''Phrynonax poecilonotus'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of nonvenomous snake in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. C ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

Common names

''P. poecilonotus'' is commonly known in

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

as ''dos cocorite'', in Brazil as ''papa-ovo'', and in English as the puffing snake or the bird snake.

Geographic range

''P. poecilonotus'' is found from

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

through

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

to northern and central

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

and

Diet

''P. poecilonotus'' apparently eats any

terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth, as opposed to extraterrestrial. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on o ...

vertebrate Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain. The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...

small enough to handle and is well known as a predator of bird eggs (hence some of the common names).

Description

''P. poecilonotus'' is one of the most variable snakes in the world. For about the first year of their life, they look very dull in color, and look all the same upon hatching. During the first four years, the snake's appearance will change rapidly, from slate grey and yellow, to slate and orange, etc. Past the first four years of life, changes will be very slow, but they will still change in appearance. The snakes can be combinations of black with red, orange, yellow, and/or lavender, or slate and red, yellow, orange, and/or lavender. However, when handled, their behavior is similar, and they will readily bite.

References

* Boulenger GA (1894). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ.'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xi + 382 pp. + Plates I-XX. (''Phrynonax pœcilonotus'', new combination, p. 20). * Freiberg M (1982). ''Snakes of South America''. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. . (''Pseustes poecilonotus'', p. 108 + color photo on p. 151). * Günther A (1858). ''Catalogue of the Colubrine Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum.'' London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xvi + 281 pp. (''Spilotes pœcilonotus'', new species, pp. 100–101). *Jadin, Robert C.; Burbrink, Frank T.; Rivas, Gilson A.; Vitt, Laurie J.; Barrio-Amorós, César L.; Guralnick, Robert P. (2013). "Finding arboreal snakes in an evolutionary tree: phylogenetic placement and systematic revision of the Neotropical birdsnakes". ''Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research'' 52 (3): 257–264. {{Taxonbar, from=Q28320888 Phrynonax Fauna of the Amazon Snakes of Central America Reptiles of Belize Snakes of Brazil Reptiles of Colombia Reptiles of Costa Rica Reptiles of Ecuador Reptiles of French Guiana Reptiles of Guatemala Reptiles of Guyana Reptiles of Honduras Reptiles of Mexico Reptiles of Nicaragua Reptiles of Panama Reptiles of Peru Reptiles of Suriname Reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago Reptiles of Venezuela Reptiles described in 1858 Taxa named by Albert Günther

Common names

Geographic range

Diet

Description

References

Further reading