Colubridae
Coastal Sipo
HarmlessChironius foveatus
6 photographs of the Coastal Sipo. © Diogo Luiz.
The Coastal Sipo (Chironius foveatus) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 1 country.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Coastal Sipo
Chironius foveatus, the South American or coastal sipo, is a semi-arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018) species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae, found in Brazil. It primarily inhabits the southern and eastern coastal regions of the country, such as the states of Bahia, Santa Catarina, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro, as well as the municipalities of Rio Fortuna and Ilhéus. It has also been observed on Ilha Grande.
Local Portuguese names include cipó, cobra-cipó, cobra-cipó verde, cobra verde, caninana, caninana-verde-de-cabeça-preta, cobra-espada and serra-velha (English: 'vine', 'vine-snake', 'green vine-snake', 'green snake', 'cane', 'black-headed green cane', 'sword-snake' and 'mountain-man').
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Coastal Sipo
- Is the Coastal Sipo venomous?
- No. The Coastal Sipo (Chironius foveatus) 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 Coastal Sipo poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Coastal Sipo is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Coastal Sipo dangerous?
- The Coastal Sipo is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Coastal Sipo live?
- The Coastal Sipo has verified records in 1 country, including Brazil. See the distribution section below for its full range.
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
- Chironius
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Chironius foveatus
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.