About Xenodon merremii (Wagler, 1824)
Adults of Xenodon merremii usually reach a total length including the tail of 1 m (39 in) or less. This species has a highly variable color pattern. Some specimens referred to as the "red phase" are uniformly colored reddish tan. Other individuals are pale brown on the dorsal side, marked with broad dark brown crossbands edged in black; these crossbands are narrower or interrupted in the middle. This second type of color pattern closely resembles the pattern of the venomous snake Bothrops alternatus. Xenodon merremii is found across Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. Its preferred natural habitat is open savanna and shrubland areas, at elevations ranging from sea level up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft), and it is also commonly found in disturbed habitats. Xenodon merremii reproduces by laying eggs, meaning it is oviparous.
