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Clelia clelia

Clelia clelia

(Daudin, 1803)
Mussurana Negra

Family: Colubridae
Order: Squamata
Class: Reptilia
Phylum / Division: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Clelia clelia, commonly known as the mussurana, black mussurana or windward cribo, is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to the New World.

Etymology: The subspecific name, groomei, is in honor of Grenadian zoologist John R. Groome.

Common names: Clelia clelia is called doi or duma in the Kwaza language of Rondônia, Brazil.

Geographic range: Clelia clelia is found in Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles (including the island of Trinidad).

Habitat: The preferred natural habitat of Clelia clelia is forest at altitudes from sea level to .

 Clelia clelia is a large snake. Adults may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of . Dorsally, adults are uniform black, gray, or olive-gray. Ventrally, adults are yellowish white. Juveniles are pale brown or red, with a black head and a yellow collar.

Behavior: Clelia clelia is terrestrial. It is primarily nocturnal, but it is also sometimes diurnal.

Diet: Clelia clelia is a generalized noctural predator with a strong degree of ophiophagy, including venomous snakes of the genera Bothriechis, Bothrops, Crotalus, Lachesis, Micrurus, and Porthidium.

In addition to snakes, Clelia clelia include the following prey items in its diet: lizards, snake eggs, opossums, rodents, birds, small mammals, and snails.

Reproduction: Clelia clelia is oviparous.

Subspecies: Clelia clelia has two subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, which are recognized as being valid.
  • Clelia clelia clelia
  • Clelia clelia groomei

Nota bene: A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Clelia.

Source: Wikipedia, article Clelia clelia. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 16/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Count: 1

Foto
Photography ID: 590132
  Juvenile

Pérez Zeledón
San José
Costa Rica
07/20/2023
Anthony Baloyes E.


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Species records

Count: 3



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
209948520/07/2023Costa RicaSan JoséCentro Biológico las Quebradas, Pérez ZeledónAnthony Baloyes E.
18401422/09/2014ArgentinaCorrientesEsteros del IberáGonzalo Diaz
8057418/11/2013ArgentinaCorrientesColonia Carlos PellegriniSebastián Rozadilla
Page 1 of 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Clelia clelia – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 14/09/2026.