Tropidophiidae
Tropidophis steinleini
HarmlessThis species has no widely used English common name.
Tropidophis steinleini is a non-venomous snake in the Tropidophiidae family, recorded in 1 country.
- Family
- Tropidophiidae
About the Tropidophis steinleini
The Tropidophis steinleini belongs to the Tropidophiidae family, dwarf boas. Small New-World boas that can bleed from the eyes when threatened.
Dwarf boas are small, harmless constrictors of the American tropics. Several have the startling defense of voluntarily bleeding from the mouth and eyes, alongside coiling into a ball and discharging musk.
Its genus, Tropidophis, covers dwarf boas (West Indian dwarf boas). Small, secretive New World snakes famous for a strange defense: they bleed from the eyes and mouth and play dead when threatened.
The Tropidophis steinleini is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.
It has been recorded in Cuba.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Tropidophis steinleini
- Is the Tropidophis steinleini venomous?
- No. The Tropidophis steinleini 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 Tropidophis steinleini poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Tropidophis steinleini is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Tropidophis steinleini dangerous?
- The Tropidophis steinleini is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Tropidophis steinleini live?
- The Tropidophis steinleini has verified records in 1 country, including Cuba. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Tropidophiidae snakes
Northern Eyelash BoaTropidophis boulengeri
Cuban Dwarf BoaTropidophis melanurus
Haitian Dwarf BoaTropidophis haetianus
Cayman Islands Dwarf BoaTropidophis caymanensis
Northern Bahamas TropeTropidophis curtus
Ambergris Cay Dwarf BoaTropidophis greenwayi
Brazilian Dwarf BoaTropidophis paucisquamis
Spotted Brown TropeTropidophis pardalis
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
- Tropidophiidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Tropidophis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Tropidophis steinleini
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. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.