Published January 13, 2023. Updated March 26, 2024. Open access. | Gallery ❯ |
Ecuadorian Forest-Racer (Dendrophidion graciliverpa)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Dendrophidion graciliverpa
English common name: Ecuadorian Forest-Racer.
Spanish common name: Corredora selvática ecuatoriana.
Recognition: ♂♂ 105.4 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=67.6 cm. ♀♀ 102.7 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=66.3 cm..1 Dendrophidion graciliverpa can be identified by having conspicuously large eyes, keeled dorsal scales arranged in 17 rows at mid-body, and a brown dorsum with pale crossbars, but without a black nuchal collar.1,2 In juveniles, the crossbars are conspicuous, but these become faint in adults (Fig. 1). This species differs from D. clarkii by lacking a black nuchal collar and dark crossbands with embedded pale ocelli.3 From D. prolixum, it differs by having a higher number of pale body bands (57–87 vs 49–57).1
Figure 1: Individuals of Dendrophidion graciliverpa from Ecuador: Mindo, Pichincha province (); FCAT Reserve, Esmeraldas province (). j=juvenile.
Natural history: Dendrophidion graciliverpa is a diurnal snake that inhabits old-growth rainforest, occurring also in pastures with scattered trees, cacao plantations, and banana groves.1,2 Snakes of this species are most often seen active at ground level,3 either basking or actively foraging on the leaf-litter.1 At night, they roost on low (less than 1.5 m above the ground) understory vegetation.4 Ecuadorian Forest-Racers are active hunters having an aglyphous dentition (meaning their teeth lack specialized grooves to deliver venom).1 Therefore, they ingest prey quickly to avoid them from escaping. There are records of individuals of D. graciliverpa feeding on rainfrogs (Pristimantis achatinus)5 and poison frogs (Epipedobates anthonyi).1 The main defense mechanism of Ecuadorian Forest-Racers is to flee quickly, but they can also strike or shed-off parts of their tail.1
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..6 Dendrophidion graciliverpa is listed in this category primarily on the basis of its wide (over 40,000 km2; Fig. 2) distribution, presence in protected areas, adaptability to disturbed habitats, and presumed large and stable populations. However, D. graciliverpa is distributed over an area where more than 75% of the forest has been converted to pastures, agricultural fields, and human settlements.7 Thus, the species may qualify for a threatened category in the future if deforestation in western Ecuador continues at the current rate.
Distribution: Dendrophidion graciliverpa is native to an area of approximately 44,693 km2 in western Ecuador (Fig. 2) and extreme northwestern Peru.
Figure 2: Distribution of Dendrophidion graciliverpa in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: 3 km E Pasaje, El Oro province. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The generic name Dendrophidion comes from the Greek words Dendron (=tree) and ophidion (=small snake).8 The specific epithet graciliverpa is derived from the Latin words gracilis (=slender) and verpa (=penis).1 It refers to the long, slender hemipenes of this species.1
See it in the wild: Ecuadorian Forest-Racers are seen at a rate of about once every week in areas having adequate canopy cover. Snakes of this species are particularly common around the Mindo valley, Pichincha province, as well as in Bilsa Biological Reserve, Esmeraldas province. These snakes are most easily spotted sleeping on low vegetation at night, or moving on pastures with scattered trees during sunny days.
Author: Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Photographer: Jose VieirabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Arteaga A (2024) Ecuadorian Forest-Racer (Dendrophidion graciliverpa). 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/GZPJ7260
Literature cited:
- Cadle JE (2012) Systematics of the Neotropical snake Dendrophidion percarinatum (Serpentes: Colubridae), with descriptions of two new species from western Colombia and Ecuador and supplementary data on Dendrophidion brunneum. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 160: 259–344. DOI: 10.3099/0027-4100-160.6.259
- Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Guayasamin JM (2013) The amphibians and reptiles of Mindo. Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, 257 pp.
- Cadle JE, Savage JM (2012) Systematics of the Dendrophidion nuchale complex (Serpentes: Colubridae) with the description of a new species from Central America. Zootaxa 3513: 1–50. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3513.1.1
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Photo by Esteban Suárez.
- Cisneros-Heredia DF, Yánez-Muñoz M, Brito J, Valencia J, Arteaga A, Bustamante L (2016) Dendrophidion graciliverpa. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T48329024A48329039.en
- MAE (2012) Línea base de deforestación del Ecuador continental. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador, Quito, 30 pp.
- Brown RW (1956) Composition of scientific words. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C., 882 pp.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Dendrophidion graciliverpa 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 |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Uzhcurumi | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Bolívar | Chaguancocho | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Bolívar | Guasaganda | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Bolívar | Las Naves | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Chimborazo | Chaguarapata | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Chimborazo | Cumandá | Photo by Eduardo Zavala |
| Ecuador | Chimborazo | Pallatanga | Boulenger 1894 |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | El Jardín de los Sueños | Photo by Christophe Pellet |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Recinto Galápagos | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | San Francisco de Las Pampas | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | El Remolino | Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Hualtaco | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Lote Tituana | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Pasaje | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Pasaje, 3 km E of* | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Playas de Daucay | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Portovelo | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Reserva Biológica Buenaventura | Garzón-Santomaro et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Rosa Delia plantation | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bilsa Biological Reserve | Ortega-Andrade et al. 2010 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bolívar, 4 km E of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Centro de Fauna Silvestre James Brown | Photo by Salvador Palacios |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | El Paisaje | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | FCAT Reserve | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | La Concordia | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | La Pierina | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Quinindé | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Reserva Ecológica Mache Chindul | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Same | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Terminal Marítimo OCP | Valencia & Garzón 2011 |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Puerto Baquerizo–Naranjal | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Río Pescado | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Loja | Alamor | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Loja | Bosque Petrificado Puyango | Garzón-Santomaro et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Buena Fé, 1 km N of | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Centro Científico Río Palenque | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Finca Playa Grande | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Pacalori | MZUA.RE.0175; examined |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Playas de Montalvo | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Reserva Forestal Cerro Samama | Guerra-Correa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Río Baba | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Río Congo | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Bosque La Esperanza | Guerra-Correa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Los Senderos de Tachila | Photo by Tina Swan |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Mariano–Pedernales | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Reserva Jama Coaque | Photo by Ryan Lynch |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Bosque Integral Otongachi | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cabecera del río Sune Chico | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cascadas El Naranjal | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Hostería Yellow House | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Los Bancos–Puerto Quito | Unpublished photo; this work |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Mashpi Lodge | Unpublished photo; this work |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Milpe Bird Sanctuary | Unpublished photo; this work |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Pacto | Unpublished photo; this work |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Puerto Quito | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Puerto Quito, 1.6 km E of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Rancho Suamox | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Reserva Río Guaycuyacu | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Cinto | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Silanche Bird Sanctuary | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Toachi | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Santa Lucía Cloud Forest Reserve | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Séptimo Paraíso | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Tandapi | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Vicinity of Los Bancos | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Finca la Esperanza | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Joe Ramsey farm | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | La Unión del Bolo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Meme | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Mulaute | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Rancho Santa Teresita | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Río Baba, 19 km S of Santo Domingo | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | San Luis de Canoas | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo de los Colorados | Cadle 2012 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 5 km W of | Cadle 2012 |
| Peru | Tumbes | Reserva Nacional de Tumbes | iNaturalist; photo examined |