Synophis bicolor

Synophis bicolor, known commonly as the bicolored shadow snake or the two-colored fishing snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to northwestern South America.

Synophis bicolor
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Synophis
Species:
S. bicolor
Binomial name
Synophis bicolor
Peracca, 1896

Geographic range

S. bicolor is found in Colombia and Ecuador.[1]

Habitat

The preferred habitats of S. bicolor are lowland rainforest and Andean cloud forest; in both it is found in leaf litter and in bushes.[1]

Behavior

S. bicolor is nocturnal, terrestrial, and semiarboreal.[1]

Description

Dorsally, S. bicolor is uniformly brown, lighter on the sides. Ventrally, it is yellowish white. The upper lip is also yellowish white. The dorsal scales are keeled, in 19 rows at midbody, and without apical pits.[2]

Diet

The diet of S. bicolor is unknown.[3] Even though one of its common names alludes to fishing, there is no evidence that this species eats fish.[4]

Reproduction

S. bicolor is oviparous. Clutch size varies from two to eight eggs.[1]

References
  1. Species Synophis bicolor at The Reptile Database
  2. Peracca (1896).
  3. Pryon, R. Alexander; Guayasamin, Juan M.; Peñafiel, Nicolás; Bustamante, Lucas; Arteaga, Alejandro (2015). "Systematics of Nothopsini (Serpentes, Dipsadidae), with a new species of Synophis from the Pacific Andean slopes of southwestern Ecuador". ZooKeys 541: 109-147. (Synophis bicolor, p. 127).
  4. Pryon, R. Alexander; Arteaga, Alejandro; Echevarría, Lourdes Y.; Torres-Carvajal, Omar (2016). "A revision and key for the tribe Diaphorolepidini (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) and checklist for the genus Synophis ". Zootaxa 4171 (2): 293-320.

Further reading
  • Freiberg M (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Synophis bicolor, p. 111).
  • Peracca MG (1896). "Nuovo genero di Colubride aglifo dell'America meridionale ". Bollettino dei Musei di Zoologia ed Anatomia della R[egia]. Università di Torino 11 (266): 1–2. (Synophis bicolor, new species, pp. 1-2). (in Italian).



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