About Drymarchon melanurus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Drymarchon melanurus is a large snake species. Adults reach a total length (including the tail) between 1.80 m (6 ft) and over 2.40 m (8 ft). Most individuals have predominantly glossy, olive-brown dorsal scales that darken to solid black on the tail. The underside is a lighter shade, ranging from olive-yellow to olive-tan. This species has distinct dark markings: dark rings around the eyes, a vertical dark slash just behind the jaw, and a thick diagonal dark slash on both sides of the neck. The subspecies Drymarchon melanurus erebennus is predominantly solid black, though it can show lighter shade variations. The overall geographic range of Drymarchon melanurus extends from southern Texas, south through the Gulf Coast of Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula, Guatemala, and Belize. On the Pacific coast, its range stretches from Sinaloa, Mexico, south through Guatemala, and continues as far south as Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. This species occurs from near sea level up to approximately 1,900 m above sea level (6,230 feet). The subspecies D. m. erebennus is native to southern Texas, extending south into Mexico as far as Veracruz.
