Clelia clelia, commonly known as the mussurana, black mussurana or windward cribo, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the New World.
The subspecific name, groomei, is in honor of Grenadian zoologist John R. Groome.[1]
It is called doi or duma in the Kwaza language of Rondônia, Brazil.[2]
Clelia clelia is found in Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles (including the island of Trinidad).
Clelia clelia is a large snake. Adults may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 2.1m (06.9feet). Dorsally, adults are uniform black, gray, or olive-gray. Ventrally, adults are yellowish white. Juveniles are pale brown or red, with a black head and a yellow collar.[3]
Clelia clelia preys almost exclusively on snakes, especially venomous snakes of the genera Bothriechis, Bothrops, Crotalus, Lachesis, Micrurus, and Porthidium.[4] [5] Despite being primarily ophiophagous, Clelia clelia also include in their diet: lizards, snake eggs, opossums, rodents, birds, small mammals, and snails.[6]
Clelia clelia is oviparous.[4]
Clelia clelia has two subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, which are recognized as being valid.
A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Clelia.