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| Parrot Snake, Leptophis ahaetulla Linnaeus, 1758. Photographed in Trinidad's Arima Valley. This specimen is referable to the subspecies L. a. coeruleodorsus Oliver, 1942. The species is widespread from Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico southward through Central America to Chile and Brazil. It is an arboreal, forest dwelling snake that will also use disturbed habitats. It feeds upon frogs, lizards. and birds that it hunts during the day. Females lay 3-5 eggs in epiphytic plants and cavities in trees and bamboo. |
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| Mastigodryas boddaerti (Sentzen, 1796). A juvenile. Photographed in Trinidad's Arima Valley. This snake has also been placed in the genus Dryadophis. This is a diurnal, racer-like snake often found in forests and forest edge habitats. It occurs over much of northern South America as well as the Amazon Basin. Its diet is diverse, and it will eat insects, frogs, lizards, birds, and mammals. |
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| Brown Vine Snake, Oxybelis aeneus |
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| Spilotes pullatus (Linnaeus, 1758). Photographed in Trinidad's Arima Valley. One of the largest species in the family, it reaches at least 2.65 m. Found in lowland rainforests as well as secondary forests, and pastures, it is often associated with streams. Sometimes called the tiger rat snake it feeds on lizards, birds and mammals. Females lay small clutches of 7-10 eggs, hatchlings are large at about 0.5m. |
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| The Puffing Snake, Pseustes poecilonotus (Gunther, 1858). Photographed in Trinidad's Arima Valley. Maximum size on this snake is about 2 m. It is widespread, ranging from southern Mexico through Central America and into the Amazon Basin. It is diurnal and arboreal in forest and forest edge habitats. It feeds on birds and lizards. The common name is derived from it inflating its lungs and spreading the lower jaw during a defense display. |
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