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DOI10.47051/IOPI2991 Published May 12, 2018. Updated April 3, 2024. Open access.

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Elegant Snail-eating Snake (Dipsas elegans)

Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Dipsas elegans

English common name: Elegant Snail-eating Snake.

Spanish common name: Caracolera elegante.

Recognition: ♂♂ 91.9 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=68.3 cm. ♀♀ 93.3 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=78.2 cm..^1,2 In its area of distribution, Dipsas elegans is the only snake having a brownish dorsum with 26–46 blackish, vertical bars between which there is a more or less distinct narrow pale bar (Fig. 1).^1–4 This species differs from D. andiana by lacking a clearly defined dark ∩-shaped mark on the back of the head.⁵ From D. ellipsifera, an extremely similar species restricted to northern Ecuador, it differs by having a higher number of ventrals in both males and females.¹ From Sibon vieirai, it differs by having a dorsal pattern consisting of vertical bars rather than irregular blotches.^6–8

Figure 1: Individuals of Dipsas elegans from Ecuador: Otonga Reserve, Cotopaxi province (); Mindo, Pichincha province (); old Nono–Mindo road, Pichincha province (). j=juvenile.

Natural history: Dipsas elegans is a nocturnal snake that inhabits old-growth to moderately disturbed cloud forests, montane forests, and highland shrublands, occurring in lower densities in plantations, pastures with scattered trees, and urban gardens.^1,2 Elegant Snail-Eaters are active at night, especially if it is raining or drizzling.¹ They move actively but slowly at ground level or on vegetation 0.15–4.3 m above the ground.⁹ The increased activity during humid periods is probably related to their diet, which consists primarily of slugs and snails (soft-bodied insects may also be consumed).^10,11 During the day, individuals of D. elegans have been found resting, coiled inside the leaf-litter, under rotten logs, or deep among crevices in rock walls.^4,9,12 The usual defense mechanism of the Elegant Snail-Eater consists of musking and flattening the body while expanding the head to simulate a triangular shape.⁹ There is an unpublished record of predation on an individual of D. elegans by the viper Bothrops asper.⁹ Clutches consist of 2–7 eggs and are laid under rocks or in crevices.^4,9,12

Conservation: Near Threatened Not currently at risk of extinction, but requires some level of management to maintain healthy populations.. Dipsas elegans is listed in this category, instead of Vulnerable,¹³ because the species occurs in many more localities than previously thought, including 20 protected areas. Although approximately 53% of the species’ habitat is well-preserved, the subpopulations occurring in the Quito valley are severely depleted, fragmented, and isolated from one another.

Distribution: Dipsas elegans is endemic to an area of approximately 6,981 km² along the western slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, including the inter-Andean valley of Quito (Fig. 2).

Figure 2: Distribution of Dipsas elegans in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.

Etymology: The name Dipsas comes from the Greek dipsa (=thirst)¹⁴ and probably refers to the fact that the bite of these snakes was believed to cause intense thirst. The specific epithet elegans is a Latin word meaning “elegant.”¹⁴ It refers to the dorsal color pattern.

See it in the wild: Elegant Snail-eating Snakes can be seen at a rate of about once every few nights, especially during the rainy season in western Ecuador (Dec–May). Prime localities for the species include the old Nono–Mindo road, Otonga Reserve, and the Intag valley.

Author: Alejandro Arteaga^aAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.

Photographer: Jose Vieira^bAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.^,cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.

How to cite? Arteaga A (2024) Elegant Snail-eating Snake (Dipsas elegans). 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/IOPI2991

Literature cited:

1. Cadle JE (2005) Systematics of snakes in the Dipsas oreas complex (Colubridae: Dipsadinae) in western Ecuador and Peru, with revalidation of D. elegans (Boulenger) and D. ellipsifera (Boulenger). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 158: 67–136.
2. Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Guayasamin JM (2013) The amphibians and reptiles of Mindo. Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, 257 pp.
3. Kofron CP (1982) The identities of some dipsadine snakes: Dipsas elegans, D. ellipsifera and Leptognathus andrei. Copeia 1982: 46–51. DOI: 10.2307/1444266
4. Orcés VG, Almendáriz A (1987) Sistemática y distribución de las serpientes Dipsadinae del grupo oreas. Politécnica 12: 135–155.
5. Cadle JE, Myers CW (2003) Systematics of snakes referred to Dipsas variegata in Panama and Western South America, with revalidation of two species and notes on defensive behaviors in the Dipsadini (Colubridae). American Museum Novitates 3409: 1–47.
6. Arteaga A, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Mebert K, Peñafiel N, Aguiar G, Sánchez-Nivicela JC, Pyron RA, Colston TJ, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Yánez-Muñoz MH, Venegas PJ, Guayasamin JM, Torres-Carvajal O (2018) Systematics of South American snail-eating snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the description of five new species from Ecuador and Peru. ZooKeys 766: 79–147. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.766.24523
7. Peters JA (1960) The snakes of the subfamily Dipsadinae. Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, Univesity of Michigan 114: 1–224.
8. Arteaga A, Batista A (2023) A consolidated phylogeny of snail-eating snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the description of five new species from Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. ZooKeys 1143: 1–49. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1143.93601
9. Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
10. Savit AZ (2006) Reptiles of the Santa Lucía Cloud Forest, Ecuador. Iguana 13: 94–103.
11. Cisneros-Heredia DF (2005) Report of molliscivory in Atractus carrioni Parker 1930. Herpetozoa 18: 185–186.
12. Almendáriz A, Orcés G (2004) Distribución de algunas especies de la herpetofauna de los pisos: altoandino, temperado y subtropical. Politécnica 25: 97–150.
13. Cisneros-Heredia DF, Almendáriz A, Yánez-Muñoz M (2017) Dipsas elegans. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T50951285A50951294.en
14. 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 Dipsas elegans in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.

