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Mussurana | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Subfamily: | Dipsadinae |
Genus: | Clelia Fitzinger, 1826 |
Species | |
Seven, see text |
Clelia is a genus of snakes, one of three genera with species with the common name mussurana or musurana (Portuguese: muçurana). Clelia is a genus of large snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is native to Central America and South America, and species of Clelia are found from southern Mexico to Brazil. They specialize in ophiophagy, i.e., they attack and eat other snakes. Currently seven species are recognized as being valid.[1] They have other popular names in various countries, such as zopilota in Central America and cribo on some Caribbean islands (though they are not related to Drymarchon).