Suborder Serpentes Subfamily Colubrinae Higher classification Mastigodryas Order Scaled reptiles | Subphylum Vertebrata Genus Mastigodryas Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Similar Mastigodryas, Chironius carinatus, Tantilla melanocephala, Chironius scurrulus, Pseudoboa neuwiedii | ||
Mastigodryas boddaerti, commonly known as the Boddaert's tropical racer, is a species of colubrid snake endemic to tropical South America and Trinidad and Tobago.
Contents
Mastigodryas boddaerti cazadora
Distribution
Mastigodryas boddaerti occurs in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
Description
Mastigodryas boddaerti change coloration ontogenetically. Juveniles from Guyana have brown dorsum with grayish tan bands, with white spots ventrolaterally on anterior ends of the tan bands. Chin and throat white have dark brown irregular spots. Venter is tan colored. Adults are nearly uniform brown dorsally, with traces of bands anteriorly. There is a lateral light tan stripe on anterior half of body. Venter is light gray with darker gray smudges on throat. Individuals from Brazilian Amazonas measured up to 109 cm (43 in) in snout–vent length.
Diet
It feeds on young birds, lizards and mice. Specimens from Brazilian Amazonas fed mostly on lizards, followed by mammals and frogs.
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Etymology
The specific name, boddaerti, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert. The subspecific names, dunni and ruthveni, are in honor of American herpetologists Emmett Reid Dunn and Alexander G. Ruthven.
