Forty-seven species of snake have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago, making the snake population of this area the most diverse in the Caribbean. Forty-four of these snake species are found in Trinidad and twenty-one in Tobago. Many of these species are South American, most of which are present in Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and several smaller islands. The Bocas Islands, which lie between Trinidad and Venezuela, in the Bocas del Dragón (Dragon's Mouths), consist of Chacachacare, Monos, Huevos and Gaspar Grande. Several smaller islands lie off Trinidad, but snakes have been recorded on only one of them, Caledonia Island. Snakes have been recorded on one island off Tobago, Little Tobago. Four species are venomous: two coral snake species (Micrurus spp.The abbreviation "sp." indicates a single species and the abbreviation "spp." indicates multiple species.), the fer-de-lance (Bothrops atrox) and the South American bushmaster (Lachesis muta). The common coral (Micrurus fulvius) is found on at least two of the Bocas Islands: Gaspar Grande and Monos. No venomous snakes inhabit Tobago.Anomalepididae Anomalepididae is a family of nonvenomous snakes native to Central and South America. They are similar to Typhlopidae, except that some species possess a single tooth in the lower jaw. One possible species has been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

+Anomalepididae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherHelminthophis cf. flavoterminatusHelminthophis sp. is known from a single collection. It may represent an undescribed species since none of the three described species are known from adjacent portions of VenezuelaBoos (2001), p. 43Yellow-headed ground puppy; Trinidadian dawn blind snake

Leptotyphlopidae Leptotyphlopidae is a family of snakes found in North and South America, Africa, and Asia. All are fossorial and adapted to burrowing, feeding on ants and termites. One species has been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

+Leptotyphlopidae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherEpictia tenellaGround puppyBoos (2001), p. 39

Typhlopidae Typhlopidae is a family of blind snakes found mostly in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. Two species have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

+Typhlopidae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherAmerotyphlops brongersmianusBrongersma's worm snakeBoos (2001), p. 44Amerotyphlops trinitatusTyphlops trinitatus is endemic to Trinidad and Tobago.Boos (2001), p. 45Trinidad burrowing snake

Aniliidae Aniliidae is a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus Anilius, which means that there is only one species in the entire family. This species is A. scytale, found in South America.

+Aniliidae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherAnilus scytale scytaleAnilus scytale scytale is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Burrowing false coral; rouleauBoos (2001), p. 46

Boidae Boidae is a family of non-venomous snakes found in America, Africa, Europe, Asia and some Pacific Islands, containing the boas. Four species have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.

+Boidae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherBoa constrictor constrictor Macajuel, boa constrictorBoos (2001), p. 50Boa constrictor constrictor has been recorded from the islands of Monos and Gaspar Grande.Corallus ruschenbergeriiCascabel dormillon; Cook's tree boaBoos (2001), p. 60Epicrates cenchria maurusRainbow boaBoos (2001), p. 64Epicrates cenchria maurus has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare, but the report has not been confirmed with a specimen.Eunectes murinus gigas Green anacondaBoos (2001), p. 67

Family Colubridae Colubridae is a family of snakes comprising about two thirds of all snake species on earth. Colubrid species are found on every continent, except Antarctica. Species from three subfamilies are found in Trinidad and Tobago.

Subfamily Xenodontinae Xenodontinae is a subfamily of snakes within the family Colubridae that includes mud snakes and New World hognose snakes.

+Xenodontinae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherLiophis cobellus cobellusMangrove snake, mangrove mapepireBoos (2001), p. 98Liophis melanotus nesosLiophis melanotus nesos has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare and is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Beh belle chemin, doctor snakeBoos (2001), p. 99Liophis reginae zweifeli High woods coralBoos (2001), p. 100Oxyrhopus petola petolaFalse coralBoos (2001), p. 102Pseudoboa neuwiediiRatonelBoos (2001), p. 103Pseudoboa neuwiedii has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare.Siphlophis cervinus CheckerbellyBoos (2001), p. 106Siphlophis compressus Mapepire de fe, false coralBoos (2001), p. 109Thamnodynastes ramonriveroiStriped swamp snakeBoos (2001), pp. 107–109

Subfamily Dipsadinae Dipsadinae is a subfamily of snakes within the family Colubridae that includes cat-eyed snakes, night snakes, and black-striped snakes.

