Atractus emmeli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atractus emmeli |
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| Emmel's Ground Snake, Vaca Diez, Bolivia (2023) | |
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| Genus: |
Atractus
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| Species: |
emmeli
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The Emmel's ground snake (scientific name: Atractus emmeli) is a type of snake. It's also known as Boettger's ground snake. This snake belongs to the Colubridae family. You can find it in the northwestern parts of South America.
Contents
All About the Emmel's Ground Snake
Why is it called Emmel's Ground Snake?
The snake's scientific name, emmeli, honors a person named Ferdinand Emmel. He sent the first two snakes of this kind to a German scientist. That scientist, Oskar Boettger, then officially named and described this new snake species in 1888.
Where Does the Emmel's Ground Snake Live?
The Emmel's ground snake lives in South America. You can find it in countries like Bolivia and Peru. It mostly lives in areas east of the Andes Mountains.
What Kind of Home Does it Like?
This snake's favorite natural home is the forest. It lives in places that are about 134 to 360 meters (440 to 1,180 feet) above sea level. But you might also find it in places made by people. These include gardens and farms.
What Does the Emmel's Ground Snake Look Like?
Emmel's ground snakes are not very big. Female snakes can grow to about 38 centimeters (15 inches) long. Males are a bit smaller, reaching about 30 centimeters (12 inches).
Colors and Patterns
On its back, the snake can be light brown, dark brown, or black. Sometimes, especially when they are young, they have a whitish or tan band. This band goes across the top of their head. Their belly is usually cream-colored. It often has black spots or dots.
Scales
The scales on its back are smooth. They do not have tiny pits. These back scales are arranged in 15 rows along the snake's whole body. Females have 154 to 187 belly scales. Males have 147 to 169 belly scales. The scales under their tail also vary. Females have 14 to 25, while males have 20 to 31.
How Does it Behave?
The Emmel's ground snake lives on the ground. It is also "fossorial," which means it likes to dig and live underground.
How Does it Have Babies?
This snake is "oviparous." This means that the female snake lays eggs.
