Anilius
Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Anilius scytale

The Aniliidae are a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus Anilius that contains the single species A. scytale. Common names include American pipe snake and false coral snake. It is found in South America. This snake possesses a vestigial pelvic girdle that is visible as a pair of cloacal spurs. It is ovoviviparous. It is non-venomous, and its diet consists mainly of amphibians and other reptiles. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the typical form described here.

Appearance

This species is found in the Amazon rainforest of South America, the Guianas, and Trinidad and Tobago. It is a moderate-sized snake attaining a size of about 70 cm (28 in) in length. It is reported to be ovoviviparous and feeds on beetles, caecilians (burrowing amphibians), amphisbaenids (legless lizards), small fossorial snakes, fish, and frogs. It has a cylindrical body of uniform diameter and a very short tail; it is brightly banded in red and black and reduced eyes lie beneath large head scales. It is considered to be the snake that most resembles the original and ancestral snake condition, such as a lizard-like skull.

Distribution

Geography

They are found in the tropics of northern South America from southern and eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana south through the Amazon Basin of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. The type locality given is "Indiis".

Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Population

References

1. Anilius Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anilius
2. Anilius on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/167047/15204086

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