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Tidy Tropical-Racer (Mastigodryas pulchriceps)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Mastigodryas | Mastigodryas pulchriceps
English common names: Tidy Tropical-Racer, Cope’s Tropical Racer.
Spanish common names: Serpiente látigo reticulada, serpiente látigo de cabeza linda, corredora tropical pulcra.
Recognition: ♂♂ 153.1 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=113.0 cm. ♀♀ 150 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=114.0 cm..1 Tropical Racers (genus Mastigodryas) can be identified from other medium-sized diurnal snakes in Ecuador by having a loreal scale, more than one anterior temporal scale, and smooth dorsal scales arranged in 17 rows at mid-body.2,3 Juveniles of M. pulchriceps are easily identified based on their ornate dorsal coloration, which consists of 30–68 dark-brown blotches on a lighter background shade.3,4 This pattern becomes fainter on larger individuals and is usually accompanied by two thin light dorsolateral stripes (Fig. 1).3 Mastigodryas pulchriceps approaches the distribution of, and may even co-occur with, M. heathii and M. reticulatus. While juveniles of the three species are difficult to tell apart from each other, adults are easily distinguishable. Those of M. heathii have broader (3 vs 1 dorsal scales wide) dorsolateral stripes than adults of M. pulchriceps.5 Adults of M. reticulatus lack a striped pattern; instead, they have a uniform grayish dorsum in which each scale is edged in black.5 Other snakes similar in size and coloration that may be found living alongside M. pulchriceps in Ecuador are Erythrolamprus albiventris, which has one anterior temporal scale (instead of two), and species in the genus Dendrophidion, which have keeled (instead of smooth) dorsal scales.2

Figure 1: Individuals of Mastigodryas pulchriceps from FCAT Reserve, Esmeraldas province (); Mindo, Pichincha province (); Cerro de Hayas, Guayas province (); Itapoa Reserve, Esmeraldas province (); and Cahuasquí, Imbabura province (), Ecuador. j=juvenile.
Natural history: UncommonUnlikely to be seen more than once every few months. to locally frequentRecorded weekly in densities below five individuals per locality.. Mastigodryas pulchriceps is a diurnal and primarily terrestrial snake that inhabits evergreen to semi-deciduous forests, cloud forests, and dry to humid montane shrublands.3,6,7 The species also occurs in areas having a matrix of pastures, plantations, and remnants of native vegetation, as well as in gardens of heavily-populated urban areas.1,3 These snakes have been seen active during sunny hours in the morning, crossing roads and trails, basking in open areas or foraging on leaf-litter, soil, or among grass or shrubs.1,8 When not active, they sleep under rocks or coiled on vegetation up to 5 m above the ground.1,9 Racer snakes in general are opistoglyphous (having enlarged teeth towards the rear of the maxilla) and mildly venomous, which means they are dangerous to small prey, but not to humans.10,11 Tidy Tropical-Racers are active hunters and their diet includes lizards (including Andinosaura oculata,3 Holcosus bridgesii,1 Stenocercus guentheri,12 and S. chota12) and frogs (Gastrotheca riobambae13). Individuals rely mostly on crypsis as a primary defense mechanism; when threatened, they usually try to flee. However, if grabbed or cornered, these agile snakes will not hesitate to strike.1,3 Snakes in the genus Mastigodryas are oviparous,11 but there is no information about the clutch size in M. pulchriceps.
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..14,15 Mastigodryas pulchriceps is included in this category on the basis of the species’ wide distribution, presence in over a dozen protected areas (Appendix 1), and presumed stable populations.3,14 This is one of the few snakes able to survive in Quito and adjacent inter-Andean valleys despite the fact that virtually no native vegetation is left in these highly populated areas.3 The main threat to the long-term survival of populations of M. pulchriceps is the continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, mostly due to encroaching human activities such as agriculture, cattle grazing, wild fires, and the replacement of native vegetation with eucalyptus and pine trees. It is estimated that in Ecuador, ~57% of the potential habitat of the species has already been destroyed.16 Tidy Tropical-Racers also suffer from human persecution and traffic-related mortality.1,14
Distribution: Mastigodryas pulchriceps is widely distributed along the Chocoan lowlands and adjacent slopes of the Andes in Colombia (from Cauca and Chocó departments) to southwestern Ecuador (El Oro province). The species also occurs in several inter-Andean valleys, including Quito, El Chota, and Jubones. In Ecuador, M. pulchriceps has been recorded at elevations between 0 and 3034 m (Fig. 2).

