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Royal Marsh-Snake (Erythrolamprus reginae)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Erythrolamprus reginae
English common name: Royal Marsh-Snake.
Spanish common name: Culebra pantanera real.
Recognition: ♂♂ 76.2 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. ♀♀ 81.0 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail..1 Erythrolamprus reginae can be identified by having smooth dorsal scales arranged in 15 or 17 rows at mid-body, a divided anal plate, and a unique coloration.1–4 The dorsum is olive-brown or dark reddish-brown with faint black speckling as well as a series of dark dorsolateral spots that coalesce into longitudinal lines towards the tail (Fig. 1).2–6 The ventral surfaces are yellowish white or bright yellow, with black scales in a checkerboard pattern. The head is dark olive green with a dark postocular stripe and yellow lips.2–6 This species differs from E. lamonae by having thin, instead of broad, posterior lateral black stripes.7 From E. typhlus, it differs by having black-checkered yellow ventral surfaces.7
Figure 1: Individuals of Erythrolamprus reginae from Ecuador: El Chaco, Napo province (); Huella Verde Lodge, Pastaza province ().
Natural history: Erythrolamprus reginae is a terrestrial snake that inhabits pristine as well as heavily disturbed rainforests, occurring in higher densities along bodies of water such as streams, ponds, and seasonally flooded areas.2–8 The species also occurs in disturbed areas such as open fields and rural gardens.2 Royal Marsh-Snakes are typically seen active during sunny days, foraging on the forest floor or crossing dirt roads and trails.4,6 At night, they roost on low (0.3–2.3 m above the ground) understory vegetation.4,6 The diet in this species primarily consists of terrestrial frogs, tadpoles, and amphibian eggs,4–6 but also includes lizards (including Ameiva ameiva)9,10 and fish.3,10 The Royal Marsh-Snake, when cornered, expands the neck and anterior part of the body, creating a kind of hood. If captured, it resorts to musking and thrashing the body, but biting has also been recorded.4,8 There are published instances of predation on members of this species by other snakes (Clelia clelia and Drymarchon corais).2 The breeding season in E. reginae seems to take place year-round, with clutches consisting of 1–8 eggs.2,4,11
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..12 Erythrolamprus reginae is listed in this category primarily because the species is widely distributed, occurs in protected areas, and is able to tolerate some degree of habitat disturbance so long as forest remains.12 Although little is known about threats to this species, deforestation and the decline in the number of anuran prey due to pollution and emerging diseases could have a negative localized impact on some populations. The Royal Marsh-Snake can also be particularly affected by vehicular traffic, being frequently found dead-on-road throughout its range.
Distribution: Erythrolamprus reginae is widespread along Amazonia and adjacent forest biomes of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador (Fig. 2), French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. In Brazil, the species also occurs in Cerrado, Caatinga, and in the Atlantic Forest.
Figure 2: Distribution of Erythrolamprus reginae in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The name Erythrolamprus, which comes from the Greek words erythros (=red) and lampros (=brilliant),13 refers to the bright red body rings of some snakes in this genus (such as E. aesculapii). The specific epithet reginae comes from the Latin regina (=majesty or queen).13
See it in the wild: In Ecuador, Royal Marsh-Snakes are recorded usually no more than once a month at any given locality. However, in areas having low vehicle traffic, such as in Napo Wildlife Center and Yasuní Scientific Station, individuals may be seen more frequently. The snakes may be spotted as they cross forest trails during sunny mornings.
Authors: Tatiana Molina-Moreno,aAffiliation: Departamento de Biología, Universidad de los Llanos, Villavicencio, Colombia. Sophia Hurtado,bAffiliation: Universidad ICESI, Cali, Colombia. Andrés F. Aponte-Gutiérrez,cAffiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias de la Orinoquía, Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Orinoquía, Arauca, Colombia.,dAffiliation: Fundación Biodiversa Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia. and Alejandro ArteagaeAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.
Photographer: Jose VieirafAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,gAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Molina-Moreno T, Hurtado S, Aponte-Gutiérrez AF, Arteaga A (2024) Royal Marsh-Snake (Erythrolamprus reginae). 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/QOPC1081
Literature cited:
- Dixon JR (1983) Systematics of Liophis reginae and L. williamsi (Serpentes, Colubridae), with a description of a new species. Annals of Carnegie Museum 52: 113–138
- Duellman WE (1978) The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador. Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas 65: 1–352.
- Dixon JR, Soini P (1986) The reptiles of the upper Amazon Basin, Iquitos region, Peru. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, 154 pp.
- Martins M, Oliveira ME (1998) Natural history of snakes in forests of the Manaus region, Central Amazonia, Brazil. Herpetological Natural History 6: 78–150.
