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Ninia sebae

Ninia sebae, commonly known as the redback coffee snake or the red coffee snake, is a species of small terrestrial snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southeastern Mexico and Central America south to Costa Rica. Although it resembles some venomous coral snakes in color and size, it is not venomous and rarely bites humans.

Etymology

The specific name, sebae, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Albertus Seba.

Subspecies

Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.

  • Ninia sebae immaculata
  • Ninia sebae morleyi
  • Ninia sebae punctulata
  • Ninia sebae sebae

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Ninia.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of N. sebae are forest and savanna, at altitudes from sea level to .

Behavior

Coffee snakes (species in the genus Ninia) are thought to rely on concealment, flight and intimidation to avoid predation. These snakes were observed either flattening their entire bodies when alarmed, or remaining motionless in whatever position they were discovered. In a more recent study these snakes, when touched, displayed a flattened head and neck, and raised their anterior third or half.

Diet

N. sebae preys upon earthworms, slugs, small land snails, and caecilians.

Reproduction

N. sebae is oviparous.

References

Further reading

  • Bocourt MF (1883). "Études sur les reptiles ". pp. i–xiv, 1–1012. In: Duméril A[HA], Bocourt MF, Mocquard F (1870–1909). Recherches Zoologiques pour servir a l'Histoire de la Faune de l'Amérique Centrale et du Mexique. Paris: Mission Scientifique au Mexique et dans l'Amérique. (Impremerie Impériale, printer). (Streptophorus sebae var. punctulata, new variety, pp. 547–548). (in French).
  • Duméril A-M-C, Bibron G, Duméril A[-H-A] (1854). Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Première partie. Comprenant l'histoire des serpents non venimeux [= General Herpetology or Complete Natural History of the Reptiles. Volume 7. Part 1. Containing the Natural History of the Nonvenomous Snakes]. Paris: Roret. xvi + 780 pp. (Streptophorus sebae, new species, pp. 115–117). (in French).
  • (2016). Snakes of Mexico: Herpetofauna Mexicana Vol. I. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Chimaira. 572 pp. .
  • Schmidt KP, (1936). "Notes on Snakes from Yucatan". Zoological Series of Field Museum of Natural History 20 (18): 167–187. (Ninia sebae morleyi, new subspecies, pp. 169–171).
  • Schmidt KP, (1957). "Geographic Variation in the Central American Colubrine Snake, Ninia sebae". Fieldiana · Zoology 39 (10): 73—84. (Ninia sebae immaculata, new subspecies, pp. 81–82).