Kingdom Animalia Class Reptilia Family Colubridae Scientific name Liophis juliae Rank Species | Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Serpentes Subfamily Xenodontinae Phylum Chordata Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Similar Liophis, Antilles racer, Scaled reptiles | ||
Julia's ground snake (Liophis juliae) is a species of colubrid snake found in the Caribbean, on the Lesser Antilles islands of Dominica and Guadeloupe.
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Etymology
The specific name, juliae, is in honor of Julia Cope Collins (1866-1959), who was the only child of American herpetologist Edward Drinker Cope, the describer of this species.
Subspecies
The nominate subspecies, L. j. juliae, is endemic to Dominica, where it may be found everywhere but the highest elevations. L. j. copeae is found on numerous islands in the Guadeloupean archipelago, while L. j. mariae is restricted to the Guadeloupean island of Marie-Galante. Its relative rareness in Guadeloupe is attributed to the presence of the mongoose, which is absent from Dominica.
Description
L. juliae can reach half a meter (20 inches) in total length (including tail). Its coloration is typically white or yellowish flecks on a glossy dark ground color, but some individuals are uniformly dark.
Diet
Julia's ground snake eats lizards, frogs, and insects.
Defensive behavior
L. juliae is harmless to humans, but may release a foul-smelling cloacal secretion if provoked.