Atractus
Encyclopedia
Ground Snakes are a genus
of colubrid
snake
s that belong to the Xenodontinae
subfamily. The genus includes more than 80 distinct species
.
and South America
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of colubrid
Colubrid
A colubrid is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. The earliest species of the snake family date back to the Oligocene epoch. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, Colubridae is the largest snake family...
snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s that belong to the Xenodontinae
Xenodontinae
Xenodontinae is a subfamily of the Colubridae family of snakes. It encompasses a number of genera, which include species such as mud snakes and New World hognose snakes.- Genera :Other genera are often placed here but may actually belong elsewhere:...
subfamily. The genus includes more than 80 distinct species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
Geographic range
Snakes of the genus Atractus are endemic to Central AmericaCentral America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Description
Maxillary short, with 8-12 teeth; maxillary and mandibular teeth decreasing in size posteriorly. Head not distinct from neck; eye small, pupil round or subelliptic; nostril between two nasals; preocular usually absent, loreal and prefrontal entering orbit. Body cylindrical; dorsal scales smooth, without pits, in 15 or 17 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail either short or rather long; subcaudals paired.Species
- Atractus albuquerqueiAtractus albuquerqueiAtractus albuquerquei, commonly known as the Albuquerque ground snake, is a small burrowing colubrid snake.-Geographic range:It is endemic to Brazil. It is found in forested areas and Cerrado habitats in the states of Rondonia, Pará, Acre, Goias, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul.-References:* da...
CunhaOsvaldo Rodrigues da CunhaOsvaldo Rodrigues da Cunha was a Brazilian paleontologist and herpetologist.Da Cunha was born in Belém, and studied zoology at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia of Manaus.-Authored Taxa:...
& Nascimento, 1983 -- Albuquerque Ground Snake - Atractus alphonsehogei CunhaOsvaldo Rodrigues da CunhaOsvaldo Rodrigues da Cunha was a Brazilian paleontologist and herpetologist.Da Cunha was born in Belém, and studied zoology at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia of Manaus.-Authored Taxa:...
& Nascimento, 1983 - Atractus andinus Prado, 1944
- Atractus arangoi Prado, 1939
- Atractus badius (F. BoieFriedrich BoieFriedrich Boie was a German scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. He was born at Meldorf in Holstein and died at Kiel....
, 1827) - Atractus balzani BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1898 - Atractus biseriatus Prado, 1941 -- Two-lined Ground Snake
- Atractus bocki WernerYehudah L. WernerYehudah Leopold Werner is an Israeli herpetologist and Professor Emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem ....
, 1909 - Atractus bocourti BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1894 -- Bocourt's Ground Snake - Atractus boettgeri BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1896 - Atractus boulengeri Peracca, 1896
- Atractus carrioni Parker, 1930
- Atractus clarki DunnEmmett Reid DunnEmmett Reid Dunn was an American herpetologist noted for his work in Panama and for studies of salamanders in the Eastern United States. He attended Haverford College as an undergraduate and received his PhD from Harvard University. After receiving his PhD taught at Smith College...
& Bailey, 1939 - Atractus crassicaudatusAtractus crassicaudatusThe thickhead ground snake is a nonvenomous colubrid snake species. There are no recognized subspecies.-Description:...
(A.M.C. DumérilAndré Marie Constant DumérilAndré Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He was born in Paris. Son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hired to collect vertebrates in Italy and Sicily. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant...
& A. DumérilAuguste DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854) -- Thickhead Ground Snake - Atractus duidensis RozeJanis RozeJanis A. Roze, Ph.D., born in Latvia, is a herpetologist and Professor of Biology Emeritus of City College and Graduate School of the City University of New York. He was professionally associated with the American Museum of Natural History and the United Nations...
, 1961 -- Venezuela Ground Snake - Atractus dunni Savage, 1955
- Atractus ecuadorensis Savage, 1955
- Atractus elaps (Günther, 1858)
- Atractus emigdioi Gonzales-Sponga, 1971
- Atractus emmeli (BoettgerOskar BoettgerOskar Boettger was a German zoologist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was an uncle of the noted malacologist Caesar Rudolf Boettger ....
, 1888) - Atractus erythromelas BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1903 - Atractus favae (Filippi, 1840)
- Atractus flammigerus (F. BoieFriedrich BoieFriedrich Boie was a German scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. He was born at Meldorf in Holstein and died at Kiel....
, 1827) - Atractus fuliginosus (HallowellEdward HallowellEdward Hallowell was an American herpetologist and physician.He studied and practiced medicine in Philadelphia. He also was a renowned herpetologist who described 55 new species of reptiles....
, 1845) - Atractus gaigeae Savage, 1955
- Atractus guentheri (Wucherer, 1861)
- Atractus indistinctus Prado, 1940
- Atractus insipidus RozeJanis RozeJanis A. Roze, Ph.D., born in Latvia, is a herpetologist and Professor of Biology Emeritus of City College and Graduate School of the City University of New York. He was professionally associated with the American Museum of Natural History and the United Nations...
, 1961 - Atractus iridescens Peracca, 1896
- Atractus lancinii RozeJanis RozeJanis A. Roze, Ph.D., born in Latvia, is a herpetologist and Professor of Biology Emeritus of City College and Graduate School of the City University of New York. He was professionally associated with the American Museum of Natural History and the United Nations...
, 1961 - Atractus lasallei Amaral, 1931
- Atractus latifrons (Günther, 1868)
- Atractus lehmanni BoettgerOskar BoettgerOskar Boettger was a German zoologist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was an uncle of the noted malacologist Caesar Rudolf Boettger ....
