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Colubridae

Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake

Harmless

Leptodeira approximans

Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake
Leptodeira approximans, (c) Nolan Exe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nolan Exe
Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake

2 photographs of the Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake. (c) Nolan Exe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nolan Exe.

The Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira approximans) is a rear-fanged, mildly venomous snake in the Colubridae family.

Family
Colubridae

About the Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake

Leptodeira approximans is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake

Is the Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake venomous?
The Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira approximans) is rear-fanged and only mildly venomous. It is not considered dangerous to humans (its venom is weak and its fangs sit at the back of the mouth) but a bite can cause local swelling or irritation, so it should not be handled.
Is the Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake dangerous?
The Chayahuitas Banded Cat-eyed Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

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
Leptodeira
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Leptodeira approximans

Keep learning

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