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DOI10.47051/ZZGF1100 Published March 11, 2024. Open access.

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Long-tailed Whipsnake (Chironius multiventris)

Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Chironius multiventris

English common names: Long-tailed Whipsnake, Long-tailed Sipo, South American Sipo.

Spanish common name: Serpiente látigo colilarga.

Recognition: ♂♂ 261.1 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=168.1 cm. ♀♀ 209.7 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=132.9 cm..¹ Chironius multiventris can be identified by having 12 rows of dorsal scales at mid-body, a divided anal plate, and 161–196 ventral scales.¹ This species exhibits an ontogenetic shift in coloration, with juveniles presenting a light olive-brown dorsum with lighter colored scales (sometimes forming bars), and adults having a dark-brown dorsum with black paravertebral keels forming two longitudinal lines (Fig. 1).^1–3 Both juveniles and adults have a bright yellow belly.^1–3 Chironius multiventris differs from C. exoletus by having more ventral scales (123–162 in C. exoletus) and a proportionally longer tail.^1,2 From C. fuscus and C. leucometapus, it differs by having 12 rows of dorsal scales at mid-body and a divided anal plate.¹

Figure 1: Individuals of Chironius multiventris from Ecuador: Yasuní National Park, Orellana province (); Suchipakari Lodge, Napo province (); Napo Wildlife Center, Sucumbíos province ().

Natural history: Chironius multiventris is a fairly common diurnal and semi-arboreal snake that inhabits primary rainforests, gallery forests, and occasionally disturbed areas such as roadsides and rural gardens.^1–3 During the day, Long-tailed Whipsnakes can be seen actively moving on the forest floor or on shrubs and trees up to 7 m above the ground.⁴ At night, they sleep coiled on vegetation up to 9 m above the ground.^1,3,4 Their diet is composed mainly of frogs, but reptiles (including Anolis fuscoauratus and Polychrus marmoratus) are also consumed.^1–5 Gravid females have been found to contain 7–10 oviductal eggs,^1,3 but the real clutch size is not known. The Long-tailed Whipsnake, when disturbed, can exhibit an aggressive behavior which consists of raising the first third of the body while striking repeatedly.⁴ However, this is an aglyphous snake, meaning it lacks venom-inoculating teeth.¹ In Ecuador, two males of C. multiventris were observed entangled in combat.⁶

Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..⁷ Chironius multiventris 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 remain.⁷ 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. Chironius multiventris can also be particularly affected by vehicular traffic, being frequently found dead-on-road throughout its range.⁴

Distribution: Chironius multiventris is widespread throughout the Amazon rainforest Brazil, Peru, Ecuador (Fig. 2), Colombia, Suriname, Guyana, French Guyana and Venezuela.

Figure 2: Distribution of Chironius multiventris in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.

Etymology: The name Chironius was coined by Leopold Fitzinger in 1826, but likely originated in 1790 with Blasius Merrem, who used the common name “Chiron’s Natter” for Linnaeus’ Coluber carinatus.⁸ In Greek mythology, Chiron was a centaur reputed for his healing abilities. Likewise, in ancient Greek civilization, sick people hoping for a cure flocked to temples where sacred snakes were carefully tended and presented to the sufferers. The specific epithet multiventris comes from the words multus (=many) and ventris (=venter), and refers to the high number of ventral scales.¹

See it in the wild: Long-tailed Whipsnakes are particularly common at Yasuní National Park, where they are recorded at a rate of about twice a week especially along clearings during sunny days.

Authors: Esteban Garzón-Franco^aAffiliation: Colecciones Biológicas de la Universidad CES (CBUCES), Facultad de Ciencias y Biotecnología, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia. and Laura Gómez-Mesa,^bAffiliation: Escuela de Ciencias Aplicadas e Ingeniería, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín, Colombia. and Alejandro Arteaga^cAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.

Photographer: Jose Vieira^dAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.^,eAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.

