Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake
Leptodeira frenata
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- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusLeptodeira (Cat-eyed Snakes)
- SpeciesLeptodeira frenata (Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake)
About the Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake
Leptodeira frenata, also known commonly as the Mayan cat-eyed snake and the rainforest cat-eyed snake, is a species of mildly venomous snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, and there are three recognized subspecies.
Leptodeira frenata is found on the Atlantic slope from neotropical Mexico southward through Belize to northern Guatemala. The preferred natural habitat of Leptodeira frenata is forest, at altitudes of 150–450 m (490–1,480 ft).
Leptodeira frenata is terrestrial and partly arboreal. Leptodeira frenata is venomous. Bites to humans may cause intense pain, swelling, and bloody blisters. The following three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Leptodeira frenata frenata (Cope, 1886) Leptodeira frenata malleisi Dunn & Stuart, 1935 Leptodeira frenata yucatanensis (Cope, 1887) Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Leptodeira.
The subspecific name, malleisi, is in honor of ornithologist... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
Northern Cat-eyed Snake
Leptodeira septentrionalis
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Leptophis mexicanus
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Oxybelis potosiensis
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Dryad Snake
Mastigodryas melanolomus
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Drymobius margaritiferus
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Symphimus mayae
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Spilotes pullatus
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Coniophanes schmidti
Green Vine Snake
Oxybelis fulgidus
Central American Indigo Snake
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Blood Snake
Stenorrhina freminvillei
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Celestún Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake sighting in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?
July has the highest sighting rate for Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.