Is the Barbour's Tropical Racer venomous?

No. The Barbour's Tropical Racer (Mastigodryas bruesi) 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 Barbour's Tropical Racer poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Barbour's Tropical Racer is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Barbour's Tropical Racer dangerous?

The Barbour's Tropical Racer is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Barbour's Tropical Racer live?

The Barbour's Tropical Racer has verified records in 4 countries, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Colubridae

Barbour's Tropical Racer

Harmless

Mastigodryas bruesi

The Barbour's Tropical Racer (Mastigodryas bruesi) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 4 countries.

Family: Colubridae

About the Barbour's Tropical Racer

Barbour's tropical racer (Mastigodryas bruesi) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Caribbean.

Etymology

The specific name, bruesi, is in honor of American entomologist Charles Thomas Brues, who was one of the collectors of the holotype.

Geographic range

M. bruesi is native to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.

Description

M. bruesi can reach a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 83 cm (33 in). Dorsally, it is blue-gray to brown, with lighter lateral stripes. Ventrally, it is whitish.

Behavior and diet

M. bruesi is diurnal, hunting frogs and lizards.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of M. bruesi is forest, both mesic and xeric. It can be found on the ground, and in bushes, where it sleeps at night.

Reproduction

M. bruesi is oviparous.

Locality records

M. bruesi has been recorded in the southwest corner of Saint Vincent and is widespread all over the Grenadines islands. It is also found on the southern half of Grenada, which is the furthest south it is distributed. It has been introduced to Barbados, probably around thirty years ago, where it has been incorrectly identified as Liophis perfuscus.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Barbour's Tropical Racer

Is the Barbour's Tropical Racer venomous?: No. The Barbour's Tropical Racer (Mastigodryas bruesi) 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 Barbour's Tropical Racer poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Barbour's Tropical Racer is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Barbour's Tropical Racer dangerous?: The Barbour's Tropical Racer is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Barbour's Tropical Racer live?: The Barbour's Tropical Racer has verified records in 4 countries, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados. See the distribution section below for its full range.
What does the Barbour's Tropical Racer eat?: M. bruesi is diurnal, hunting frogs and lizards.
Why is it called the Barbour's Tropical Racer?: The specific name, bruesi, is in honor of American entomologist Charles Thomas Brues, who was one of the collectors of the holotype.

Where it is found

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Grenada Barbados Trinidad and Tobago

More Colubridae 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: Colubridae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Mastigodryas
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Mastigodryas bruesi

Keep learning

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