Xenodon merremii
species of reptile
Xenodon merremii, also known commonly as Wagler's snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South America and is widespread in the eastern half of the continent.
Geographic range
Xenodon merremii occurs in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of Xenodon merremii is open areas of savanna and shrubland, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft), but it is also common in disturbed habitats.
Etymology
The specific name, merremii, is in honor of German herpetologist Blasius Merrem.
Description
Adults of Xenodon merremii are usually 1 m (39 in) or less in total length (tail included). Its color pattern is very variable. Some "red phase" specimens are a uniform reddish tan. Other specimens are pale brown dorsally, with broad dark-brown crossbands, which are edged with black, and are narrower or interrupted in the middle. The latter color pattern resembles that of the venomous snake Bothrops alternatus.
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This entry incorporates text from “Xenodon merremii” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.