Diversity, natural history, and geographic distribution of snakes in the Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil
Author
Guedes, Thaís B.
Author
Nogueira, Cristiano
Author
Marques, Otavio A. V.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3863
1
1
93
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3863.1.1
994b97ae-8a03-4726-86f7-ce51e39578a4
1175-5326
287111
A683CABE-4305-47A4-A063-03FDF93182C0
Helicops modestus
Günther, 1861
“Cobra-d’água”
(Figs. 15.7 and 28.2)
It was recorded only in the state of Bahia, municipality of Caitité. This area is located in the Chapada
Diamantina
complex, ca.
970 m
elevation. We have only one specimen recorded (
Freitas & Silva 2011
) and we believe this species has a restricted distribution confined to high altitude areas. It is also distributed in upland Atlantic Forest and Cerrado (
Marques
et al
. 2001
;
Nogueira
et al
. 2010
). It was found in a complex phytophysionomic of dry forest that includes xerophytic phytophysiognomies of the arboreal and bush caatinga and cerrado vegetation (M. A. Freitas pers. comm). It is diurnal and nocturnal, and feeds on frogs and fishes (
Scartozzoni 2009
).