recorded across 13 countries, including Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon.

Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.

Frequently asked: African File Snake

Is the African File Snake venomous?: No. The African File Snake (Limaformosa crossi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
Is the African File Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The African File Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the African File Snake dangerous?: The African File Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the African File Snake live?: The African File Snake has verified records in 13 countries, including Benin, Ghana, Nigeria. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Where it is found

Benin Ghana Nigeria Côte d’Ivoire Cameroon Central African Republic Guinea-Bissau Chad Mali Guinea Liberia Senegal Togo

More Lamprophiidae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards: Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits: Lamprophiidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Limaformosa
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Limaformosa crossi

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.