American Pipe Snake
Anilius scytale
A striking red-and-black banded burrowing snake from the Amazon Basin, often mistaken for a venomous coral snake.
- Venomous?
- Non-venomous
- Adult length
- 0.7-1.0 m (2.3-3.3 ft)
- Range
- Northern South America (Amazon Basin)
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Overview
The American Pipe Snake is the sole living species of an ancient, primitive snake family found in the tropical lowlands of northern South America. It is notable for its bold red-and-black ringed pattern, which closely mimics that of venomous coral snakes in the region.
Despite its warning coloration, this species is completely non-venomous and harmless to humans, relying on Batesian mimicry of dangerous coral snakes for protection from predators.
How to identify it
- Cylindrical, smooth-scaled body with minimal tapering
- Bold alternating bands of red (or orange) and black encircling the body
- Small, blunt head barely distinct from the neck, with tiny eyes
- Distinguished from true coral snakes by its blunt tail and lack of yellow bands
- Adults typically 70 cm to just over 1 m in length
Habitat & range
Native to the Amazon Basin, including parts of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and the Guianas. It inhabits moist tropical lowland forest and swampy terrain, spending most of its time burrowed in damp soil or leaf litter.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Fossorial and secretive, feeding on amphibians, small reptiles, and other burrowing vertebrates, which it subdues by constriction. Its vivid banded pattern serves as mimicry of venomous coral snakes, deterring predators despite the species being harmless. It is live-bearing, giving birth to small litters of young.
Frequently asked questions
Is the American Pipe Snake venomous?
No, it is non-venomous, though its coloration mimics venomous coral snakes.
How can you tell the American Pipe Snake apart from a coral snake?
It has a blunt tail, lacks yellow bands, and has a small head barely distinct from its neck.
Where is the American Pipe Snake found?
It occurs in the tropical lowlands of the Amazon Basin in northern South America.
How big does the American Pipe Snake get?
Adults typically reach 70 cm to just over 1 m in length.
American Pipe Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding American Pipe Snake.
