Adorned Graceful Brown Snake

About the Adorned Graceful Brown Snake

Rhadinaea decorata, the adorned graceful brown snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is found in Central and South America. The name Rhadinaea comes from the greek word for slender. The species name decorata was given to the snake for the white markings on its head means "decorated or adorned".

Snakes of this species are generally brown in color, with dark lines down the sides of their bodies and oftentimes another similar marking down the spine. These two dark streaks are often separated by another stripe that is tan in color. A white marking behind the eyes serve as the species' namesake. In species that are more southern in distribution, this marking is longer and continuous along the rest of the body.

Notable features of Rhadinaea decorata include a long tail, taking up a maximum of 47% of its body. They are also known to have a smaller number of ventral scales to other species, with scientists counting between 110 and 134 scales on collected specimens.

Rhadinaea decorata can get as long as 470 mm long, however lengths exceeding 400 mm are atypical. R. decorata typically has about 20 maxillary teeth, then followed by two larger... Wikipedia →