Sao Paulo False Coral Snake

distribution

Distribution. Known from Brazil and Paraguay, mostly in upland areas of the Brazilian shield (Plt. 145 A). In Brazil, recorded in the southern portion of the Cerrado and its contact with the Atlantic Forest, with an isolated record in Caatinga (Plt. 145 A). Most records in areas of intermediate to high elevations (Plt. 145 B). Observed in the field in savanna and grassland (Colli et al., 2002; FranÇa et al., 2008; Sawaya et al., 2008).

Atlas of Brazilian Snakes: Verified Point-Locality Maps to Mitigate the Wallacean Shortfall in a Megadiverse Snake Fauna

Simophis rhinostoma (Schlegel 1837) Schlegel 1837

Simophis rhinostoma (Schlegel, 1837) “Falsa-coral” (Figs. 12.7 and 25.4) The first and single record of this species in Caatinga is in state of Bahia, municipality of Mucugê, Diamantina Plateau, 1,100 m of altitude, in open, grassy cerrado relicts. It occurs widely along the Cerrado region and Pantanal (Marques et al. 2005; Nogueira et al. 2010). The presence of this species in the Caatinga is probably associated with savanna enclaves in high altitude, because it is considered an open area species (Sawaya et al. 2008; Nogueira et al. 2010). The species has terrestrial habits, is diurnal, and feeds on frogs (Marques et al. 2005; Sawaya et al. 2008).

Diversity, natural history, and geographic distribution of snakes in the Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil