Published March 28, 2021. Updated March 1, 2024. Open access. | Gallery ❯ |
Pachacámac Ground Snake (Atractus pachacamac)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Atractus pachacamac
English common name: Pachacámac Ground Snake.
Spanish common name: Tierrera de Pachacámac.
Recognition: ♂♂ 54.7 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=46 cm. ♀♀ 69.5 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=62 cm..1 Atractus pachacamac can be recognized by having a round head similar in width to the neck, small eyes, and a dorsal pattern consisting of narrow (1–3 dorsal scales wide) cream bands alternated with broad (4–6 dorsal scales wide) bands that are lighter in the middle (Fig. 1).1,2 Juveniles and young adults have a whitish or cream nape band, but this gradually disappears in large individuals.1,2 In Ecuadorian Amazonia, A. pachacamac is most easily confused with A. major, but this other snake has a dark mid-dorsal stripe on the neck.2,3 In the Río Quijos valley, A. pachacamac co-occurs with A. ukupacha, which can be identified by having solid black bands, having less than 42 subcaudal scales in males, and being under 52 cm in total length.1 Atractus atlas and A. touzeti have a dorsal pattern similar to A. pachacamac, but these snakes are larger (adults reaching more than 90 cm in total length) and occur at elevations above 1800 m.2,4
Figure 1: Individuals of Atractus pachacamac from Ecuador: Nangaritza, Zamora Chinchipe province (); Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve, Napo province ().
Natural history: Atractus pachacamac is a semi-fossorial snake that inhabits old-growth to moderately-disturbed evergreen forests.1 The species also occurs in rural towns and in areas having a matrix of pastures and forest remnants.5 Pachacámac Ground Snakes are active at dusk or at night, especially after a warm day. Individuals have been seen moving slowly on leaf-litter or crossing roads and trails.5 When not active, these snakes have been found hidden under logs.5 Their diet consists of earthworms.4,6 Atractus pachacamac relies mostly on its cryptic coloration as a primary line of defense. If handled, individuals usually just try to flee, but they can also use their sharp tail tip for poking as well as flatten their body dorsoventrally to appear larger. If captured, they are capable of regurgitating to increase mobility when escaping.5
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances.. Atractus pachacamac is a recently described species.1 Therefore, its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN Red List. Here, we propose to assign it to the Least Concern category because the species is widely distributed, occurs in major protected areas in Ecuador, and has presumed stable populations. The most important threat to the long-term survival of the species is habitat destruction mostly due to mining, oil extraction, and the expansion of the agricultural frontier.7
Distribution: Atractus pachacamac is native to the Amazonian lowlands and adjacent Andean foothills of Colombia, Ecuador (Fig. 2), and Peru.
Figure 2: Distribution of Atractus pachacamac in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary, Napo province. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The name Atractus, which is a latinization of the Greek word άτρακτος (=spindle),8–10 probably refers to the fact that snakes of this genus have a uniform width throughout the body and a narrow tail, resembling an antique spindle used to spin fibers. The specific epithet pachacamac honors Pacha Kamaq, the Incan deity who is the creator of the land.1
See it in the wild: Pachacámac Ground Snakes can be seen at a rate of about once every few weeks in forested areas throughout the Ecuadorian Amazon region. Some of the best localities to find snakes of this species are: Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary and Maycu Reserve. The snakes may be located by scanning the forest floor and leaf-litter along trails at night or by looking under rocks and logs in pastures nearby forest border.
Authors: Duvan ZambranoaAffiliation: Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia. and Alejandro ArteagabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.
Photographers: Jose VieirabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador. and Alejandro ArteagabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Zambrano D, Arteaga A (2024) Pachacámac Ground Snake (Atractus pachacamac). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/CKDR2717
Literature cited:
- Melo-Sampaio PR, Passos P, Prudente ALC, Venegas PJ, Torres-Carvajal O (2021) Systematic review of the polychromatic ground snakes Atractus snethlageae complex reveals four new species from threatened environments. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 00: 1–30. DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12453
- Schargel WE, Lamar WW, Passos P, Valencia JH, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Campbell JA (2013) A new giant Atractus (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) from Ecuador, with notes on some other large Amazonian congeners. Zootaxa 3721: 455–474. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3721.5.2
- Martins M, Oliveira CS (1993) The snakes of the genus Atractus Wagler (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae) from the Manaus region, central Amazonia, Brazil. Zoologische Mededelingen 67: 21–40.
- Passos P, Scanferla A, Melo-Sampaio PR, Brito J, Almendariz A (2018) A giant on the ground: another large-bodied Atractus (Serpentes: Dipsadinae) from Ecuadorian Andes, with comments on the dietary specializations of the goo-eaters snakes. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 91: e20170976. DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765201820170976
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Camper JD, Zard DJ (2014) Atractus snethlageae (Ground Snake). Diet. Herpetological Review 45: 705.
- Finer M, Jenkins CN, Pimm SL, Keane B, Ross C (2008) Oil and gas projects in the western Amazon: threats to wilderness, biodiversity, and indigenous peoples. PLoS ONE 3: e2932. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002932
- Woodward SP, Tate R (1830) A manual of the Mollusca: being a treatise on recent and fossil shells. C. Lockwood and Company, London, 750 pp.
- Beekes R (2010) Etymological dictionary of Greek. Brill, Boston, 1808 pp.
- Duponchel P, Chevrolat L (1849) Atractus. In: d’Orbigny CD (Ed) Dictionnaire universel d’histoire naturelle. MM. Renard, Martinet et Cie., Paris, 312.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Atractus pachacamac in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used. Asterisk (*) indicates type locality.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Florencia | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Bosque Medicinal | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Central Hidroeléctrica Abanico | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Chiguaza | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Gualaquiza | Arteaga et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macas | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macas–Riobamba | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Mendez, 3.5 km N of | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Paantim | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Taisha | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Anaconda Lodge | Anaconda Lodge Ecuador |
| Ecuador | Napo | Gonzalo Pizzaro | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Ikiam | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | Jondachi–Loreto | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Pacto Sumaco, 3 km S of | Knowles et al. (in press) |
| Ecuador | Napo | Reserva Biológica Jatun Sacha | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Sardinas | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Sumac Sacha | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Sumaco Camp 1 | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Tena, Sumac Shagcha | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Vía Cocodrilos–Tena, km 32 | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary* | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Aguarico | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Nenkepare | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Nuevo Paraíso | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Pozo Capirón | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Río Bigal Biological Reserve | Thierry García |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San José de Payamino | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San Sebastian del Coca | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tiputini Biodiversity Station | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Vía Pompeya Sur–Iro, km 10 | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yarina Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Abitagua | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Bameno | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Campamento K10 | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Kurintza | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Murialdo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Puyo | Photo by Darwin Núñez |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Anzu | Photo by Alex Bentley |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sarayaku | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sumak Kawsay | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Tzarentza | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Barranca Bermeja | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | El Eno | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | El Reventador | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Lago Agrio | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Santa Cecilia | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sector Blanca A | Altamirano et al. 2010 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Reserva Río Zuñac | Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | San Francisco de Mapoto | Schargel et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Campamento Las Peñas | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Concesión Minera Princesa | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | El Zarza | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Nangaritza | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Reserva Natural Maycu | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Yantzaza | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Peru | Amazonas | Huampami | MVZ 163247; VertNet |
| Peru | Cajamarca | Jaén | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Peru | Loreto | Cahuapana | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Peru | Loreto | Maynas, Güeppi | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |
| Peru | Loreto | Soplín | Melo-Sampaio et al. 2021 |