Colubridae
Ridgehead Snake
HarmlessManolepis putnami
6 photographs of the Ridgehead Snake. © Mark Wagner.
The Ridgehead Snake (Manolepis putnami) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 1 country.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Ridgehead Snake
The ridgehead snake (Manolepis putnami) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to southeastern Mexico.
Etymology
The specific name, putnami, is in honor of American anthropologist Frederic Ward Putnam.
Taxonomy
M. putnami is the type species of the monotypic genus Manolepis.
Geographic range
M. putnami is found in the Mexican states of Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Oaxaca.
Habitat
The natural habitat of M. putnami is forest.
Description
M. putnami may attain a total length of 55 cm (22 in), including a tail 14 cm (5.5 in) long. Dorsally, it is pale brown or yellowish, with a brown, darker-edged vertebral stripe three scales wide. Ventrally it is whitish, speckled with brown. The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and in 19 rows at midbody. The anal plate is divided, and the subcaudals are in two rows.
M. putnami is rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous). It has 15 small, equal maxillary teeth, followed, after a space, by two enlarged grooved fangs. The anterior mandibular teeth are much longer than the posterior.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Ridgehead Snake
- Is the Ridgehead Snake venomous?
- No. The Ridgehead Snake (Manolepis putnami) 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 Ridgehead Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Ridgehead Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Ridgehead Snake dangerous?
- The Ridgehead Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Ridgehead Snake live?
- The Ridgehead Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- Why is it called the Ridgehead Snake?
- The specific name, putnami, is in honor of American anthropologist Frederic Ward Putnam.
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
- Manolepis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Manolepis putnami
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.