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Colubridae

Sooty Black-striped Snake

Harmless

Coniophanes piceivittis

Sooty Black-striped Snake
Coniophanes piceivittis, © Arabella Willing
Sooty Black-striped SnakeSooty Black-striped SnakeSooty Black-striped SnakeSooty Black-striped SnakeSooty Black-striped Snake

6 photographs of the Sooty Black-striped Snake. © Arabella Willing.

The Sooty Black-striped Snake (Coniophanes piceivittis) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 7 countries.

Family
Colubridae

About the Sooty Black-striped Snake

Coniophanes piceivittis, known commonly as Cope's black-striped snake, is a species of small snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Central America and Mexico, and is found in a wide range of habitats.

Geographic range

C. piceivittis is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, and Nicaragua.

Reproduction

C. piceivittis is oviparous.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.

Coniophanes piceivittis frangivirgatus J. Peters, 1950

Coniophanes piceivittis piceivittis Cope, 1869

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Sooty Black-striped Snake

Is the Sooty Black-striped Snake venomous?
No. The Sooty Black-striped Snake (Coniophanes piceivittis) 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 Sooty Black-striped Snake poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Sooty Black-striped Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Sooty Black-striped Snake dangerous?
The Sooty Black-striped Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Sooty Black-striped Snake live?
The Sooty Black-striped Snake has verified records in 7 countries, including Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras. 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
Coniophanes
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Coniophanes piceivittis

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.