How to cite? Garzón-Franco E, Gómez-Mesa L, Arteaga A (2024) Long-tailed Whipsnake (Chironius multiventris). 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/ZZGF1100

Literature cited:

1. Dixon JR, Wiest Jr JA, Cei JM (1993) Revision of the Neotropical snake genus Chironius Fitzinger (Serpentes, Colubridae). Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino, Torino, 280 pp.
2. 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.
3. Martins M, Oliveira ME (1998) Natural history of snakes in forests of the Manaus region, Central Amazonia, Brazil. Herpetological Natural History 6: 78–150.
4. Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
5. Roberto IJ, Ramos Souza A (2020) Review of prey items recorded for snakes of the genus Chironius (Squamata, Colubridae), including the first record of Osteocephalus as prey. Herpetology Notes 13: 1–5.
6. Photo by Kestrel DeMarco.
7. Ortega A, Hoogmoed M, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Catenazzi A, Nogueira C, Schargel W, Rivas G (2016) Chironius multiventris. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44580143A44580148.en
8. Merrem B (1790) Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte. Duisburg um Lemgo, Berlin, 141 pp.

Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Chironius multiventris in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.

Country	Province	Locality	Source
Colombia	Caquetá	Florencia	Cárdenas Hincapié & Lozano Bernal 2023
Colombia	Putumayo	Reserva La Isla Escondida	iNaturalist; photo examined
Colombia	Putumayo	Vereda Islas de Cartagena	Borja-Acosta & Galeano 2024
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Gualaquiza	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Río Namangoza	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Turula	AMNH 23285; examined
Ecuador	Napo	Hakuna Matata Lodge	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Napo	Huaorani Lodge	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Napo	Ikiam University	Photo by Grace Reyes
Ecuador	Napo	Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Napo	Misahuallí	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Napo	Neumane	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Napo	Río Tena	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Napo	Runa Huasi	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Napo	Sacha Lodge	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Napo	Suchipakari Lodge	This work; Fig. 1
Ecuador	Napo	Wild Sumaco Wildlife Sanctuary	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Orellana	Ávila Viejo	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Orellana	Camino a Bogi 2	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Orellana	EPF, 3 km NW of	Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019
Ecuador	Orellana	Mandaripanga Lodge	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Orellana	Reserva Río Bigal	García et al. 2021
Ecuador	Orellana	Río Coca	MCZ 164700; VertNet
Ecuador	Orellana	Río Yasuní, 200 km upstream from mouth	Dixon et al. 1993
Ecuador	Orellana	San José de Payamino	Maynard et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Tiputini Biodiversity Station	Cisneros-Heredia 2003
Ecuador	Orellana	Yarina Lodge	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Orellana	Yasuní Scientific Station	This work; Fig. 1
Ecuador	Pastaza	Arutam	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Campamento K4	Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019
Ecuador	Pastaza	Canelos	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Pastaza	Centro Ecológico Zanja Arajuno	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Finca Heimatlos	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Fundación Hola Vida	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Pastaza	Jardín Botánico Las Orquídeas	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Juyuintza	Ortega-Andrade 2010
Ecuador	Pastaza	Mouth of Río Villano	Dixon et al. 1993
Ecuador	Pastaza	Paparawua	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Lliquino	Dixon et al. 1993
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Sarayakillo	Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019
Ecuador	Pastaza	San Pascual	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Sarayacu	AMNH 36038; examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Sumak Kawsay In Situ	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Universidad Estatal Amazónica	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Pastaza	Upper Río Curaray	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	La Selva Lodge	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Lago Agrio	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Limoncocha Biological Reserve	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Lumbaqui	Photo by Diego Piñán
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Napo Wildlife Center	This work; Fig. 1
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Pañacocha	MHNG 2399.037; collection database
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Playas del Cuyabeno	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	San Pablo de Kantesiya	MHNG 2458.1; collection database
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Sani Lodge	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Sansahuari	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Santa Cecilia	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Tucán Lodge	iNaturalist; photo examined
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Copalinga	Reeves et al. (unpublished)
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Reserva Maycu	Reptiles of Ecuador book database
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Subcuenca del Río Tundayme	Betancourt et al. 2018
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Timbara	Photo by Darwin Núñez
Peru	Amazonas	Boca del Río Cenepa	Nogueira et al. 2019
Peru	Amazonas	Boca del Río Santiago	Dixon et al. 1993
Peru	Amazonas	Huampami	MVZ 163256; VertNet
Peru	Loreto	Centro Unión	Nogueira et al. 2019
Peru	Loreto	Cordillera Escalera	Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019
Peru	Loreto	Moropon	Nogueira et al. 2019

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