Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 7, 2026

Tomodon

Tomodon is a monotypic genus of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus contains the sole species Tomodon dorsatus, also known commonly as the pampas snake, which is endemic to South America.

Last revised
Jun 7, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
378 w
Citations
9
Source
Tomodon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Tomodon
A.M.C. Duméril, 1853
Species:
T. dorsatus
Binomial name
Tomodon dorsatus
A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
Synonyms2
  • Tomodon dorsatum
    A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A Duméril, 1854
  • Opisthoplus degener
    W. Peters, 1883
  • Tomodon degener
    (W. Peters, 1883)
  • Aproterodon clementei
    Vanzolini, 1947
Tomodon dorsatus source ↗

Tomodon is a monotypic genus of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus contains the sole species Tomodon dorsatus, also known commonly as the pampas snake, which is endemic to South America.2

Description

The eye of Tomodon dorsatus has a round pupil. The lining of the mouth is black. The last maxillary tooth is enlarged and grooved. There are seven upper labials. The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 17 rows on the neck and at midbody, and reduced to 15 rows anterior to the cloaca. 2

Geographic distribution

Tomodon dorsatus is found in northeastern Argentina, central and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.1

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Tomodon dorsatus is forest.1

Diet

Tomodon dorsatum preys exclusively upon molluscs.1

Reproduction

The mode of reproduction of Tomodon dorsatus has been described as viviparous1 and as ovoviviparous.2

References

References

  1. Cacciali, P.; Carreira, S.; Scott, N. (2019). "Tomodon dorsatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T169682A61317827. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. Species Tomodon dorsatus at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
Further reading

Further reading

  • Boulenger, G.A. (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthogylyphæ and Proteroglyphæ), Amblycephalidæ, and Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I–XXV. (Tomodon dorsatus, corrected gender of specific name, p. 121).
  • Duméril, [A.M.C.] (1853). "Prodrome de la classification des reptiles ophidiens". Mémoires de l'Académie des Sciences de l'Institut de France. 23: 399–536. (Tomodon, new genus, p. 495). (in French).
  • Duméril, A.-M.-C.; Bibron, G.; Duméril, A.[-H.-A.] (1854). Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième — Deuxième partie. Comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux. Paris: Roret. xii + pp. 781–1536. (Tomodon dorsatum, new species, pp. 934–936). (in French).
  • Freiberg, M. (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. 189 pp. (Tomodon dorsatus, p. 112).