- Ascenso AC, Costa JC, Prudente AL (2019) Taxonomic revision of the Erythrolamprus reginae species group, with description of a new species from Guiana Shield (Serpentes: Xenodontinae). Zootaxa 4586: 065–097. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4586.1.3
- Duellman WE (2005) Cusco amazónico: the lives of amphibians and reptiles in an Amazonian rainforest. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 433 pp.
- Dixon JR (1989) A key and checklist to the neotropical snake genus Liophis with country lists and maps. Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service 79: 1–40. DOI: 10.5479/si.23317515.79.1
- dos Santos-Costa MC, Maschio GF, da Costa Prudente AL (2015) Natural history of snakes from Floresta Nacional de Caxiuanã, eastern Amazonia, Brazil. Herpetology Notes 8: 69–98.
- Avila-Pires TCS (1995) Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen 299: 1–706.
- Cunha OR, Nascimento FP (1993) Ofídios da Amazônia. As cobras da região leste do Pará. Papéis Avulsos Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi 40: 9–87.
- Fitch H (1970) Reproductive cycles in lizards and snakes. Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 247 pp.
- Arzamendia V, Catenazzi A, Fitzgerald L, Gagliardi G, Giraudo A, Gonzales L, Ines Hladki A, Nogueira C, Ramírez Pinilla M, Renjifo J, Scrocchi G, Urbina N, Williams J, Schargel W, Rivas G, Murphy J (2019) Erythrolamprus reginae. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44581723A44581732.en
- 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 Erythrolamprus reginae in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Belén de los Andaquíes | Valderrama 2023 |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Cartagena del Chairá | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Florencia | Cárdenas Hincapié & Lozano Bernal 2021 |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Inspección de policía de Araracuara | Borja-Acosta & Galeano Muñoz 2023 |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Las Camelias | Cahueño & Barbosa 2022 |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Puerto Asis | Cárdenas Hincapié & Lozano Bernal 2021 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Asis | Cárdenas Hincapié & Lozano Bernal 2021 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Reserva Fin del Mundo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Reserva La Isla Escondida | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Río Pepino | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Comunidad Amazonas | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Gualaquiza | MNHN 1906.242; examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macas | MHNG 2401.022; collection database |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macuma | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Normandía | AMNH 35926; examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Procuraduría | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sardinayacu | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Ahuano, 4 km SE of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | El Capricho | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | El Chaco | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha | Vigle 2008 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Huella Verde Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Cotopino | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Hollín | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Suno | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Santa Cecilia | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Yachana Reserve | Whitworth & Beirne 2011 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Añangu | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Comunidad El Edén | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Comunidad Yanayacu | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Concepción | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Dayuma, 6.4 km NE of Mikla Camp | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Loreto | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Napo Wildlife Center | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Río Pucuno | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San José de Payamino | Maynard et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San José Viejo de Sumaco | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tiputini Biodiversity Station | Cisneros-Heredia 2003 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Vía Maxus | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yarina Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Abitagua | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Alpayacu | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Arajuno | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Cabeceras del Bobonaza | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Cabeceras del Río Arajuno | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Cabeceras del Río Capahuari | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Canelos | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Chichirota | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Copataza | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Mera | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo | Almendáriz 1987 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pavacachi | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pozo Danta | FHGO 1262; Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pucayacu | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pucayacu (Río Pucayacu) | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | "Puyo " | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Corrientes | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Curaray | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Oglán | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Pindo | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Shell | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sumak Kawsay In Situ | Bentley et al. 2021 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Villano | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Zarentza | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Dureno | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | General Farfan | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Lago Agrio | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Limoncocha Biological Reserve | UIMNH 54665; collection database |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Lumbaqui | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Playas del Cuyabeno | UIMNH 82482; collection database |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | San Antonio | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Secoya | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Siete de Julio | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Territorio Cofán Dureno | Yánez-Muñoz & Chimbo 2007 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | El Topo | Dixon 1983 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Río Negro | Ascenso et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Alrededores de Ciudad Perdida | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Concesión Minera Colibrí | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Copalinga Lodge | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | El Pindal, 6 km E of | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Estación Científica San Francisco, environs of | Torres-Carvajal & Hinojosa 2020 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Jardín del Cóndor | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Las Orquídeas, 2.8 km S of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Subcuenca del Río Tundayme | Betancourt et al. 2018 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Aguaruna Village | MVZ 163288; VertNet |
| Perú | Amazonas | Kayamas | USNM 316628; VertNet |
| Perú | Amazonas | La Poza | MVZ 175329; VertNet |
| Perú | Amazonas | Teniente Pinglo | USNM 566731; VertNet |
| Perú | Loreto | Centro Unión | Dixon & Soini 1986 |
| Perú | Loreto | Mishana | Dixon & Soini 1986 |
| Perú | Loreto | Moropon | Dixon & Soini 1986 |
| Perú | Loreto | Requena | Dixon & Soini 1986 |