| Julia's Ground Snake | |
|---|---|
| Julia's Ground Snake in Rosalie, Dominica. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Liophis |
| Species: | L. juliae Cope, 1879 |
| Binomial name | |
| Liophis juliae Günther, 1888 |
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| Subspecies | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Julia's Ground Snake (Liophis juliae) is a species of colubrid snake found in the Caribbean, on the Lesser Antilles islands of Dominica and Guadeloupe.
The nominate subspecies, L. j. juliae, is endemic to Dominica, where it may be found everywhere but the highest elevations. L. j. copeae is found on numerous islands in the Guadeloupean archipelago, while L. j. mariae is restricted to the Guadeloupean island of Marie-Galante. Its relative rareness in Guadeloupe is attributed to the presence of the mongoose, which is absent from Dominica.
It can reach half a meter long. Its coloration is typically white or yellowish flecks on a glossy dark ground color, but some individuals are uniformly dark. It eats lizards, frogs, and insects. It is harmless to humans, but may release a foul-smelling cloacal secretion if provoked.