Erythrolamprus cobella

Erythrolamprus cobella
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Dipsadinae
Genus:	Erythrolamprus
Species:	E. cobella
Binomial name
	Erythrolamprus cobella; (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
	Coluber cobella Linnaeus, 1758; Coronella cobella (Linnaeus, 1758); Liophis cobella (Linnaeus, 1758); Rhadinæa cobella (Linnaeus, 1758);

Erythrolamprus cobella, commonly known as the mangrove snake, is a species of small semi-aquatic snake, which is endemic to South America.^[4]

Classification

Erythrolamprus cobella belongs to the genus Erythrolamprus, which contains over 50 species. The genus Erythrolamprus belongs to the subfamily Dipsadinae, which is sometimes referred to as the family Dipsadidae. The relationships of Erythrolamprus species located in northern South America (Venezuela) can be shown in the cladogram below, based on molecular DNA analysis:^[5]

E. poecilogyrus (paraphyletic)

	E. ceii

	E. poecilogyrus (paraphyletic)

E. miliaris

E. typhlus (Brazil) (paraphyletic)

E. reginae (paraphyletic)

	E. reginae (paraphyletic)

	E. zweifeli

E. breviceps

E. epinephalus (Peru) (paraphyletic)

	E. epinephalus (Costa Rica) (paraphyletic)

	E. pseudoreginae

E. melanotus

E. atraventer

	E. jaegeri

	E. almadensis

	E. juliae

	E. cursor

E. typhlus (French Guiana) (paraphyletic)

Erythrolamprus cobella

	E. aesculapii (Brazil) (paraphyletic)

	E. ocellatus

E. aesculapii (French Guiana & Guyana) (paraphyletic)

	E. bizona

	E. mimus

Description

Adults may attain a total length of 73 cm (29 in), which includes a tail 12.5 cm (4.9 in) long.^[6]

Dorsally, it is black or dark brown with white crossbands. Ventrally it is red with black crossbands. The upper labials are white or yellowish.^[6]

There are 8 upper labials, the 4th and 5th entering the eye. The dorsal scales, which are smooth and without apical pits, are arranged in 17 rows at midbody. Ventrals 143–163; anal plate divided; subcaudals 45–57, also divided (in two rows).^[6]

Geographic range

It is found in northern South America east of the Andes,^[7] in the Guianas, eastern Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago^[8] (although only on the island of Trinidad, not Tobago.)^[5]

Habitat

It is a semi-aquatic species,^[5] and lives in lowland rainforest river floodplains and coastal mangrove swamps.^[8]

Diet

It feeds on frogs, geckos, and fish.^[8]

References

↑ Hoogmoed, M.; Rivas, G.; Nogueira, C.; Murphy, J. (2019). "Erythrolamprus cobella". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T15179222A15179229. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T15179222A15179229.en. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
1 2 Uetz, P.; et al. (eds.). "Erythrolamprus cobella". The Reptile Database.
↑ "Systematik der Dipsadinae". Dahms Tierleben.
↑ "Erythrolamprus cobella". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
1 2 3 Murphy, John C.; Braswell, Alvin L.; Charles, Stevland P.; Auguste, Renoir J.; Rivas, Gilson A.; Borzée, Amaël; Lehtinen, Richard M.; Jowers, Michael J. (15 Jan 2019). "A new species of Erythrolamprus from the oceanic island of Tobago (Squamata, Dipsadidae)". ZooKeys (817): 131–157. doi:10.3897/zookeys.817.30811. PMC 6342902.
1 2 3 Boulenger, G.A. (1894). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, Printers.). (Rhadinæa cobella, pp. 166-167.)
↑ Freiberg, M. [in Spanish] (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Liophis cobella, p. 102.)
1 2 3 Boos, Hans E.A. (2001). The Snakes of Trinidad and Tobago. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 1-58544-116-3.