Lamprophiidae
Western Forest File Snake
HarmlessMehelya poensis
6 photographs of the Western Forest File Snake. © Ryan van Huyssteen.
The Western Forest File Snake (Mehelya poensis) is a non-venomous snake in the Lamprophiidae family, recorded in 19 countries.
- Family
- Lamprophiidae
About the Western Forest File Snake
The Western Forest File Snake belongs to the Lamprophiidae family, african house snakes & allies. Common African snakes, including the familiar house snakes.
Lamprophiids are a largely African family that includes the house snakes often found around dwellings, where they hunt rodents, plus wolf snakes and many others. Most are non-venomous or only mildly rear-fanged.
Its genus, Mehelya, covers file snakes. African file snakes with rough, triangular bodies and a striking ridge running down the spine.
The Western Forest File Snake 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 across 19 countries, including Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana and Congo.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Western Forest File Snake
- Is the Western Forest File Snake venomous?
- No. The Western Forest File Snake (Mehelya poensis) 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 Western Forest File Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Western Forest File Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Western Forest File Snake dangerous?
- The Western Forest File Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Western Forest File Snake live?
- The Western Forest File Snake has verified records in 19 countries, including Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Cameroon, Benin. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Lamprophiidae 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
- Lamprophiidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Mehelya
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Mehelya poensis
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.