Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Joe Sarvary, Para La Tierra and Hugo del Castillo and is used with their permission.
DIAMONDBACK FLAME SNAKE Oxyrhopus rhombifer
Named for the rhomboid pattern on the dorsal surface this is one of a number of non-venomous snakes that mimic the deadly Coral Snakes of the family Micruridae - though admittedly it is one of the less convincing mimics!. This species inhabits dry areas in the Chaco and southern Paraguay, where it is terrestrial and nocturnal. Extremely tame, this species makes no attempt to bite, relying on its mimicry for defence. Two subspecies occur in Paraguay, the common inaequifasciatus in the Chaco and the much rarer rhombifer in eastern Paraguay.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
Gallery 1 Oxryrhopus rhombifer inaequifasciatus
(FPREP578PH) FIGURE 1a - Adult typical, PN Tte Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2011).
(FPREP579PH) FIGURE 1b - Same individual head detail (Paul Smith July 2011).
(FPREP412PH) FIGURE 1c - Adult melanistic, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Hugo del Castillo August 2010).
(FPREP580PH) VIDEO - Adult typical, PN Tte Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2011).
FIGURE 1a

FIGURE 1a
FIGURE 1b

FIGURE 1b
FIGURE 1c

FIGURE 1c
Gallery 2 Oxryrhopus rhombifer rhombifer
This specimen represents only the third record and locality for this form in Paraguay and is the first report from San Pedro department.
(FPREP913PH) FIGURE 2a - Adult dorsal, Reserva Natural Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Joe Sarvary Para La Tierra June 2015).
(FPREP914PH) FIGURE 2b - Same individual lateral (Joe Sarvary Para La Tierra June 2015).
(FPREP915PH) FIGURE 2c - Same individual head lateral (Joe Sarvary Para La Tierra June 2015).
(FPREP916PH) FIGURE 2d - Same individual head dorsal (Joe Sarvary Para La Tierra June 2015).
(FPREP917PH) FIGURE 2e - Same individual ventral (Joe Sarvary Para La Tierra June 2015).
FIGURE 2a

FIGURE 2a
FIGURE 2b

FIGURE 2b
FIGURE 2c

FIGURE 2c
FIGURE 2d

FIGURE 2d
FIGURE 2e

FIGURE 2e