Colubridae
Black-backed Snake
HarmlessErythrolamprus melanotus
6 photographs of the Black-backed Snake. © Ben Costamagna.
The Black-backed Snake (Erythrolamprus melanotus) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 9 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Black-backed Snake
Shaw's dark ground snake (Erythrolamprus melanotus), also known commonly as Shaw's black-backed snake, and in Spanish as candelilla, guarda caminos, and reinita cazadora, is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to northern South America.
Etymology
The English common names for Erythrolamprus melanotus refer to English biologist George Kearsley Shaw, who described and named this snake as a species new to science in 1802.
Classification
Erythrolamprus melanotus belongs to the genus Erythrolamprus, which contains over 50 species. The genus Erythrolamprus belongs to the subfamily Dipsadinae, which is sometimes referred to as the family Dipsadidae. The relationships of Erythrolamprus species located in northern South America (Venezuela) can be shown in the cladogram below, based on molecular DNA analysis:
Description
Erythrolamprus melanotus grows to a total length (tail included) of 43 cm (17 in).
Dorsally, it has a light yellow or pinkish color, with a wide, dark vertebral stripe, which is bordered on each side by a thin whitish stripe, followed by a thin dark stripe. The top of the head is olive, and there is a dark stripe passing through the eye. The upper labials and the venter (underside) of the snake are whitish.
The dorsal scales are smooth, with apical pits, and are arranged in 17 rows at midbody.
Behavior and diet
Erythrolamprus melanotus is diurnal, hunting during the day along the forest floor, where it feeds on spectacled lizards in the genus Bachia, the rain frog Pristimantis urichi, the puddle frog Engystomops pustulosus, the gecko Gonatodes vittatus, and various unidentified fish.
Reproduction
Erythrolamprus melanotus is oviparous.
Geographic range
The geographic distribution of Erythrolamprus melanotus includes Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago. It is probably extirpated from Grenada.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of Erythrolamprus melanotus are freshwater wetlands, forest, and savanna, at altitudes up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Black-backed Snake
- Is the Black-backed Snake venomous?
- No. The Black-backed Snake (Erythrolamprus melanotus) 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 Black-backed Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Black-backed Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Black-backed Snake dangerous?
- The Black-backed Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Black-backed Snake live?
- The Black-backed Snake has verified records in 9 countries, including Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). See the distribution section below for its full range.
- What does the Black-backed Snake eat?
- Erythrolamprus melanotus is diurnal, hunting during the day along the forest floor, where it feeds on spectacled lizards in the genus Bachia, the rain frog Pristimantis urichi, the puddle frog Engystomops pustulosus, the gecko Gonatodes vittatus, and various unidentified fish.
- Why is it called the Black-backed Snake?
- The English common names for Erythrolamprus melanotus refer to English biologist George Kearsley Shaw, who described and named this snake as a species new to science in 1802.
Where it is found
More Colubridae snakes
Yellow-bellied LiophisErythrolamprus poecilogyrus
Military Ground SnakeErythrolamprus miliaris
Fire-bellied SnakeErythrolamprus epinephalus
Aesculapian False Coral SnakeErythrolamprus aesculapii
Double-banded Coral Snake MimicErythrolamprus bizona
Royal Ground SnakeErythrolamprus reginae
Velvet SwampsnakeErythrolamprus typhlus
Golden LiophisErythrolamprus semiaureus
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
- Erythrolamprus
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Erythrolamprus melanotus
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.