Country	Province	Locality	Source
Ecuador	Bolívar	Ruta del Libertador	Pazmiño-Otamendi et al. 2021
Ecuador	Chimborazo	Pallatanga	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Bosque Integral Otonga	This work; Fig. 1
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Corazón	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Cutzualo	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Galápagos	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Hacienda La Mariela	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Las Damas	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Las Pampas	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Palo Quemado	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Cotopaxi	Quillotuña–Pucayacu	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Imbabura	Chontal Alto	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Imbabura	Cuellaje	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Imbabura	Finca El Paraíso	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Imbabura	Hacienda La Florida	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Imbabura	Intag Cloudforest Reserve	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Imbabura	Peñaherrera	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Imbabura	Pucará, 2 km E of	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Imbabura	Reserva Los Cedros	Photo by Fernando Rojas
Ecuador	Imbabura	Reserva Manduriacu	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Imbabura	Selva Alegre	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Imbabura	Sendero a Reserva los Cedros	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pichincha	Alaspungo	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Bosque Protector Cambugán	Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2009
Ecuador	Pichincha	Bosque Seco Nueva Esperanza	Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2009
Ecuador	Pichincha	Capelo	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Chiriboga	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Cooperativa Primero de Mayo	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Cumbayá	Orcés & Almendáriz 1987
Ecuador	Pichincha	Cumbayá, Viña del Río	Photo by Juan Perez
Ecuador	Pichincha	El Bucal	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	El Golán	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	El Quinche	Orcés & Almendáriz 1987
Ecuador	Pichincha	Estación Chiquilpe	Valencia & Garzón 2011
Ecuador	Pichincha	Finca Elenita	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Hacienda La Hesperia	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Ilaló	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Pichincha	La Unión–Río Cinto	Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2009
Ecuador	Pichincha	Los Armadillos, 3 km E of	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Mindo, 12 km SW of	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pichincha	Nanegal	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Nieblí, 1.24 km SW of	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Nono-Mindo road	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Pacha Quindi	Photo by Tony Nunnery
Ecuador	Pichincha	Pacto, 2 km SW of	Cadle & Myers 2003
Ecuador	Pichincha	Parque Itchimbía	Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2009
Ecuador	Pichincha	Paz de las Aves	Photo by Vinicio Paz
Ecuador	Pichincha	Perucho	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Puente de Guayllabamba	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Quinta La Mica	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Quito, Centro Comercial Naciones Unidas	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Refugio Mindo-Nambillo	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Reserva Alambi, 1 km S of	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Reserva Arlequín	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Reserva Las Gralarias	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Reserva Mashpi	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pichincha	Reserva Pahuma	Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2009
Ecuador	Pichincha	Río Bravo	Photo by Lisa Brunetti
Ecuador	Pichincha	Río Guayllabamba	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Río Saloya	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Road to Mindo	Cadle 2005
Ecuador	Pichincha	Santa Lucía	Savit 2006
Ecuador	Pichincha	Santa Teresita, 2 km N of	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pichincha	Saragoza–Río Cinto	Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2009
Ecuador	Pichincha	Séptimo Paraíso Lodge	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tababela	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tambo Tanda	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tandapi	Arteaga & Batista 2023
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tandayapa	Cisñeros-Heredia 2007
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tandayapa, 2.9 km SW of	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tandayapa, 9 km SE of	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Tumbaco	Orcés & Almendáriz 1987
Ecuador	Pichincha	Vía a Jerusalén	Arteaga et al. 2013
Ecuador	Pichincha	Vía Pachijal–Tulipe	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas	Bosque Protector Río Guajalito	Cisneros-Heredia & Reyes 2003
Ecuador	Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas	Finca Figueroa	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas	Hacienda Las Palmeras	Arteaga et al. 2018
Ecuador	Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas	La Favorita	Almendáriz & Orcés 2004
Ecuador	Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas	Las Palmeras	Arteaga et al. 2013

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