Colubridae
Blotched Hooknose Snake
HarmlessFicimia publia
6 photographs of the Blotched Hooknose Snake. © Sebastián de Jesús Herrera Buenfil.
The Blotched Hooknose Snake (Ficimia publia) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 5 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Blotched Hooknose Snake
Ficimia publia (common name: blotched hooknose snake) is a species of colubrid snake, indigenous to southern Mexico (Yucatan, Jalisco, and Morelos), Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Appearance
The blotched hooknose snake is so called because of its sharp-edged upturned snout. It is normally pale tan, pale brown, yellowish tan, orange-tan or reddish brown in colour.
Diet
The snake has a diet of mostly spiders and insects, and uses its characteristic 'hooked nose' to forage through the debris on the forest floor.
Defence
When scared or threatened the snake coils up and opens its mouth before striking. It is harmless and not poisonous, but it resembles the venomous variable coral snake, and this frightens predators away.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Blotched Hooknose Snake
- Is the Blotched Hooknose Snake venomous?
- No. The Blotched Hooknose Snake (Ficimia publia) 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 Blotched Hooknose Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Blotched Hooknose Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Blotched Hooknose Snake dangerous?
- The Blotched Hooknose Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Blotched Hooknose Snake live?
- The Blotched Hooknose Snake has verified records in 5 countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- What does the Blotched Hooknose Snake eat?
- The snake has a diet of mostly spiders and insects, and uses its characteristic 'hooked nose' to forage through the debris on the forest floor.
Where it is found
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
- Ficimia
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Ficimia publia
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.