False Fer-de-lance
Xenodon rabdocephalus
A colubrid widely known for resembling fer-de-lance pit vipers through dramatic head-flattening displays.
- Adult length
- 0.5-0.9 m (1.6-3 ft)
- Range
- Central America and Amazon Basin
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Overview
The False Fer-de-lance is a small, stocky dipsadid snake found throughout Central America and the Amazon Basin, closely related to and often used interchangeably with the name Amazon false fer-de-lance. It is best known for its convincing viper mimicry.
When threatened, it flattens its head into a broad triangular shape reminiscent of true fer-de-lance vipers.
How to identify it
- Brownish or grayish body with irregular dark blotches or bands
- Broad, flattened head display when disturbed, mimicking viper head shape
- Round pupils and no heat-sensing pits, distinguishing it from true vipers
- Stocky, moderately short body
- Best distinguished from real fer-de-lance by lack of loreal pits and by round pupils under normal conditions
Habitat & range
Inhabits lowland moist and wet forests, leaf litter, and forest floor microhabitats across Central America and the Amazon Basin, from sea level to moderate elevations.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal and terrestrial, feeding primarily on frogs and toads, sometimes small lizards. Displays dramatic bluffing including head flattening, body inflation, and striking. Reproduces by laying eggs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the False Fer-de-lance the same as the true fer-de-lance?
No, it is an unrelated colubrid that resembles the fer-de-lance pit viper in appearance.
What does it eat?
Primarily frogs and toads.
How do you tell it apart from a real viper?
It lacks heat-sensing pits between the eye and nostril and has round pupils.
False Fer-de-lance guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding False Fer-de-lance.
