About Phalotris lemniscatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
This snake has fossorial (burrowing) habits that help it adapt and make it less visible in areas altered by human activity. It has a slender body, a relatively small head, a short tail, and a total length that usually does not exceed 50 cm, though some specimens have been recorded reaching 68 cm. It preys on small reptiles, including amphisbaenians, other snakes, and lizards. When encountering humans, it typically performs defensive displays, and is shy rather than aggressive. Its distinct color pattern makes it easy to distinguish from other snake species found in Uruguay. Its dorsal coloration is reddish or orange with black longitudinal stripes; the stripe along the vertebral (backbone) region may be absent or reduced. Most of its head is black, and it has a white collar with a black central area. This species has a broad distribution that covers Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, northern Argentina, and extends into border regions of Bolivia and Paraguay; it is found across the entire territory of Uruguay. It is often encountered in open areas, and adapts well to urban and suburban environments.
