Clelia clelia | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Clelia |
Species: | C. clelia
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Binomial name | |
Clelia clelia (
Daudin, 1803)
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Synonyms [2] | |
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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. [3]
It is called doi or duma in the Kwaza language of Rondônia, Brazil. [4]
Clelia clelia is found in Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles (including the island of Trinidad). [2]
Clelia clelia is a large snake. Adults may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 2.1 m (6.9 ft). 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. [5]
Clelia clelia preys almost exclusively on snakes, especially venomous snakes of the genera Bothriechis, Bothrops, Crotalus, Lachesis, Micrurus, and Porthidium. [6] [7] Despite being primarily ophiophagous, Clelia clelia also include in their diet: lizards, snake eggs, opossums, rodents, birds, small mammals, and snails. [8]
Clelia clelia is oviparous. [6]
Clelia clelia has two subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, which are recognized as being valid. [2]
Nota bene: A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Clelia.