''Pseudoboa neuwiedii'', commonly known as the ''ratonel'' or ''ratonera'' (mouse-eater), is a species of snake in the family

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...

. The species is endemic to northern South America.

Geographic range

''Pseudoboa neuwiedii'' is found on the mainland of South America from

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

to The Guianas, and in Brazil along the

Amazon River The Amazon River (, ; es, Río Amazonas, pt, Rio Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile. The headwaters of t ...

, as well as in

Grenada Grenada ( ; Grenadian Creole French: ) is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Pe ...

, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''neuwiedii'', is in honor of German naturalist Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied.

Description

''Pseudoboa neuwiedii'' grows to a maximum total length (including tail) of . Dorsally, it is reddish brown, either uniform or with some scattered small black spots. The top of the head and neck are black or dark brown. There may or may not be a yellowish crossband or collar across the temples and occiput. Ventrally, it is yellowish. This snake is venomous, but due the anatomy of its teeth it has difficulty in inoculating venom, its venom is highly proteolytic and could affect the coagulation by degrading the fibrinogen.

Behavior

''Pseudoboa neuwiedii'' is a powerful constrictor.

Diet

''Pseudoboa neuwiedii'' feeds on any animal it can capture and subdue. Individuals have been reported to consume snakes as large as or larger than they themselves are.

Reproduction

''P. neuwiedii'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

References

External links

Image at ADW
Colubrids Snakes of South America Reptiles of Brazil Reptiles of Colombia Reptiles of French Guiana Fauna of Grenada Reptiles of Guyana Reptiles of Panama Reptiles of Peru Reptiles of Suriname Reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago Reptiles of Venezuela Reptiles described in 1854 Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron Taxa named by Auguste Duméril {{Colubrids-stub