Black File Snake
Gracililima nyassae
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyLamprophiidae (Lamprophiid Snakes)
- GenusGracililima
- SpeciesGracililima nyassae (Black File Snake)
About the Black File Snake
The black file snake (Gracililima nyassae), also known commonly as the dwarf file snake or the Nyassa file snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Lamprophiinae of the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Gracililima nyassae is the only species in the genus Gracililima. The species was previously placed in the genera Gonionotophis, Mehelya, and Simocephalus. The generic name, Gracililima is from Latin gracili- meaning "slender" + lima meaning "file". The specific name, nyassae, refers to the type locality, "Lake Nyassa" (= Lake Malawi).
G. nyassae is found in Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. G. nyassae is a small snake. The female may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 52 cm (20 in). The male is shorter, around 44 cm (17 in) SVL. Dorsally it is dark brown or purplish brown, with pink skin showing between the scales. Unlike the Common File snake, this snake lacks the light dorsal stripe but has the characteristic triangular body, Ventrally it is black to dark... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Black File Snake in Kruger National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kruger National Park
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Boaedon capensis
Cape Wolf Snake
Lycophidion capense
Common Brown Water Snake
Lycodonomorphus rufulus
Variegated Wolf Snake
Lycophidion variegatum
Cape File Snake
Limaformosa capensis
Swazi Rock Snake
Inyoka swazicus
Floodplain Water Snake
Lycodonomorphus obscuriventris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black File Snake in Kruger National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black File Snake sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black File Snake in Kruger National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Black File Snake in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.