Colubridae
Phalotris shawnella
HarmlessThis species has no widely used English common name.
Phalotris shawnella is a rear-fanged, mildly venomous snake in the Colubridae family.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Phalotris shawnella
Phalotris shawnella is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. Formally described in 2022, it is named after Shawn Ariel Smith Fernández and Ella Bethany Atkinson, two children known to the authors describing the species. It has a brick-red head with a broad yellow dorsal collar where it meets the body. The body is brick-red dorsally and red-orange ventrally, with broad, black to brownish-black lines along the sides running the length of the body. It is endemic to Paraguay, where it is known from San Pedro department. It is known from cerradón forest, where it has been collected from sandy soil near a lake and in leaf litter.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Phalotris shawnella
- Is the Phalotris shawnella venomous?
- The Phalotris shawnella 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 Phalotris shawnella poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Phalotris shawnella is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Phalotris shawnella dangerous?
- The Phalotris shawnella is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
More Colubridae snakes
Dumeril's Diadem SnakePhalotris lemniscatus
Phalotris mertensiPhalotris mertensi
Mato Grosso Burrowing SnakePhalotris matogrossensis
Phalotris nasutusPhalotris nasutus
Mendoza Collared SnakePhalotris cuyanus
Tricolored Burrowing SnakePhalotris tricolor
Phalotris suspectusPhalotris suspectus
Phalotris lativittatusPhalotris lativittatus
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
- Phalotris
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Phalotris shawnella
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.