Mastigodryas Explained

Mastigodryas is a genus of colubrid snakes. Like some other colubrids, they are commonly called racers. It is a Neotropical genus, with members distributed from Mexico to Argentina and several islands in the Caribbean. Some authorities use the older generic name, Dryadophis, for these species.^[1]

Description

These snakes are cylindrical or somewhat laterally compressed in shape. The head is distinct from the rest of the body, as in many other colubrids. They have large eyes. They have Duvernoy's glands.^[1] The morphology of the hemipenis in various species has been helpful in elucidating their relationships, as little is known about the evolutionary origins of the genus.^[2]

Behavior

These snakes are diurnal^[1] and actively forage for their prey.

Diet

The diet is varied. For example, Mastigodryas bifossatus is euryphagic, consuming a wide variety of prey items. A large part of its diet is made up of frogs, and it will also take various mammals, birds, lizards, and other snakes.^[3]

Species

There are 13^{[1] [4]} species. There may be as many as 18 if certain subspecies are elevated to species status, as has been suggested.^[5]

Species include:^{[2] [6]}

• Mastigodryas alternatus
• Mastigodryas amarali – Amaral's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas boddaerti – Boddaert's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas bruesi – Barbour's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas cliftoni – Clifton’s lizard eater
• Mastigodryas danieli – Daniel's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas dorsalis – striped lizard eater
• Mastigodryas heathii – Heath's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas melanolomus – salmon-bellied racer
• Mastigodryas moratoi ^[7]
• Mastigodryas pleii – Plee's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas pulchriceps – Cope's tropical racer
• Mastigodryas reticulatus ^[8]

Nota bene

A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Mastigodryas.

Further reading

• Freiberg M (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. . (Mastigodryas, pp. 66–67, 77, 103-104, 131, 136-137).
• https://serpientesdevenezuela.org/mastigodryas-pleei/
• https://serpientesdevenezuela.org/mastigodryas-boddaerti/

Notes and References

1. [:fr:Jay Mathers Savage|Savage JM]
2. [species:Robert C. Jadin|Jadin, Robert C.]
3. [species:Otávio Augusto Vuolo Marques|Marques OAV]
4. Mendoza, R. Juan Salvador; Rodríguez, S. Natalia (2010). "Observations on some aspects of the predatory behavior of the diurnal snake Mastigodryas pleei (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril 1854) held in natural and captive conditions". Rev. Colombiana Cienc. Anim. 2 (2): 253-263.
5. [species:Giovanna Gondim Montingelli|Montingelli GG]
6. https://archive.today/20130704020216/http://ecat-dev.gbif.org/usage/102292356 Mastigodryas Amaral, 1934.
7. Montingelli GG, Zaher H (2011). "New species of Mastigodryas Amaral, 1934 from Brazilian Amazonia and Guyana (Serpentes: Colubridae)". Journal of Herpetology 45 (1): 111-119.
8. Montingelli GG et al. (2011). "Revalidation of Herpetodryas reticulata (Peters, 1863) (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Ecuador".South American Journal of Herpetology 6 (3): 189-197.