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Atractus

Atractus is a genus of snakes, commonly called ground snakes, in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus includes more than 150 distinct species.

Geographic range

Snakes of the genus Atractus are endemic to Central and South America.

Description

In the genus Atractus the maxilla is short, with 8–12 teeth; the maxillary and mandibular teeth decrease in size posteriorly. The head is not distinct from the neck. The eye is small, with a round or subelliptic pupil. The nostril is between two nasal scales. The preocular is usually absent, and the loreal and prefrontal scales enter the orbit. The body is cylindrical. The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, in 15 or 17 rows. The ventral scales are rounded. The tail can be either short or rather long. The subcaudals are paired.

Reproduction

The genus Atractus is oviparous.

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Atractus.

References

Further reading

  • (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. . (Genus Atractus, pp. 89–92).
  • Passos P, Fernandes R, Bérnils RS, Moura-Leite JC de (2010). "Taxonomic revision of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Atractus (Reptilia: Serpentes: Dipsadidae)". Zootaxa 2364: 1–63.
  • Wagler [JG] (1828). "Auszüge aus seinem [sic] Systema Amphibiorum". Isis von Oken 21: 740–744. (Atractus, new genus, pp. 741–742). (in German and Latin).