Common Mussurana

About the Common Mussurana

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Common Mussurana

Is the Common Mussurana venomous?

No. The Common Mussurana (Clelia clelia) 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 Common Mussurana poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Common Mussurana is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Common Mussurana dangerous?

The Common Mussurana is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

More Colubridae snakes

• 
  Equatorial Mussurana
  Clelia equatoriana
• 
  Mexican Snake Eater
  Clelia scytalina
• 
  Plumbeous Mussurana
  Clelia plumbea
• 
  Common Garter Snake
  Thamnophis sirtalis
• 
  Common Watersnake
  Nerodia sipedon
• 
  Gopher Snake
  Pituophis catenifer
• 
  DeKay's Brownsnake
  Storeria dekayi
• No photo
  Clelia langeri
  Clelia langeri

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

Clelia

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

Clelia clelia

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.