Is the Blyth's Earth Snake venomous?

No. The Blyth's Earth Snake (Rhinophis blythii) 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 Blyth's Earth Snake poisonous?

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

Is the Blyth's Earth Snake dangerous?

The Blyth's Earth Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Blyth's Earth Snake live?

The Blyth's Earth Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Sri Lanka. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Uropeltidae

Blyth's Earth Snake

Harmless

Rhinophis blythii

The Blyth's Earth Snake (Rhinophis blythii) is a non-venomous snake in the Uropeltidae family, recorded in 1 country.

Family: Uropeltidae

About the Blyth's Earth Snake

Rhinophis blythii, or Blyth's earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to the rain forests and grasslands of Sri Lanka.

Etymology

The specific name, blythii, is in honor of English zoologist Edward Blyth (1810-1873), curator of the museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.

Description

R. blythii is dark brown, both dorsally and ventrally. The sides have vertical yellow spots or a wavy or zigzag stripe on the anterior half of the body. There is a yellow ring around the base of the tail.

Adults may attain a total length (including tail) of 37 cm (14+1⁄2 in).

The dorsal scales are in 17 rows at midbody (in 19 rows behind the head). The ventrals number 148-162, and the subcaudals number 4-7.

The snout is acutely pointed. The eye is in the ocular shield. There are no supraoculars, and no temporals. The frontal is longer than broad. There is no mental groove. The diameter of the body goes 22 to 32 times in the total length. The ventrals are only slightly larger than the contiguous scales. The tail ends in a large convex rugose shield, which is neither truncated nor spinose at the end. The caudal disc is 1/2 to 3/5 the length of the shielded part of the head. Some of the distal dorsal scales of the tail are weakly keeled.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Blyth's Earth Snake

Is the Blyth's Earth Snake venomous?: No. The Blyth's Earth Snake (Rhinophis blythii) 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 Blyth's Earth Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Blyth's Earth Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Blyth's Earth Snake dangerous?: The Blyth's Earth Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Blyth's Earth Snake live?: The Blyth's Earth Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Sri Lanka. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Why is it called the Blyth's Earth Snake?: The specific name, blythii, is in honor of English zoologist Edward Blyth (1810-1873), curator of the museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.

Where it is found

Sri Lanka

More Uropeltidae 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: Uropeltidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Rhinophis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Rhinophis blythii

Keep learning

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