Stats

Lifespan

10-15 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Tropical savanna

Range

South America

Movement

Climbing

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Rare

About

A slender, fast-moving colubrid snake named for the pale yellow stripes running along its flanks, native to the dry forests and savannas of central South America. Unlike most of its rainforest-dwelling Chironius relatives, it favors open Cerrado habitat and hunts by day, relying on speed and sharp eyesight rather than venom to catch frogs and lizards.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling

   A miniature snake emerges from the egg or from its mother (live-bearers), already venomous or strong-coiled in some species.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile sheds its skin, grows quickly, and hunts smaller prey than the adults.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult length and pattern.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Squamata

Family

Colubridae

Genus

Chironius

Species

Chironius flavolineatus