Tantilla melanocephala, commonly known as the black-headed snake, the neotropical black-headed snake, and la culebra de cabeza negra in Spanish, is a small species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Central America and South America.
Geographic range
In Central America Tantilla melanocephala is found from Guatemala south to Panama. In South America it is found from Trinidad and Tobago south to northern Argentina.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of Tantilla melanocephala are grassland, savanna, and forest, at altitudes from sea level to , and it has also been found in artificial habitats such as pastures, gardens, and plantations.
Taxonomy
Several species of snakes, which were originally described as species new to science, are synonyms of Tantilla melanocephala. The following is a partial list in chronological order.
References
External links
- Tantilla melanocephala on Flickr.
Further reading
- Freiberg, M. (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. . (Tantilla melanocephala, p. 111).
- Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (Coluber melanocephalus, new species, p. 218).