, 1898 - Atractus limitaneus (Amaral, 1935) -- Limitan Ground Snake
- Atractus loveridgei Amaral, 1930
- Atractus maculatus (Günther, 1858)
- Atractus major BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1894 -- Brown Ground Snake - Atractus manizalesensis Prado, 1940
- Atractus mariselae Lancini, 1969
- Atractus melanogaster WernerFranz WernerFranz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1916 - Atractus melas BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1908 - Atractus micheli Mocquard, 1904
- Atractus microrhynchus (CopeEdward Drinker CopeEdward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen...
, 1868) - Atractus modestus BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1894 -- Modest Ground Snake - Atractus multicinctus (JanGiorgio JanGiorgio Jan was an Italian taxonomist, zoologist, botanist, herpetologist, and writer. He is also known as Georg Jan or Georges Jan....
, 1865) - Atractus nicefori Amaral, 1930 -- Northern Ground Snake
- Atractus nigricaudus SchmidtKarl Patterson SchmidtKarl Patterson Schmidt was an American herpetologist.-Biography:Schmidt was the son of George W. Schmidt and Margaret Patterson Schmidt. Schmidt's father was a German professor who, at the time of Schmidt's birth, was teaching in Lake Forest, Illinois. His family left the city in 1907 and settled...
& Walker, 1943 - Atractus nigriventris Amaral, 1933
- Atractus obesus Marx, 1960
- Atractus obtusirostris WernerFranz WernerFranz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1916 -- Bignose Ground Snake - Atractus occidentalis Savage, 1955
- Atractus occipitoalbus (JanGiorgio JanGiorgio Jan was an Italian taxonomist, zoologist, botanist, herpetologist, and writer. He is also known as Georg Jan or Georges Jan....
, 1862) - Atractus oculotemporalis Amaral, 1932
- Atractus pamplonensis Amaral, 1937
- Atractus paraguayensis WernerFranz WernerFranz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1924 - Atractus paucidens Despax, 1910
- Atractus pauciscutatus SchmidtKarl Patterson SchmidtKarl Patterson Schmidt was an American herpetologist.-Biography:Schmidt was the son of George W. Schmidt and Margaret Patterson Schmidt. Schmidt's father was a German professor who, at the time of Schmidt's birth, was teaching in Lake Forest, Illinois. His family left the city in 1907 and settled...
& Walker, 1943 -- Little-scaled Ground Snake - Atractus peruvianus (JanGiorgio JanGiorgio Jan was an Italian taxonomist, zoologist, botanist, herpetologist, and writer. He is also known as Georg Jan or Georges Jan....
, 1862) - Atractus poeppigi (JanGiorgio JanGiorgio Jan was an Italian taxonomist, zoologist, botanist, herpetologist, and writer. He is also known as Georg Jan or Georges Jan....
, 1862) -- Basin Ground Snake - Atractus punctiventris Amaral, 1933
- Atractus resplendens WernerFranz WernerFranz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1901 - Atractus reticulatus (BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1885) - Atractus riveroi RozeJanis RozeJanis A. Roze, Ph.D., born in Latvia, is a herpetologist and Professor of Biology Emeritus of City College and Graduate School of the City University of New York. He was professionally associated with the American Museum of Natural History and the United Nations...
, 1961 - Atractus roulei Despax, 1910 -- Roule's Ground Snake
- Atractus sanctaemartae DunnEmmett Reid DunnEmmett Reid Dunn was an American herpetologist noted for his work in Panama and for studies of salamanders in the Eastern United States. He attended Haverford College as an undergraduate and received his PhD from Harvard University. After receiving his PhD taught at Smith College...
, 1946 - Atractus sanguineus Prado, 1944
- Atractus schach (F. BoieFriedrich BoieFriedrich Boie was a German scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. He was born at Meldorf in Holstein and died at Kiel....
, 1827) - Atractus serranus Amaral, 1930
- Atractus snethlageae CunhaOsvaldo Rodrigues da CunhaOsvaldo Rodrigues da Cunha was a Brazilian paleontologist and herpetologist.Da Cunha was born in Belém, and studied zoology at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia of Manaus.-Authored Taxa:...
& Nascimento, 1983 - Atractus steyermarki RozeJanis RozeJanis A. Roze, Ph.D., born in Latvia, is a herpetologist and Professor of Biology Emeritus of City College and Graduate School of the City University of New York. He was professionally associated with the American Museum of Natural History and the United Nations...
, 1958 - Atractus taeniatus Griffin, 1916
- Atractus torquatus (A.M.C. DumérilAndré Marie Constant DumérilAndré Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He was born in Paris. Son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hired to collect vertebrates in Italy and Sicily. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant...
& A. DumérilAuguste DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854) - Atractus trilineatusAtractus trilineatusAtractus trilineatus, the three-lined ground snake, is a small burrowing colubrid snake.-Description:Adults may attain 225 mm in total length, with a short tail, 15 mm . Dorsally they are brown with three or four darker longitudinal sripes; ventrally they are either uniform white, or have a few...
WaglerJohann Georg WaglerJohann Georg Wagler was a German herpetologist.Wagler was assistant to Johann Baptist von Spix, and became Director of the Zoological Museum at the University of Munich after Spix's death in 1826...
, 1828 -- Three-lined Ground Snake - Atractus trivittatus Amaral, 1933
- Atractus univittatus (Jan, 1862) -- One-banded Ground Snake
- Atractus variegatus Prado, 1942
- Atractus ventrimaculatus BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1905 - Atractus vertebralis BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1904 - Atractus vertebrolineatus Prado, 1941
- Atractus wagleri Prado, 1945
- Atractus werneri Peracca, 1914
- Atractus zidoki Gasc & Rodriques, 1979