Clelia scytalina

Clelia scytalina, commonly known as the Mexican snake eater[2] or zopilota de altura (highland mussarana),[3] is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the New World.

Clelia scytalina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Clelia
Species:	C. scytalina
Binomial name
Clelia scytalina (Cope, 1867)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Scolecophis scytalinus Cope, 1867 Oxyrhopus proximus Bocourt, 1897 Clelia clelia immaculata H.M. Smith, 1942 Clelia scytalina — Stuart, 1963

Geographic range

C. scytalina is found in Southern Mexico, Central America, and Colombia.[2]

Description

The head of C. scytalina is somewhat distinct from the neck. The eye is moderate in size, with a vertically elliptical pupil. The body is cylindrical, and the tail is moderately long.[3]

The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 17 rows at midbody.[3]

The coloration of juveniles is completely different from that of adults. Juveniles have a black head, a yellow or white nuchal crossband (collar), and a red body. Juveniles are often mistaken for coral snakes and killed.[3] Adults are uniform bluish black dorsally, and cream-colored ventrally.[4]

Habitat

C. scytalina is a terrestrial animal which inhabits old-growth and second-growth forests and their borders. Occasionally it is found in open areas in submontane and montane life zones.[3]

Diet

Like other species of mussurana, C. scytalina is known to feed on other snakes.[3]

Reproduction

Clelia scytalina is oviparous (egg-laying).[3]

References

1. "Clelia scytalina ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
2. "Clelia scytalina (Cope, 1867)" at the Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. Consulted: 22 April 2012.
3. Muñoz Chacón, Federico. (2000) Clelia scytalina (Cope, 1867) Archived 2014-01-10 at the Wayback Machine. INBio (Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad ), Costa Rica. Consulted: 22 April 2012.
4. Savage JM (2002). The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Herpetofauna between Two Continents, between Two Seas. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. xx + 945 pp. ISBN 0-226-73537-0. (Clelia scytalina, p. 574).

External links

• Clelia scytalina at the Encyclopedia of Life.

Further reading

• Cope ED (1867). "Fifth Contribution to the HERPETOLOGY of Tropical America". Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 18 ["1866"]: 317–323. (Scolecophis scytalinus, new species, p. 320.).
• Muñoz Chacón, Federico; Johnston, Richard Dennis (2013). Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Pocket Guide. Ithaca, New York: Comstock. 170 pp. ISBN 0801478693.