Doi or Duma (Brazil)
The mussurana (Clelia clelia) is a species of mildly-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is found in Central and South America.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Mildly venomousMildly venomous animals produce venom, which they use to kill or disable prey, defend themselves from predators or conspecifics, or in agonistic en...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe mussurana is a large snake. Adults may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 2.1 m (6.9 ft). Dorsally, adults are uniformly black, gray, or olive-gray. Ventrally, adults are yellowish-white. Juveniles are pale brown or red, with a black head and a yellow collar.
These snakes occur in Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles (including the island of Trinidad). They inhabit dry and humid forests, and can also be found in plantations and pastureland close to the forest edge.
Mussurans is a terrestrial species. These snakes usually hunt at night but may also be active during the day. They have 10 to 15 teeth at the front of the upper jaw, which is followed, after a space, by two enlarged grooved teeth at the back of the mouth (opisthoglyphous teeth) which they use to grasp the head of the attacked snake and push it into the gullet. Then they coil around the prey, killing it by constriction (this is the reason these species are called pseudoboas). Mussuranas pose no danger to humans and even when handled they usually do not bite.
Mussuranas are carnivores and specialize in eating other snakes. They are immune to the venom of the snakes they feed upon. They are not immune to the venom of the coral snake only. In the absence of other snakes, mussuranas can feed also on small mammals.
Mussuranas are oviparous or egg-laying species. Females lay small clutches of eggs and the young take a long time before they are ready to breed.
This species doesn’t face any major threats at present.
According to IUCN Red List, the mussurana is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today remain stable.
