Godman's Earth Snake

About the Godman's Earth Snake

Geophis godmani, also known commonly as Godman's earth snake, the yellow-bellied earth snake, and la culebra minadora de Godman in American Spanish, is a species of snake in the Family Colubridae. The species is native to Central America.

The specific name, godmani, is in honor of British naturalist Frederick DuCane Godman. G. godmani is found in Costa Rica and Panama. The preferred natural habitat of G. godmani is forest, at altitudes of 1,100–2,100 m (3,600–6,900 ft), but is also found in forest clearings used as pasture.

G. godmani is brownish black dorsally, and yellow ventrally. It may attain a total length of 40 cm (16 in), which includes a tail 5.5 cm (2.2 in) long. Its dorsal scales are completely smooth, and they are arranged in 15 rows at midbody.

G. godmani is terrestrial and secretive, hiding under rocks and logs. G. godmani is oviparous. Amaral A (1929). "Estudos sobre ophídios neotropicos, XVIII – Lista remissiva dos ophídios da região neotropica". Memórias do Istituto Butantan (São Paulo) 4: 126–271. (Catastoma godmani, new combination... Wikipedia →