Elegant Ground Snake

About the Elegant Ground Snake

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Elegant Ground Snake

Is the Elegant Ground Snake venomous?

No. The Elegant Ground Snake (Lygophis elegantissimus) 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 Elegant Ground Snake poisonous?

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

Is the Elegant Ground Snake dangerous?

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

More Colubridae snakes

• 
  Gunther's Striped Snake
  Lygophis anomalus
• 
  Lined Ground Snake
  Lygophis lineatus
• 
  Lema's Ground Snake
  Lygophis dilepis
• 
  Southern Striped Snake
  Lygophis meridionalis
• 
  Fronted Ground Snake
  Lygophis flavifrenatus
• 
  Hoge's Ground Snake
  Lygophis paucidens
• 
  Vanzolini's Ground Snake
  Lygophis vanzolinii
• 
  Common Garter Snake
  Thamnophis sirtalis

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

Lygophis

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

Lygophis elegantissimus

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.