Is the Tschudi's False Coral Snake venomous?

No. The Tschudi's False Coral Snake (Oxyrhopus melanogenys) 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 Tschudi's False Coral Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Tschudi's False Coral Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Tschudi's False Coral Snake dangerous?

The Tschudi's False Coral Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Tschudi's False Coral Snake live?

The Tschudi's False Coral Snake has verified records in 11 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Ecuador. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Colubridae

Tschudi's False Coral Snake

Harmless

Oxyrhopus melanogenys

Tschudi's False Coral Snake — Oxyrhopus melanogenys, © Lucas Illanes

6 photographs of the Tschudi's False Coral Snake. © Lucas Illanes.

The Tschudi's False Coral Snake (Oxyrhopus melanogenys) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 11 countries.

Family: Colubridae

About the Tschudi's False Coral Snake

Oxyrhopus melanogenys, commonly known as Tschudi's false coral snake, is a colubrid snake species found in the northern part of South America.

Description

Adults may attain a total length of 68 cm (27 in), which includes a tail 17 cm (6.7 in) long.

Dorsally, it is red or reddish brown, with the dorsal scales black-edged or black-tipped. There may be a few black crossbands in groups of three (triads) on the anterior portion of the body. The top of the head and the nape of the neck are black. Ventrally, it is yellowish. It is often confused with Oxyrhopus trigeminus.

The dorsal scales are smooth, with apical pits, and are arranged in 19 rows at midbody.

Subspecies

There are two subspecies, including the nominate subspecies:

Oxyrhopus melanogenys melanogenys (Tschudi, 1845)

Oxyrhopus melanogenys orientalis Cunha & Nascimento, 1983

Geographic range

O. m. melanogenys is native to Bolivia, Peru, Brazil (Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará), Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolívar).

O. m. orientalis is found in Peru and Brazil (Pará).

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Tschudi's False Coral Snake

Is the Tschudi's False Coral Snake venomous?: No. The Tschudi's False Coral Snake (Oxyrhopus melanogenys) 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 Tschudi's False Coral Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Tschudi's False Coral Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Tschudi's False Coral Snake dangerous?: The Tschudi's False Coral Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Tschudi's False Coral Snake live?: The Tschudi's False Coral Snake has verified records in 11 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Ecuador. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Where it is found

Brazil Peru Ecuador Bolivia (Plurinational State of)French Guiana Suriname Colombia Guyana Paraguay Congo, Democratic Republic of the Trinidad and Tobago

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: Oxyrhopus
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Oxyrhopus melanogenys

Keep learning

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