+Dipsadinae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherAtractus fuliginosusHallowell's ground snakeAtractus fuliginosus · BioDiversity4AllAtractus trilineatusThree-lined ground snakeBoos (2001), p. 110?Atractus trilineatus has been reported from the island of Huevos, but Boos (2001) considered this record to be doubtful.Atractus cf. univittatusAtractus cf. univittatus is known from a single collection in Tobago. It has affinities with A. univittatus, but may be an undescribed species.Tobago one-lined snakeBoos (2001), p. 112Clelia clelia cleliaBlack cribo, mussuranaBoos (2001), p. 85Clelia clelia clelia has been recorded from the island of Chacachacare, but the report has not been confirmed with a specimen.Dipsas variegata trinitatisDipsas variegata trinitatis is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Snail-eating snakeBoos (2001), p. 113Erythrolamprus aesculapiiErythrolamprus aesculapii is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.False coralBoos (2001), p. 88Erythrolamprus bizonaErythrolamprus bizona is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.False coralBoos (2001), pp. 89–93Erythrolamprus cobellaMangrove snakeErythrolamprus cobella · BioDiversity4AllErythrolamprus melanotusBlack-backed snakeErythrolamprus ocellatusErythrolamprus ocellatus is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Tobago false coral, red snakeBoos (2001), pp. 93–95Erythrolamprus pseudoreginaeTobago stream snakeErythrolamprus pseudoreginae · iNaturalist United KingdomErythrolamprus zweifeliZweifel's ground snakeErythrolamprus zweifeli · BioDiversity4AllHelicops angulatus Water mapepire, brown-banded water snakeBoos (2001), p. 96Hydrops triangularis neglectusWater coralBoos (2001), p. 97Imantodes cenchoa cenchoa Mapepire corde violon, fiddle-string snakeBoos (2001), p. 114Leptodeira annulata ashmeadi False mapepire, cat-eyed night snakeBoos (2001), p. 115Leptodeira annulata ashmeadi has been recorded from the islands of Gaspar Grande and Huevos.Ninia atrataRed-nape snake, ring neck snakeBoos (2001), p. 117Ninia franciscoiTrinidad coffeesnakeSibon nebulata nebulataClouded snakeBoos (2001), p. 118Sibon nebulata nebulata has been recorded from the island of Huevos.

Subfamily Colubrinae Colubrinae is the largest subfamily of colubrids, and includes rat snakes, king snakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes.

+Colubrinae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherChironius carinatus carinatusMachete savane, yellow macheteBoos (2001), p. 119Chironius multiventris septentrionalis Long-tailed machete savaneBoos (2001), p. 121Chironius scurrulusChironius scurrulus is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Smooth machete savaneBoos (2001), p. 122Drymarchon corais coraisYellow-tailed criboBoos (2001), p. 123Drymarchon corais corais has been recorded from the island of Monos.Leptophis ahaetulla coeruleodorusLora, parrot snakeBoos (2001), p. 125Leptophis stimsoniLeptophis stimsoni is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Grey loraBoos (2001), p. 126Mastigodryas amaraliAmaral's tropical racerMastigodryas amarali | The Reptile DatabaseMastigodryas boddaerti boddaertiMachete couesseBoos (2001), p. 128Mastigodryas boddaerti boddaerti has been recorded from the islands of Monos, Gaspar Grande, Chacachacare, Huevos, and Caledonia.Mastigodryas boddaerti dunniMastigodryas boddaerti dunni has been recorded from the island of Little Tobago and is only known in Trinidad and Tobago from a single collection.Machete couesseBoos (2001), p. 130Oxybelis rutherfordi HorsewhipBoos (2001), p. 133Oxybelis aeneus has been recorded from the islands of Chacachacare and Huevos.Phrynonax polylepis Olivaceous bird snake, cutlahPseustes poecilonotus polylepisDos cocoriteBoos (2001), p. 136Pseustes sulphureus sulphureus Yellow-bellied puffing snakeBoos (2001), p. 138Spilotes pullatus pullatusTigre, chicken snakeBoos (2001), p. 140Tantilla melanocephalaBlack-headed snakeBoos (2001), p. 142Tantilla melanocephala has been recorded from the island of Huevos.

Family Elapidae Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Two species are found in Trinidad and Tobago.

+Elapidae Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherMicrurus diutiusTrinidad ribbon coral snakeTrinidad Ribbon Coral Snake (Micrurus diutius) · iNaturalistMicrurus circinalisLarge coral snakeBoos (2001), p. 146Micrurus circinalis has been recorded from the islands of Gaspar Grande (Boos 2001) and Monos (Charles & Smith 2009).Boos (2001), p. 144

Family Viperidae Viperidae is a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except for Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii and the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Two species are found in Trinidad and Tobago.

Species Common name Trinidad Tobago Bocas Is. OtherBothrops atrox Mapepire balsain, fer-de-lanceBoos (2001), p. 156Lachesis muta muta When a name changes everything: taxonomy and conservation of the Atlantic bushmaster (Lachesis Daudin, 1803) (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae)Mapepire zanana, mapepire z'ananas, bushmasterBoos (2001), p. 167

See also Environment of Trinidad and Tobago List of birds of Trinidad and Tobago List of butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago List of reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago

Notes

References All information is based on Boos (2001) unless otherwise stated.

Bibliography

External links Medicinal and ethnoveterinary remedies of hunters in Trinidad from BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (BioMed Central).