Colubridae
Stuart's Burrowing Snake
HarmlessAdelphicos veraepacis
3 photographs of the Stuart's Burrowing Snake. (c) Wouter Beukema, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
The Stuart's Burrowing Snake (Adelphicos veraepacis) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 2 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Stuart's Burrowing Snake
Stuart's burrowing snake (Adelphicos veraepacis) is a species of colubrid snake. It is endemic to the Guatemala, where it can be found in pine-oak and cloud forests on Sierra de las Minas, the Cuilco Mountains, Sierra de los Cuchumatanes and Sierra de Xucaneb, at elevations of 1,200–2,200 m. It is terrestrial, fossorial and mainly nocturnal. It is threatened by habitat loss from agriculture and the exportation of Chamaedaphne calyculata plants.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Stuart's Burrowing Snake
- Is the Stuart's Burrowing Snake venomous?
- No. The Stuart's Burrowing Snake (Adelphicos veraepacis) 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 Stuart's Burrowing Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Stuart's Burrowing Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Stuart's Burrowing Snake dangerous?
- The Stuart's Burrowing Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Stuart's Burrowing Snake live?
- The Stuart's Burrowing Snake has verified records in 2 countries, including Guatemala, Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Colubridae snakes
Middle American Burrowing SnakeAdelphicos quadrivirgatum
Chiapas burrowing snakeAdelphicos nigrilatum
Cope's earth snakeAdelphicos visoninum
Newmans' Earth SnakeAdelphicos newmanorum
Sargi's earth snakeAdelphicos sargii
Dary's Burrowing SnakeAdelphicos daryi
Common Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis
Common WatersnakeNerodia sipedon
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
- Adelphicos
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Adelphicos veraepacis
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.