Tantilla slavensi

Tantilla slavensi, also known commonly as Slavens's centipede snake and la culebra centipedívora de Slavens in Mexican Spanish, is a species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Mexico^[2]

Tantilla slavensi
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Tantilla
Species:	T. slavensi
Binomial name
Tantilla slavensi Pérez-Higareda, H.M. Smith & R.B. Smith, 1985

Etymology

The specific name, slavensi, is in honor of American herpetologist Frank L. Slavens.^[3]: 245

Description

Dorsally, Tantilla slavensi has a pattern of light brown and dark brown stripes. Ventrally, it is orange, which fades to white in preservative. The dorsal scales, which are smooth and lack apical pits, are arranged in 15 rows throughout the length of the body. The holotype has a total length of 34.6 cm (13.6 in), which includes a tail length of 6.9 cm (2.7 in).^[2]

Geographic distribution

Tantilla slavensi is found in eastern Mexico, in the Mexican state of Veracruz.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Tantilla slavensi is forest,^[1] at altitudes of 50–800 m (160–2,620 ft).^[2]

Behavior

Tantilla slavensi is terrestrial and fossorial.^[2]

Reproduction

Tantilla slavensi is oviparous.^[2]