Figure 2: Distribution of Mastigodryas pulchriceps in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: Valley of Quito, Pichincha province. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The name Mastigodryas, which comes from the Greek words mastigos (meaning “whip”) and dryas (a tree-nymph),17 refers to the long whip-like tail in snakes of this genus. The specific epithet pulchriceps, which comes from the Latin words pulcher (meaning “beautiful”) and ceps (meaning “head”), refers to the ornate pattern of blotches and stripes on the head of juveniles of this species.3
See it in the wild: Individuals of Mastigodryas pulchriceps may be encountered at rate of about once every week in some areas throughout the species’ distribution. Tidy Tropical-Racers are particularly abundant in the general area of Mindo, Mashpi, Canandé Reserve, and Otongachi Reserve. They are also frequently reported in the valleys surrounding the cities Quito and Ibarra, in northern Ecuador. The snakes may be spotted as they cross trails and roads in areas having adequate vegetation cover, especially during sunny mornings.
Acknowledgments: Special thanks to Diego Piñán for providing locality and natural history data for Mastigodryas pulchriceps as well as for finding three of the specimens photographed in this account.
Author: Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Photographers: Jose VieirabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador. and Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Arteaga A (2022) Tidy Tropical-Racer (Mastigodryas pulchriceps). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J, Guayasamin JM (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/LCQQ1911
Literature cited:
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Peters JA, Orejas-Miranda B (1970) Catalogue of Neotropical Squamata: part I, snakes. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, Washington, D.C., 347 pp.
- Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Guayasamin JM (2013) The amphibians and reptiles of Mindo. Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, 257 pp.
- Montingelli GG (2009) Revisão taxonômica do gênero Mastigodryas Amaral, 1934 (Serpentes: Colubridae). PhD thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, 338 pp.
- Montingelli GG, Valencia JH, Benavides MA, Zaher H (2011) Revalidation of Herpetodryas reticulata (Peters, 1863) (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Ecuador. South American Journal of Herpetology 6: 189–197. DOI: 10.2994/057.006.0304
- Castro-Herrera F, Valencia-Aguilar A, Villaquirán-Martínez DF (2012) Diversidad de anfibios y reptiles del Parque Nacional Natural Isla Gorgona. Universidad del Valle, Cali, 112 pp.
- Valencia JH, Garzón-Tello K, Tipantiza-Tuguminago L, Pulluquitín F, Barragán-Paladines ME, Noboa G (2017) Serpientes del Distrito Metropolitano Quito (DMQ), Ecuador, con comentarios sobre su rango geográfico y altitudinal y conservación. Avances en Ciencias e Ingeniería 9: 17–60. DOI: 10.18272/aci.v9i15.305
- Savit AZ (2006) Reptiles of the Santa Lucía Cloud Forest, Ecuador. Iguana 13: 94–103.
- Photo by Ryan Lynch.
- Natera-Mumaw M, Esqueda-González LF, Castelaín-Fernández M (2015) Atlas serpientes de Venezuela. Dimacofi Negocios Avanzados S.A., Santiago de Chile, 456 pp.
- Savage JM (2002) The amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica, a herpetofauna between two continents, between two seas. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 934 pp.
- Field notes of Diego Piñán.
- Video by Diego Piñán.
- Castañeda MR, Bolívar W, Velasco J, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Yánez-Muñoz M (2017) Mastigodryas pulchriceps. The IUCN red list of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T203303A2763534.en
- Reyes-Puig C (2015) Un método integrativo para evaluar el estado de conservación de las especies y su aplicación a los reptiles del Ecuador. MSc thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 73 pp.
- 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 Mastigodryas pulchriceps 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 | Nariño | El Palmichal | Pinto-Erazo et al. 2020 |
Colombia | Nariño | No specific locality | FMNH 165338 |
Colombia | Nariño | Reserva Natural Río Ñambi | Bacca Cortes et al. 2019 |
Ecuador | Azuay | Above Poetate | This work |
Ecuador | Azuay | El Tejado | This work |
Ecuador | Azuay | La Unión | MZUA.RE.0106 |
Ecuador | Azuay | Luz María | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Azuay | Puente de Chaucha | Photo by Ernesto Arbeláez |
Ecuador | Azuay | Reserva Biológica Yunguilla | MZUA.RE.0073 |
Ecuador | Azuay | Santa Isabel | MZUA.RE.0036 |
Ecuador | Azuay | Susudel | Photo by Ernesto Arbeláez |
Ecuador | Bolívar | Balzapamba | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Cañar | El Chorro | This work |
Ecuador | Cañar | Huatacón | This work |
Ecuador | Carchi | Chical, 6 km S of | DHMECN 12765 |
Ecuador | Carchi | Chinambí | This work |
Ecuador | Carchi | Dracula Reserve | Online multimedia |
Ecuador | Carchi | Tobar Donoso | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Chimborazo | Chaguarapata | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Chimborazo | Gonzol, 2.5 km NW of | This work |
Ecuador | Chimborazo | Sacramento | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Chimborazo | Tixán, 2.5 km SW of | This work |
Ecuador | Chimborazo | Tixán, 2.6 km NE of | This work |
Ecuador | Chimborazo | Valle del Chanchán | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Bosque Integral Otonga | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Bosque Privado El Jardín de los Sueños | Photo by Christophe Pellet |
Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Las Juntas | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Las Pampas | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Recinto Galápagos | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Yakusinchi | Photo by Jane Sloan |
Ecuador | El Oro | Buenaventura Biological Reserve | This work |
Ecuador | El Oro | California | This work |
Ecuador | El Oro | Cascadas de Manuel | DHMECN 11542 |
Ecuador | El Oro | El Guayabo | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | El Oro | Portovelo | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Alto Tambo | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bilsa Biological Reserve | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bosque El Edén | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bulún | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Caimito | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Camino al Río Mira | EPN-H 2556 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Canandé Biological Reserve | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Centro de Fauna Silvestre James Brown | Photo by Salvador Palacios |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Cerro Gatazo | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Cerro Zapallo | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Estero Agua Viva | DHMECN 2900 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Estero Molina | EPN-H 4455 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Gualpi | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Itapoa Reserve | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Lote Salvadores | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Monte Saíno | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Playa de Oro | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Río Blanco | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Río San Francisco | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Río Santiago | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | San Javier | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Trail between Rivers San Miguel and Grande | MCZ 153154 |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Tundaloma Lodge | This work |
Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Verdecanandé | This work |
Ecuador | Guayas | Balao | MZLU l892/3135 |
Ecuador | Guayas | Cerro de Hayas | This work |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Antonio Ante | DHMECN 9307 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Cahuasquí | This work |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Chachimbiro | Photo by Diego Piñán |
Ecuador | Imbabura | El Olivo | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Imbabura | El Refugio de Intag | Photo by Peter Joost |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Hostería Tunas y Cabras | DHMECN 13283 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Intag | Photo by John Castillo |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Near Tumbabiro | This work |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Pablo Arenas | EPN-H 12724 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Paramba | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Pimampiro | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Quiroga | EPN-H 13076 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Reserva Manduriacu | DHMECN 16722 |
Ecuador | Imbabura | Urcuquí | DHMECN 9307 |
Ecuador | Los Ríos | Centro Científico Río Palenque | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Los Ríos | Playas de Montalvo | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Los Ríos | Puerto de Ilá | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Manabí | Ayampe | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Manabí | Bosque La Esperanza | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Manabí | Cerro Pata de Pájaro | EPN-H 13074 |
Ecuador | Manabí | Maicito | EPN-H 9065 |
Ecuador | Manabí | Reserva Ayampe | DHMEC 10060 |
Ecuador | Manabí | Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Manabí | Reserva Jama Coaque | Photo by Javier Aznar |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Barrio Chiviquí | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Barrio la Borrega | This work |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Calderón | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Carapungo | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Cascadas Verdes | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Cerro Catequilla | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Chaupicruz | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Club Campestre Ilaló | MECN 2009 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Club Pucará | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Colinas del Norte | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Collaquí | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Country Club FAE | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Cumbayá | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Entrada de Nayón | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Estación Chiquilpe | Valencia & Garzón 2011 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Granda Centeno | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Guangopolo | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Guayllabamba | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Hayulima | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Iñaquito Alto | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | La Marín | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | La Pampa | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Las Tolas, 4 km S of | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Llano Grande | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Maquipucuna | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Marianitas | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Mashpi Lodge | This work |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Masphi (town), 2 km S of | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Mindo | Photo by Viviana Morales |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Mindo Gardens | This work |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Monjas | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Nanegal, 3 km E of | iNaturalist |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Nanegalito | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Pacto | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Jerusalém | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Lineal de Quitumbe | DHMECN 13122 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Metropolitano Guangüiltagua | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Pintag | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Pirca | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Pomasqui | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Ponceano Alto | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Puéllaro | EPN-H 9154 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Puembo | Photo by Ernesto Arbeláez |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Pusuquí | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Quebrada Pumacho | Photo by Ernesto Arbeláez |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito* | Cope 1868 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, Av. 12 de Octubre | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Rancho Suamox | Photo by Rafael Ferro |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Machángara | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Pisque | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Río San Pedro | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Ruinas de Marieta | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | San Antonio | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | San Roque | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Santa Lucía Cloud Forest Reserve | Savit 2006 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Santa Teresa | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Tababela | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Tanda | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Tandapi | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Tandayapa Bird Lodge | This work |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Terreno de Eric Osterman en Mindo | This work |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Trigoloma | Valencia et al. 2017 |
Ecuador | Pichincha | Tumbaco | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
Ecuador | Santa Elena | Reserva Ecológica Loma Alta | Luis Amador, pers. comm. |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Bosque Protector La Perla | Photo by Plácido Palacios |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Finca la Esperanza | EPN-H 9558 |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Otongachi Reserve | This work |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Río Baba | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Río Mulaule | EPN-H 9142 |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | San Miguel de los Colorados | Montingelli et al. 2011 |
Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo de los Colorados | Arteaga et al. 2013 |