Synophis calamitus explained

Synophis calamitus, the calamitous shadow snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to northwestern South America.

Geographic range

S. calamitus is found in Pichincha Province, Ecuador.

Description

The holotype of Synophis calamitus, a juvenile female, measures 223 mm (8.8 inches) in total length, which includes a tail of 74 mm (2.9 inches). The back and sides of this specimen are iridescent black. The belly is cream, and the undersurface of the tail is dark gray.^[1]

Habitat

The preferred habitat of S. calamitus is cloud forests north of the Río Toachi at altitudes of 1900-.^[2]

Diet

The diet of S. calamitus is unknown.^[2]

Reproduction

S. calamitus is oviparous.

Notes and References

1. Hillis . David M. . David Hillis . A new species of xenodontine colubrid snake of the genus Synophis from Ecuador and the phylogeny of the genera Synophis and Emmochliophis . Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas . 1990 . 135 . 1–9 . (Synophis calamitus, new species).
2. Pyron . Robert . Guayasamin . Juan . Juan Manuel Guayasamin . Peñafiel . Nicolas . Bustamante . Lucas . Arteaga . Alejandro . amp . Systematics of Nothopsini (Serpentes, Dipsadidae), with a new species of Synophis from the Pacific Andean slopes of southwestern Ecuador . ZooKeys . 2015 . 541 . 109–147 . 10.3897/zookeys.541.6058. 26798284 . 4714381 . free . 2015ZooK..541..109P . (Synophis calamitus, p. 130).